I Will Survive

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Picture this:

It is Saturday morning on a brisk, fall day in 1978.  A 13-year-old girl sits with her mother in the front lobby of HAIR, the local upscale salon on Summer Street in Stamford, Connecticut.

Perusing the hair style books and fashion magazines, the young girl had already decided her impending transformation.  It's not like she was worried for losing her long locks.  She had a tendency to keep her hair barely shoulder length most of her life.  Her trepidation stemmed more from her excitement of seeing the end result.  The inspiration for change began with watching the 1976 winter Olympics and witnessing the women's gold-medal figure skating champion, Dorothy Hamill, spin and perform her flying camels.  Her hair was part of the overall aesthetic and athletic routine.  It moved and fell into place.  It accentuated everything that was fresh and likeable about Dorothy. 

Al, the husky-built and raspy-voiced stylist, guided the teen to the cushioned, salon chair.  He was dressed in a pumpkin-colored, polyester suit reminiscent of Tony Manero from Saturday Night Fever. His silvery, silky buttoned-down shirt exposed a gold chain.  The music pulsated in the background as he ran his thick fingers through her hair.

"What are we doing for you today?" he asked while his hips moved to the disco beats.

"Have you heard of Dorothy Hamill?"

"Say no more!", Al exclaimed with a bit of excitement in his voice.

Al worked his magic and as he swiveled the chair to face the mirror for the big reveal, Gloria Gaynor belted out,

Oh no, not I, I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to love
I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live
And I've got so much love to give
And I'll survive, I will survive
I will survive

The music, the words, and the energy of the hairdresser simultaneously combusted as the young teen faced her new look.  She was inspired by one of her athletic heroes.  She felt empowered to display the unconventional, yet, popular, hairstyle of the day.  Her confidence grew with the power of Gloria's words.  She realized that as long as she loved herself she would persevere.