Marsha a young lady nearly 30 had just started working in the Jewlrey Dept at Franklin’s Dept. Store. Marsha had beautiful Dark Auburn hair that reached her butt. She liked to wear it down lose and curly, in a long ponytail or up in a twisty bun. She was married to Steve. Franklin had a beauty salon accross from the office near the back entrance. Now a few days after she started working her husband was waiting outside the office near the salon one evening to pick her up. A middle age woman walked by and he read the name tag ” Sophie-Head Stylist/Manager “. Steve followed her into the salon entrance area where she was arranging product. He spoke ” Sophie I saw your name tag and I was wondering if you could do a big favor for me?” Sophie stopped ” It depends on the favor?”

Steve looked around to make sure his wife wasn’t nearby. ” My wife Marsha just started working in the Jewlrey Dept. The one with the long Auburn hair. I’d like to see it cut short somehow. She has worn it the same way for over 12 years.  I thought maybe you could give her a free makeover or something. I’ll pay for it of course.” Sophie smiled and looked at Steve ” Just how short would you like it cut?”  ” I’d like to be able to kiss her neck without any hair being in the way and for her to have bangs. The rest of the style is in your hands. Here is my cell phone number if and when you come up with something.” Sophie spoke ” I know the lady you speak of and let me research the idea and I’ll get back to you.” Steve saw his wife coming out of the office after punching out.Sophie the next day went out on the sales floor and got a good look at Marsha. Her hair moved to and fro as she worked.Later in the break room she saw he sitting down and as she sat down next to her let her hand slip into Marshas thick soft Auburn mane. She introduced herself and learned that Marsha never visited Salons. The next week she was chatting with the store manager Tamara when Marsha walked by with her long hair in a ponytail bouncing too and fro. ” How is the new lady Marsha doing in Jewlrey?” asked Sophie. ” She is doing fine  but her long hair is a distraction both to her and to customers. Men just come over to look at her hair when it is loose and free.”  replied Tamara. Sophie looked at Tamara ” So you’d like to see it shorter?” ” Why Yes, but a lady like that just isn’t going to sit in a salon and let you chop her hair off. Her husband would throw a fit and threaten to sue.” responded Tamara. Sophie looked at Tamara with a smile ” What if I told you that her husband has already given me permission to cut it as short as I want.” Tamara smiled back at Sophie ” I’d say lets go talk privately in my office.”

The next week Tamara came over to Marsha who was working in the Jewlrey Dept ” Hi Marsha, I’d like for you to pick out a nice necklace and earing set that someone like yourself would love to get as a gift.” Marsha looked at several and selected one.  She handed it to Tamara ” I’d love to have this set.” She handed it to Tamara.  Tamara looked at Marsha ” I know your curious. We are going to have a drawing for this and a free makeover at the salon where the styling team can show there ability. Now only store employees are elgible. I just happen to a  few sample entry blanks in my pocket. Why don’t you fill one out and I’ll put it in the drawing box that I’ll be putting in the employee break room. I just need your basic information like name, department, and a phone number.  The drawing will be held the end of the month.”. Marsha filled out the entry form and handed it back to  Tamara ” I never win anything but I’d sure like the necklace set.”

Later that day in the breakroom was a picture of the necklace set and a description of the contest and it’s rules. There was a suggestion box turned entry box on a table and beside it were entry forms. The sales girls were all excited about the contest. When Steve picked up Marsha at work that night he asked if anything new had happened at work that day. She told him she had got to select the item for the contest drawing with a salon makeover. Steve asked ” Did you put an entry into the box?” ” Oh, mine was the first one as I filled it out and handed it to the manager.  You know me I never win anything. ” responded Marsha. Steve asked the value of the necklace and the date of the drawing. Steve circled the date on the calendar to make sure he was free. The weeks went by and Sophie sent her staff on the floor to study Marsha. It was nearing the end of the Month when Sophie spotted Steve waiting for Marsha. She came up to him ” Hi Steve there might be very good news for you come Monday. Make sure Marsha wears her hair down and the way you like it with those large curls on Monday morning and gives it a good washing on Sunday night. You still want her hair cut short right. ” ” Yes, as short as you want as it will grow back out. She needs a drastic change.”

Marsha came out on Saturday evening and told Steve ” I  have to be here a bit early on Monday morning. They are having an employee meeting and will announce the winner of the contest.” Sunday night Steve came over to his wife. He brushed through her long auburn hair and lifted it up to see her neck covered over with hair. He could only hope for the best in the morning. He looked lovingly at his wife ” Make sure you curl you hair and do a good washing tonight. I want you to look good at the meeting. You will wear it down won’t you.”  Marsha looked at her husband ” Don’t worry I’ll look my best. I can always pull my hair up later in the day.”

Monday morning early Marsha was up fixing her long auburn hair and putting on a  red silk blouse and some nice black dress jeans. Steve came up and ran his hands through her long silky tresses. He was gettng excited as he dropped her off at the back entrance but then parked out of site and came in the salon entrance door where Sophie let him in. ” Good Morning, Steve Lets see if you get your wish today. I’ll show you where to stand so you can see the action but don’t go there untill one of my assistants comes for you.”

Marsha walked into the meeting room and sat near the front. Tamara spoke of sales goals, customer service, and the usual company news. Then she got a big smile on her face ‘ “Ok, it is time to see who wins the necklace set and the salon makeover. Let me shake up the box and reach in and pull out the winner.” She shook up the box and ultimately found Marsha’s entry that she had taped to the bottom corner of the box. She pulled it out and opened it up. The room was quiet ” Ok, the winner of the makeover and Necklace is  Marsha in the Jewlrey Department!

Congratulations Marsha come up and accept the necklace set. “  A cheer went up and Marsha got congratulations as she went up front to accept it. Tamara continued as she looked at Marsha with her long thick Auburn hair standing beside her. ” Now before Marsha can wear her new necklace we need to let Sophie and her crew give her a  new Fantastic Makeover so you can all see how she looks later this morning. Diane can you cover the Jewlrey Dept. this morning while Marsha is having her makeover? Ok, let’s everyone get back to work ” Diane responded in a positive manner. Marsha stayed while pictures were taken of her holding the necklace. Tamara looked at Sophie ” Ok, Sophie it is time for you to take Marsha to the salon and do your magic.I look forward to seeing the results of your work later.” It was beginning to dawn on Marsha that winning was going to have a consequence. She touched her long soft hair and a feeling of doom came over as she entered  the salon.

Sophie stopped her at the salon entrance where her assitance were waiting. ” Congratulations Marsha. Now you’ll be getting a manicure, a pedicure, a makeup lesson, and of course a new different hairstyle. We will cut your hair first as that is the foundation of the makeover. We
need to take a few before and after photos to be displayed in the front window. ” Marsha stood still as the before pictures were taken with her hair down in the back and from the front and sides. She led Marsha to a styling chair and after caping her she brushed  the  long hair tightly into a ponytail at the nape of her neck. Marsha looked at Sophie ” Now your going to chop my hair off aren’t you. You beautician types always want to cut my hair off . Your just jealous of how pretty my hair is aren’t you? My husband won’t like me with short hair and if you cut it too short he will throw a fit.” Sophie’s face turned red ” We are going to give you a new style young lady. One your overdue for now excuse me for a minute.” She got up and went and found Steve ” Your wife is being bitchy. You told me I could cut into any short style. How about if I give her a buzz cut? It would be radical but with her auburn hair she would look great.” Steve looked at Sophie ” A buzz cut. Wow, I need to see this. Save her hair for me. Go do it!”

Sophie returned ” I’ve consulted and came up with a perfect style for your ‘Perfect” hair.Now first I need to get rid of all this hair that you’ve been carrying around forever.” 

She clicked on the Oyster clippers and Marsha heard the buzz in her ear as the clippers dug into her thick ponytails. ” Now as we were talking I’m not going to chop your hair off I’m going to Buzz it off ” Now as for your husband not liking you with short hair you might be surprised that he is all for it. Now sit still and shutup.!”  Sophie motioned for two of her assitants to stand by just in case she needed them hold Marsha down. The first ponytail was cut free and Sophie measure it out to be 26 inches. Then she attacked the second ponytail and looked up to see Steve smiling and watching the  haircut. Marsha now had a rough looking bob haircut. She shook her head back and forth and could feel the difference it weight. She looked at Sophie who was brushing off the oysters and putting a one inch guard on them. ” You were just joking about buzzing my head weren’t you?” Sophie smiled and pushed Marsha’s head to her chest. ‘ No I wasn’t and you weren’t either. Your going to learn to be nice to your hair dresser and not piss her off.” Click she turned on the oysters  and pushed them up the nape and over the top of Marsha’s head.  Thick cllumps of  soft auburn hair fell to the floor. She made another pass up and over. She could hear Marsha crying in the chair ‘Oh MY God! Oh My God! Please don’t do this to me!” Sophie then tilted Marsha’s head backward and attacked from the ffont leavng short fringy bangs in accordance with Steve’s wishes. Marsha sat stunned as the floor filled up with 4 and 5 inch locks of auburn hair. The oysters did their work removing Marsha’s perfect auburn hair. Then Sophie put on the half inch attachment and blended in the sides of the haircut.

Finally Sophie took a razor and shaved Marsha’s neck area clean and smooth. A pair of scissors took care of any stray hairs. Sophie loosened the cape and made sure Marsha’s neck was shaved of any loose hairs. Steve wouldnt’ have any problem kissing it now.

She handed Marsha a mirror. Let see your ponytails are 26 inches long and I cut off another six.Wow you sure ” Had ” alot of hair. Now you look like you’ve had a makeover done. People won’t have trouble seeing that necklace and earing set on you as there is no hair in the way. “  Marsha looked in the little mirror and a big salon mirror. ” Holy shit! I look like a freak. One of those punk girls. I’ve seen Sinead OConnor but never thought I’d have her haircut. Boy is my husband going to be mad!” Sophie laughed ” Why don’t you ask him now? ” What ?!!” spoke Marsha. She turned around and there was Steve smiling looking at her. ” Honey look what she did to me? She made me look really ugly and cut all my hair off! You can sue them or yell at them.”. pleaded Marsha.  Steve smiled at his wife ” Actually I  like the look. Sure it will take some gettting use to but I want to see how they do on the rest of the makeover. Besides it will grow out in time and you did mention how much you liked the necklace set. Your still a winner to me.” He leaned over and gave her a  kiss. She went on to other booths to continue the makeover leaving  Steve and Sophie alone as he collected the cuttings and the two long ponytails. Sophie looked at Steve ” Steve, I hope I didn’t cut it too short for you.”  Steve smiled at Sophie ” Well, I won’t have any trouble kissing her neck for the next few months and you did give her bangs be it short ones like I asked you to do. I know the store manager had to be in on this so I best go thank her. What do I owe you money wise?” Sophie spoke to Steve ” You owe me nothing as it was a ‘ Store Promotion”. Maybe I’ll get a few long hair girls asking for shorter cuts after I post Marsha’s before and after in the window and they see her on the sales floor.”

Steve waited till the complete makeover was done and Marsha looked great with her new makeup and finger and toe nail polish. When she hit the sales floor she caused quite a stir and her new look even shocked Tamara the store Manager. Least the men weren’t hovering around her anymore lusting after her long locks of auburn. Then there was her fellow sales girls that were glad that it was Marsha and not them that had won the contest.

Now actually the real winner was Steve.