Close encounters of the awkward kind?

I have a BHA tomorrow. BHA is my short form for “big hair appointment”, in other words, colour, cut, shampoo and blow dry. Not that I have “big hair”, I don’t, but it’s a lengthy, hence “big” appointment. After a spectacular week of summerlike weather and a weekend filled with dog walking, cycling, and my new obsession, Nordic pole walking (more on that later), I was left with hat head which shows as a line through my currently overlong bangs, a sweaty scalp, and dirty hair. This morning I was faced with a dilemma: Should I wash my hair while showering or use a shower cap, leaving the shampooing to my stylist tomorrow? Since rain was in the forecast, I opted for the easier option – the shower cap – and a pony tail. This would also save time, as Dave and I had several errands to run. And I wouldn’t care if I got caught in the rain (I did, twice), since my hair was a mess anyway.

This reminded me of the last time I had the “should I wash my hair before going out?” dilemma, just last week. On another warm, sunny day, I had gone cycling then walking (not pole walking, though, just regular power walking – I hadn’t discovered my new passion yet), all before taking my daily shower. I was a hot, sweaty mess, so decided not to go grocery shopping with Dave, who was anxious to get this task done so he could come home and focus on making slides for his AGM presentation. I almost changed my mind, figuring it wouldn't matter who saw me at the local Freshco, but decided I really wanted to take that shower. Off Dave went.

Upon his return, he said, “Well, it’s a good thing you decided to stay home. Guess who was grocery shopping?” Yes! It was the same former friend (she hates me) I’d recently encountered at an International Women’s Day event!

They made eye contact. Rather than gracing Dave with the wooden expression and death stare she gave me on International Women’s Day, she opted to glare, then frown at him. He smiled at her, not saying anything. Since Dave still had his sunglasses on, she wouldn’t have been able to see anger, contempt, or disgust in his eyes, but there wouldn’t have been any anyway. Dave doesn’t get angry or outraged, and he doesn’t hold grudges, certainly not for over a decade.

They carried on. Since both were in a relatively similar shopping cycle, she upped the ante by lowering her head to avoid eye contact every time they crossed paths in the grocery aisles. Not a word was spoken.

This former friend is very appearance conscious. And very attractive. And very judgmental, particularly about others’ appearance. So if there was one person that I wouldn’t have wanted to run into in my post-workout, pre-shower state last week, it would have been her. “GAH!!! Why didn’t I shower before going out?” would have become my mantra for the rest of the day.

This morning, though my body was clean, my hair wasn’t. And I went to Freshco. Like last week, it wouldn’t matter who saw me at the local Freshco. Unlike last week, my body was clean though my hair most definitely wasn’t, and that’s the most visible part. And if I had run into this former friend? It would have been another close encounter, but not of the awkward kind. At least not for me.