LADY TWO:

I had my hair braided so tight that my eyes hurt. And can I tell you about the itch, I had to pat it.

All the women start patting their heads.

ALL TOGETHER:

Don’t itch it, pat it!

LADY TWO:

I wonder if Bo Derek had to pat her head. Being that she was the first woman to ever wear braids.

LADY THREE:

You ever kept your braids in so long that when you took them out they were dreads?

LADY FOUR:

That’s happened to me!

LADY ONE:

Me too! Three times! Maybe I should just lock my hair so then I wouldn’t have to spend four hours taking the braids out and ten more hours to put them back in.

LADY TWO:

I’m going to lock my hair. Beautiful long locks. (two beats) My mother would kill me! (two beats)

LADY FIVE:

You ever had your hair hot comb and got caught in the rain. I remember I was terrified of getting my hair wet. I would watch the news every morning and if there was any sort of rain storm I wasn’t leaving my house. A light drizzle, summer shower, thunder storm. I ain’t going.

LADY TWO:

That’s why Black women can’t swim because we’re scared about getting our hair wet. I remember my mom would say.

ALL TOGETHER:

Don’t get your hair wet! you think you’re White?

Bathroom scene ends.

Fade to black and lights up in salon. NOVELETTE speaks to SHARMAINE.

SHARMAINE:

(seated in the chair) Wow! Miss Enid looked great!

NOVELETTE:

Love looks good on her. And her hair has never looked better!

SHARMAINE:

Novelette you’re magic. You know you’re one of the best hairdressers that I know and I’ve had some of the so-called best work on me.

SHARMAINE:

You’re the best! Letty why don’t you come to Hollywood with me and you could be my personal hairdresser. The weather’s nice, I got a guest house you could stay there rent free. I could pay you—

NOVELETTE:

No, No Sharmaine. I’m happy right here. More than happy with what I got. It’s enough.

SHARMAINE:

Your right but it was worth a try. Just feeling a little homesick you know. But Letty I was thinking maybe I should get an auburn something bright, or red bright streaks! Or maybe I should go back to my natural colour?

NOVELETTE:

Well if you can remember what your natural colour was please let me know!

SHARMAINE:

Ok red it is and—

MARCIA:

So, Sharmaine, I am still waiting on the info about your new guy…

SHARMAINE:

(sighs) Marcia, there’s no new guy.

NOVELETTE:

I don’t understand you, you know Sharmaine. Always doing your hair, doing your nails. Such a pretty woman and you don’t have nobody. Career, career. And it’s important for a woman to have a career. But a career won’t hold you at night. You mean to tell me Sharmaine, you can’t find a decent man! You know what your problem is? You are too picky but I am going to help you out. (SHARMAINE looks up at her in distress, everyone knows what a disaster NOVELETTE’s hook ups have been.) Nope don’t say a word Sharmaine. I’m going to help you out.