Big Sexy

Waiting to get my hair colored at the Barber Shop (a great local place for a style cut, color, or an old fashioned walk-in barber cut), I watched the barber fix her hair. It was late in the day, she had no customers and she was obviously getting ready to go out. Originally from east Texas, she’s got the big hair and darling drawl to prove it.

She was working on some kind of an up-do. I was fascinated by the care with which she worked each section and how well the hair was staying in place. Occasionally she shook some white powder from a small red bottle on the mirror ledge into a section of hair as she worked. Finally I could stand it no longer.

“What IS that stuff you’re putting in your hair?” I asked. “Oh honey,” she replied, “that’s hair crack. Best stuff ever for gettin’ my hair to pouf. It’s the only thing I’ll use to get my look.”

“Who makes it?” She held up the bottle to the mirror and said, “Big Sexy. Same folks who make my hair spray.” I continued to watch as she powdered and teased and sprayed. I could not take my eyes off the miracle of transformation happening in front of me.

She made one last final sweep with the spray and turned to face me, holding up a slender red can much taller and bigger than the hair crack but with the same black lettering strutting boldly up the side. “See this? ‘Spray and Play’. They aren’t kiddin’. I can go out in a windstorm or even on the lake in a boat and my hair ain’t movin’. You ought to get you some Big Sexy.”

I smiled and told her she was probably right. Then I heard my name called and got up to back to my stylist. She doesn’t use Big Sexy. But I do. Found a can of it on the top shelf of the hair products aisle at my grocery store. That barber was right – now I can Spray and Play with the best of them.