Beyond Beautician

Willie called Mr. Ricardo's Salon needing a "dye job and a haircut."  My sister Dee Dee took the appointment and waited for the new client to come by.  Dee Dee was fixing her own hair when she looked in the mirror and saw Willie as he walked in the door of the salon.  She could not believe her eyes.  Willie was big, burly and mean looking.  His multicolored hair was well past his shoulders with a six inch new growth of white, the middle section being red and the ends of his hair were jet black.  Willie sat in Dee Dee's chair with a scowl on his face and told her he had gone to another shop and had his hair dyed and wanted Dee Dee to tell him why it didn't take.  Dee Dee was a little apprehensive due to Willie's looks and attitude, but she said, "Well, I'm not sure, but have you been ill or on any kind of medication?"  Willie gruffly said "Well, I pop pills if that is what you mean."  Sis thought to herself "Wow!"  I have got me a dandy here!"  To hide her fear of this man, she tried to be overly polite and asked Willie if he would like something to drink, like coffee or coke.  He said he would take whiskey if we had any.  All of this time Willie never cracked a smile.  Dee Dee was really uncomfortable so when went to the back to mix Willie's color she motioned for Mr. Ricardo to go back with her.  Dee Dee told Mr. Ricardo that she was really afraid of this guy.  She said he was so mean looking and all he talked about was drugs and alcohol.  Mr. Ricardo assured her that she would be alright and that he would keep an eye on the situation.  Willie must have detected Dee Dee's fear of him or she won him over with her naivety and friendly personality because he started changing his attitude.  When Sis asked him what he did, he said he was a wrestler and he ran the circuit.  They began conversing back and forth and he even smiled and had Dee Dee laughing a lot.  She ended up really liking the man who at first had her a nervous wreck.  She did a great color and cut and he paid and tipped her well.  When she completed his hair she innocently asked him if there was anything else she could do for him.  He grinned and looked at her and said "Yeah!"  She teasingly hit him on the shoulder, laughed and said, "Now Willie, you be nice!"  So Willie hugged her and told her goodbye, she was a little sad because she knew she would probably never see him again.

A few weeks later one of Dee Dee's co-workers was reading our hometown paper and saw a picture and an article about Wille.  "Hey Dee Dee!  Isn't this the guy that was in here a few weeks ago and you did his hair?"  Dee Dee looked at the paper and said "Oh my gosh!  That's Willie!"  The article said that he was an undercover narcotics agent and had died while on duty.  Willie was responsible for bringing down a huge drug operation in our town.  Dee Dee thought back about the rough, mean looking man that turned out to be so kind.  Now it all made sense to her.  He was undercover and had to portray a certain character, but his true self came through as he walked out the salon door and gave one last look to Dee Dee.