Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Can relaxation and embarrassement coexist?

Today, I redeemed one of my Christmas gifts from Tim; a one hour massage from Hands on Healing. I've never been for a massage before. I was so excited. An hour of peace, quiet and a relaxing massage, what mom wouldn't be excited?

I am lying on a heated bed. There are heated pillows on my feet and neck. The music and lights are soft, and there is the trickle of a water fountain in the background. I am relaxed before the massage even begins.

She starts with my hand and arm. "Oh, this is sooooo nice," I am thinking. Then she is gently pulling on my arm; down toward the corner of the room, out toward the wall and then up. This is where the embarrassment comes in.

The instant my arm went up, I remembered that I didn't shave. No, I'm not talking a little stubble. I haven't shaved in a l-o-n-g time. A long time, in like, since it was warm enough to wear shorts; in like a stranger, such as the massage therapist, would probably think I normally go au naturale. I do shave, I promise. I just don't very often in the winter and this has been a longer stretch than normal. I meant to shave before I went, but I forgot.

I thought about saying something. What could I say? I wondered what she must be thinking. I imagined her going home to her family, and talking around the dinner table about their days. "You would not believe the hair on this woman's legs today," I imagined her relating the story.

The therapist, of course, was very professional, I heard no gasps or snickers as my embarrassment was revealed. In the end, I decided that there was nothing to say or to do. I just took a few deep breaths and enjoyed the massage, which was fabulous by the way. If you are in the Huntington area I would highly recommend Hands on Healing and tell her the hairy lady, um I mean Stephanie sent you!

7 comments:

  1. LOL!! Seems like that always happens, huh? Don't worry about it - I'm sure it happens all the time. Like the Dr who sees such things. Maybe she's considering opening a co-existing electrolysis bar? (just kidding).

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  2. This sounds like a scene out of a movie. I can picture your eyes popping open when you realized. I don't mean to laugh, but that was too funny. Something that would definately happen to me. I tend to let my legs go forever because I have blonde hair on them.
    I'll have to tell my niece. She tore her ACL last week in basketball and her Mom was mortified when they got to the ER and they pushed her sweats up. She told her on the way home that she needed to shave her legs, but the poor girl couldn't care less with all the pain she was in at the time.
    Poor Steph! I feel like not shaving and heading down for a massage to tell her you sent me. Maybe she'll think its part of a religion or something.

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  3. Funny post but trust me when I say she probably didn't think twice about it. I used to be certified in a type of massage and really at least for me (and most others I talked with a trainings) as long as the person receiving the massage had showered fairly recently all was well. Body hair is a non issue!!!

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  4. Sara, Funny you should mention the Dr. I was thinking today that I shaved a lot more last winter. Then I remembered it was b/c I was pregnant and had a monthly (or more) Dr appointment!

    Yes, Heidi I had showered! LOL

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  5. ha! how funny. Like the others said, I'm sure she didn't think twice about it.

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  6. When living in the cold north, I learned that I stayed warmer in the winter if I could go without shaving my underarms. I still notice I am chilled more easily a few days after shaving. (No problem shaving in the summer, of course, if it's steaming hot!)
    Aunt Nancy

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  7. Thank you for participating in the Carnival of the Storytellers. The 8th edition is up at www.digitalrich.blogspot.com.

    Have a great week!

    DigitalRich

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