Tuesday, August 21, 2012

An Escape at the Nail Salon

By JEN REIN

Dear Diary:

My friend and I went to one of my favorite nail salons on West 57th Street for manicure-pedicures. It is a large space with pedi chairs and mani tables in separate rooms.

First we have pedis in the front room, having chitchat the whole time. This time my toes finish first, so the technician ushers me into the back room to start my mani.

The back room has huge, almost wall-to-ceiling windows overlooking a beautiful unused courtyard of a high-priced doorman building.

As my mani is about half done, I hear a flurry of activity in the front room, most of which is in a language I can't understand. So I turn to see what is going on. An inspector from the city has turned up to check credentials.

Just as I turn back around, I see my tech opening one of those big, beautiful, almost floor-to-ceiling windows - and jump out! She closes the window from the outside and makes a run for it.

The inspector comes back and checks things out as I sit with half-done nails. As true New Yorkers know, there is no way that the thousands of nail technicians making a living in New York City all have valid licenses. And who is going to say anything? We just want our nails done!

Eventually he leaves. Then my friend comes back and sits down, wondering why I'm just sitting there. So I say, “My nail tech just jumped out the window. I wonder if she's coming back to finish my nails?”

She didn't come back, but someone else finished my nails. I hope they split the tip!

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