In the nail industry, you encounter many different personalities. But don't let that hold back from doing what you love to do, and that is doing beautiful nails.
I do have my fair share of hate/love stories.
Wether it is friends from friends, family or people that heard that I did nails and wanted to check me out, here are some that are the worst.
This is not to make fun of people or not to be rude, but I thought it would be fun to talk about the way people treated me or what happened in those 8 years doing nails so that maybe you could avoid it or if it happens, know that you're not alone in this world.
Person A.
I don't mind people coming 5 minutes late. There is always a traffic jam somewhere or something unforeseen. But I've had a girl coming 2 hours late. I've known her for a while and she had her nails done by me a couple times before. She texted me: I won't be long. One hour later she texted me again: I'm on my way. I was thinking: what is she driving? A unicycle?
After 2 hours she finally arrived with a huge, shiny Mercedes Benz, so that cleared the unicycle mystery. She apologized for being late. She whooped out her Blackberry and started texting, so while she was doing that I started on her nails. When she finally managed to stop texting she looked up to me and said: My friend does nails too but she doesn't ask as much as you do. (Why come to me then?) And also, didn't you raise your price? So I said: No I didn't, it always was the same price. (Please note that I don't ask a lot and I still don't ask a lot, for the region we are in. Giving the quality of my work, I think I ask way too little). The phone kept going on and off, so that drove me a little crazy. Anyways, 2 and a half hours later I was finally done, took the money and exchanged goodbyes.
A couple weeks later she texted me to have her nails touched up, so we set up a day and time. Keeping in mind she was late last time, I said to my husband: If she isn't here on time, I'll wait one hour and if she still isn't here, we go out and that will teach her a lesson.
So as before, she wasn't here on time, so I gave her a call. She didn't pick up her phone so I left her a message asking if she could call me back and asking if she had forgotten our appointment. Half an hour later I tried calling her again. Same thing, no answer. So after one and a half hour, she still wasn't here so I took my bag and we left. Not even 5 minutes later she phone me back, saying she was sorry but she slept in late, asking if she could still come. So I told her we went out because we had to be somewhere and since she was one and a half hour late (the time I spend on nails) I don't have the time to do her nails anymore. (This was a big lie, but that ought-a teach her a lesson) She then said: Oh please, I'll be right there, I really need my nails to be done because I need to go somewhere. Sorry, no can do.
A long time had passed, I'm guessing she either had no nails anymore or she went elsewhere. She texted me if I could do her nails. At that time I was fed up with her so I said: No I'm sorry I quit doing nails on other people.
Another time had passed and all of the sudden she rang my doorbel. She had the audacity to ask me if she could buy my nail stuff, and I quote "for very cheap", because she was starting nail school.
So I said to her: No, I'm not selling my nail stuff because I still do my own nails.
She then asked if I could give her all of my nail picture that I had done so she could use them in school. (and probably pass it off as her own work!) Do I have a sign on my forehead that says "stupid"? I said no.
She left and I only saw her once after that. I was driving and she was on the side of the road. She noticed my car and she started waving and making gestures, wanting me to pull over. I then acted like I didn't see all of her gestures and looked surprised, waved back with a big smile on my face and cruised on ahead like a woman that had just captured the crown of Queen Elizabeth, never seeing or hearing from her again.
Person B
Person B is a woman that Person A had introduced me to Person B for doing her nails. They work in the same company. But this had happened before all the trouble person A caused.
So Person B, a somewhat cocky woman, driving a nice flashy Vespa, talking all about her husband being in the airforce, making big money, going on holidays, buying a new surround sound system, having airconditioning installed into their home, having a gardner trimming their neatly placed bushes and what not... She had been having her nails done by me for a good couple of months when all of a sudden she showed up to her appointment with nails that looked like crap. She said her neighbour's daughter was going to nail school and needed a model to work on. You know, me being gullible, I believed her because I had once been a model before. So I tidied up her nails and made them look all brand new and beautiful.
A couple weeks after Person A came for her nails and she was talking about person B's nails.
She said: Did you see Person B's nails? She had found a nail tech on the internet that did nails at people's home for cheap.
I'm thinking... If you brag to me about all the money you have and all those good things you buy, why the hell would you be so greedy on your nails and then lie to me about it?
Long story short, after a while I didn't hear from her again, but I didn't care.
Person C
This woman has been a friend of mine for a long time and if you read this, I am sorry but this had hurt my feelings.
She is a lovely person, bubbly, funny and a nice woman to just hang around with.
Since I graduated nail school she had been on and off getting her nails done by me whenever she felt like or whenever she needed to go some place special. But then she started having eczema problems and it started effecting her nails. I am no doctor but this was not a fungus and it started on the palms of her hands. So it was wise to stop doing nails till at least she had been to the doctor and had cured it.
So after a long time she got engaged and was going to be wed. On her wedding day, she looked amazing. A real beautiful bride. Since I couldn't get a day off of work I missed the ceremony but was still invited to the party. I asked if I could see her wedding ring and it was then, that I saw she had her nails done. A simple french gel nail. Done by someone else.
I do not care who people go to to get their nails done, even if they came to me and then go some place else. But knowing that your friend who you went to highschool with and share so many memories with, went some place else to get their nails done, really for me was a bit heartbreaking.
Person D
This person was a seemingly nice girl, decent and had the same weird taste in humor as I did. She was coming for about 7 months, every 3 weeks for her nails. One time she said: omg, I forgot to go to the ATM to get some money, is it ok that I'll drop by later and pay you then? Knowing her for some time, I thought it was no big deal and said it was ok. As she said, she dropped by and gave me the money. Couple appointment had passed and I finished doing nails. She wanted something pretty and shiny and I put a lot of effort, glitter and bling into it, so it obviously was a little bit more pricy than a normal french set. She took her wallet, opened it and said: Oh I am so sorry, but my boyfriend must have taken some money out, can I come back tomorrow and pay you? (since it was late at night)
So I said, sure. Because it had happened before and I thought she was trustworthy.
So the next day, she didn't come but she sent me a text saying that something had come up and that she'll drop by the day after. Days had passed and I kind of forgot about it (because I tend to forget things). Till one day I looked back on some pictures and I saw her set, so I decided to text her, asking when she is going bring over the money (I think it was 30euro) She responded that she forgot about it and she was sorry and she was "totally" going to drop by later and hand it over.
She never came. So I decided to call her, she never picked up or never responded. Since I had her on facebook, thought I'd have a look. Law and behold, she just posted pictures of her going gliding on a hypersonic glider. (you know those aircrafts which they pull up into the air with another aircraft and then they glide)
I am not a bitchy person, but at that instant I thought it was time to put on my naughty shoes. So I put to her (and tagged her name so everybody could see): "Dear Person D, I see you went gliding, but yet you don't find it necessary to come clear your debts you have with me. I think it is really low that you would show your true colors for (I think it was) 30 euro. Could you please man up and pay me. Thank you" As of that day, I was removed and blocked on facebook, but I felt good!
Person E
Another person wanted me to fix ONE nail on a set that was done by some one else. So she turned up and brought in her kid with her. I love kids, don't get me wrong, but when you show up, please please please clean up your kid. This baby who had just started walking had nasty boogers all over his nose, dripping down into his mouth, most of them were dried up and all crusty.
So anyway, me thinking: One nail, easy peasy and she will be out the door soon. Guess again? She just stayed in my chair, sitting with her legs curled up, like as if she was at home, talking to me, while her kid went walking about, all through my house, without her even paying attention to him. My kids didn't even want to come near him so they took off to their bedrooms to go play. Also note that I have a little cute furry dog, who is very sweet, who I already put into her cage for my dogs own safety (boogers, pinching fingers and what not).
When she was finalllllyyy ready to go home she had to go look for her kid, who by that time was already in my bathroom and had knocked over the cat's waterbowl, tossed around clean litter from the litterbox and emptied out the trash can next to the toilet.
And you know, us women, we menstruate. It's nature doing it's job. And that day, out of all the days, I was menstruating, carefully and as hygienic as possible disposing of my tampons/pads into that particular trash can. Could you imagine? Used tampons and pads between cat litter and toilet paper, all soaked with water. I felt so embarrassed and she never even apologized...
But for all the other lovely ladies, you were/are a real pleasure to do nails on!
Hope you liked my horror stories and if you have some of your own, please do share.
