Dear Nail Salon,
First off, Hi! Most importantly, I miss you, like, a lot.
It is the end of April. By now, I would have had beautiful red or pink toes by you, just like I have had for years and years around this time. Yeah, I’m getting by, I’m doing my best to keep up on my own, but it’s not the same. I’m already to the glitter phase, ya know when the toes don’t look so good, so I put glitter on top to “mask” the impending horror. I wonder, how are you? Do you miss me? Of course, you do! As I said, I miss you terribly. I know you had to shut down, and that all of this is challenging, so I hope you are staying as healthy and happy as possible.
I miss coming to you in my “pedicurial” time of need feeling broken and happily eager to be fixed, my cuticles and ingrown toenails (Ewww, I know!) screaming at me. I miss leaving your well-lit, homey, colorful, and well-decorated abode, each time sauntering out, feeling like a million bucks because you never let me down and, contrarily, turned my mess and misery of nails into a masterpiece. You believed in me and the possibility of what my toes could look like instead of kicking me out as soon as I walked in the door. I always knew what I had in you as my nail salon, but your absence, as evidenced in part by my not-so-glamorous toes, truly illuminates the void I am feeling.
Oh, how I miss seeing your friendly faces, being greeted with giggles, browsing all the colors, picking out my favorite OPI shade, and feeling like a princess awaiting her vibrating chair and 45 minutes of “me” time. I miss sitting without a care in the world while you worked your magic, as my back was repeatedly jolted fast and then slow and then all the in-betweens amidst the mecca of leather chair massagery.
Oh, and the special scrub you did on the bottom of my feet? Money! Now granted, it made me giggle each time without fail, but it was amazing. You spread. You scrubbed. You conquered. I miss you.
And I don’t even know where to begin about your hot stones on my legs—feeling that warmth slide up and down on each leg, wow! It was worth shaving my legs because if a hot stone rubdown is not the epitome of relaxation, I don’t know what is.
I even miss seeing other giddy-looking women nearby in their golden leather chairs, feet immersed in warm water, awaiting glorious pedicures with their overpriced coffee in hand. Each of us would give a nod, look or smile to each other, like, “Yeah, this is awesome.”
I miss looking down at my beautiful, intricately-polished toes and knowing for at least another few weeks, my feet will look good before I have to come back to you and repeat the process.
My sweet, sweet nail salon, I promise I’ll do my hair for you next time instead of rushing in two minutes late with a messy bun. Oh, and I’ll arrive early just to ease your mind that I am indeed coming (instead of those who reserve a spot and then don’t show up, may that never happen to you again after all of this), and then I’ll take in all the sights again with polite, yet reckless abandon. I can’t wait to do a little dance as I peruse the pretty pinks, sultry reds, and the soothing purples.
Please accept my apology in advance that you might have to swear under your breath the next time we are reunited, but to me, it will feel so good. I will understand and embrace the oral admonishment towards my unpleasant toes with open arms because, ultimately, it will still lead to the incredibly amazing-looking feet you create. Maybe, just maybe, next time, I will also get the gel manicure you have asked me to get for the past three years.
Those of you who have never had their nails done may never know what I am going through right now, but I must say, if missing my nail salon is wrong, I don’t want to be right!
Until next time, my wonderful nail palace of joy and serenity and breathtaking toes, you are missed and appreciated.
