Aug
28
I had never been a bridesmaid before, so when Natalie called and asked me to be in her wedding, I was super excited. I wanted to do a really good job, so I made sure to get my dress and matching shoes months in advance and I bought my plane ticket to be there a few days early so I could help with all the wedding preparation.Everything went great all week. We tied bubbles to programs and put tablecloths on tables and stuck roses into green foam. I practiced my Spanish a lot with Natalie's patient inlaws. We even threw Natalie a legitimately fun bachelorette party.
The big day finally came, and all the bridesmaids got together to get ready. This was the part of the wedding I was mostly nervous about. I don't have many skills when it comes to hair and make up. Natalie had this vision for our hair including braids and baby's breath, and I wasn't sure that I could see the same vision. So I asked Kimmi to do my hair for me - she's a nice girl, and seemed like she might have some potential as a beautician.
I sat down in front of Kimmi and she started pulling back my hair. Suddenly I heard her gasp.
"Maranatha, come here!" Kimmi said in a strangely panicked voice. I wondered what was wrong. Were my split ends really that bad?
Maranatha walked over and inspected the back of my head.
"Amanda...your head is covered in lice."
I thought immediately of our lice scare at camp this summer. We thought the girl just really needed to wash her hair, but she must have actually had lice...and I had caught it from her.
I thought immediately of our lice scare at camp this summer. We thought the girl just really needed to wash her hair, but she must have actually had lice...and I had caught it from her.
The rest of the bridesmaids crowded around my chair. I could see their horrified faces reflected in the mirror.
"Maybe it's just really bad dandruff?" one of them asked hesitantly. I think this was supposed to make me feel better.
"I just saw one move!" squealed another bridesmaid.
I don't know if I've ever been so mortified. I couldn't think of a worse bridesmaid scenario. But before the shame killed me, I woke up.
I was not wearing my bridesmaid's dress; I was in my pj's. Maranatha was not combing through my hair; she was sleeping next to me on our twin-sized inflatable mattress. I don't know that I've ever been so relieved to find that I had been living a dream.
It only took 2 hours or so before my itching head allowed me to go back to sleep.
You have lice! In your dreams... that was so exciting/awful. It's kind of amazing how our brains tell good stories without any effort in the middle of the night. Too bad you woke up so quick, I wonder what might have happened next...
Oh no. I just had a dream where my gums were really infected and I was being chased by a vampiric version of Rainn Wilson. It wasn't pretty. I was pretty glad to get up and go floss.
Regarding lice, my hair is like a magnet for the things. I have had lice so many times in my life... and I hate them with a fiery hatred. Regarding lice + embarrassment, my senior year in high school I decided to have my long hair cut short and colored. My budget constrained me to have this done at local beauty school where the scissor-wielder was a nice looking young lady who spoke pretty much no English. But I didn't need to speak the same language to understand the horrified look on her face as she was parting my hair. And calling over her other foreign-language-speaking friends. And calling over the big chubby boss. So that they could all look at my scalp and literally point and gasp and make clearly disgusted sounds. The big chubby guy explained that they had found a louse in my hair. "But it looks dead, so they'll just go ahead."
Mortification. In real, waking life.
AAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!! I hate those dreams! And I love them at the same time for the simple reason that they ARE dreams and not reality. Unfortunately, mine usually have to do with being naked in public. Please don't analyze that. =)
hahah you totally had me amanda....i was really into that story. :) haha hope you are doing well. love emily
I was really confused when I started reading that because I figured that I would have heard about it if it had happened...and then I started to think, "dang, it has been a really long time since I talked to Amanda." Now that I know it was false...I still think, "dang, it has been a really long time since I talked to Amanda."
Let's chat soon friend.
I was cracking up, yet it a most horrifying way, thinking "I'm so glad that wasn't me!.." and then, it wasn't you either. Whew!
I miss your friend. BTW, when you come visit TN, you should stay with me & Elisa!
phew! I was about to feel so bad for you...and natalie! ...my head just started itching...
That is one of the funniest things I've read in a long time. I can totally identify with bridesmaid fears though, and it's nice to know I'm not the only one. :)
YAY!!!
LICE!!! Let's get it for fun just once.
Ahaha!
You know, even though I heard you tell me this story, it still gets me. I audibly gasped again when I read the punch. Love it!
Well done. Come to the Moth with me.
As a parting note: Maranatha is coming home tomorrow! (To tell me stories from Nam.)
Miss you. I tried to call. You should try to call me sometime.
Sarah
wow, that is a really crazy dream! i am glad that it ended up just being that! if not, i know it is not fun to deal with, but a few years back the lice thing happened to me and was pretty easy to fix! next time you get asked to be in a wedding though before you buy a plane ticket perhaps you should have me check your hair....
p.s. working on writing everyone snail mail letters-should get them in about a month...
Oh my goodness!! That was an amazing story telling job! haha! miss you a bunch amanda, I'm so glad you're lice free and my friend.
P.S. You really like my father-in-law? what makes you say that? i'm so curious....I like him too and all, for my reasons, what are yours? : )
LOLOLOLOL!!!! That was so funny. Loved it! You sure got me! Thanks for making my evening! You rock!
This comment has been removed by the author.
Great story! When I worked at Camp Lawroweld, all most everyone got lice, they had to send everyone home early. I am glad to hear that you didnt get a festation in your hair! I hope you have a Happy Sabbath.
yup. you got me.