Hair raising static...

TLATO, like most women I know, occasionally has "issues" with her hair.

Years ago, while she started to prematurely gray, she decided to add a rinse. This would be OK, until a couple of weeks in and her hair would take on the hue of an anemic eggplant and did not look at all "normal". Unless you were called Elvira and auditioned for a position on the local cable TV station to host less than B movies in the wee small hours of the evening.

I digress.

A while before we finally married (another story for another time) she cut her hair off. OK, she did not do it, but she had it cut very short, professionally. Personally, as much as I love long, clean hair on a woman, I really liked this not-quite brush cut. It was, I thought, very attractive. Not just the hair, you understand, but the whole "package".

This, too did not last since Sheryl did not like contending with bed head.

So it grew. And was trimmed. And it grew some more.

She never coloured it again and today has wonderful silver-coloured hair that many women comment favorably, "Who colours your hair?"

For many months of the year, TLATO's hair is rarely a point of conversation. Where we live, there are actually some months during the year when extreme cold temperatures do not wreak havoc with her fine, silver tresses. Winter months? Totally different story.

We returned from a vacation in Florida a few days ago.

Yesterday, the hair comments started.

"I'm going to cut my hair! Where’s Soultana's number?"

You see, it's quite cold where we live in Ontario. The temperatures and dryness do not react well with Sheryl's hair. You've seen examples of static electricity charges in science centres, etc. before? Well during the winter months, her hair acts as if it has a mind of its own. And wearing a hat exacerbates the situation to the power of, oh, 100.

I had to go into town and asked if she wanted to come with.

On the way home, I needed to stop at the drug store. While I had a prescription filled, TLATO was engaged in a serious conversation with one of the "advisors" that work in the cosmetics department.

I walked over to find an effusive and beaming Sheryl. Apparently her problem, fly-away hair issue had been taken care of thanks to this young woman. There was no "beauty product" solution. The helpful young woman recommended another, completely different product for her hair. One which neither one of us would have considered. One which many of you have seen commercials on television. Available at drug stores and supermarkets everywhere. Just not in the cosmetics, beauty or hair care sections.

Static Guard.

From Sheryl's personal viewpoint, this was on par with the discovery of penicillin.

A true miracle. Her hair looked great! All was well in Sheryl-land.

This morning, I found TLATO going through kitchen drawers and rubber-banded stacks of business cards.

"What's up?"

"I'm looking for a number."

"Oh... For what?"

"Soultana."

Twelve hours previous there had been a hallelujah revelation. Today, things were back to normal. And yes, Static Guard does work.