Curtis Chiasson
March 20, 2015
1 down, 1 to go! Houma native wins Southland Freshman of the Year
March 25, 2015
It’s a typical Friday morning at beautician Becky Landry’s hair salon: Ladies sit around the petite addition to Becky’s Houma abode, surrounded by cans of hair spray, religious decor and other knickknacks, chatting amongst themselves about the goings-on of the day and reminiscing about the early years at the salon.
A sense of friendship is immediate, fostered over some 48 years, and this sisterhood is incredibly important to the six women gathered for their standing Friday morning appointments. This time isn’t just about hair – it’s about sharing company with ladies who have become a family united by Becky’s comb and hair dryers.
“I didn’t always want to do this, you know,” Becky says as she folds out a seat near a row of dryers that line the wall dividing the space from the rest of the Landry residence. “As a child, I would get dolls and I would always do their hair. I would cut their hair and fix it up; I was always doing other people’s hair… but I loved being outside. I wanted to be a PE teacher. My mama told me, ‘Why don’t you go to beauty school, work a while, and then you [can decide what you want to do]?’ Once I started, I loved it. That was it – it was a mother’s insight.”
After completing her studies, Becky sought a job at a hair salon just 10 minutes down the road from her current shop. Although she “still dreams of the place,” she never returned after having her first child.
“I held [my baby] and I just didn’t want to leave her, so I started doing hair at home,” Becky remembers.
Stealing Magnolias
Having committed to working from home, Becky’s husband, Reggie, and his father worked tirelessly to create the perfect space for the beautician. By 1966, Becky welcomed her first clients that still frequent her shop today. The cozy environment has fostered a space that is not only welcoming, but also creates a home away from home.
The scene is reminiscent of another group of Southern women who once gathered in a home-based salon, much like Becky’s, on the silver screen in the 1980s.
“We’re like ‘Steel Magnolias,”‘ patron Peggy Drury says as she peeks out from the last hair dryer seat. The group erupts in laughter at the reference. “Tell that story, Becky.”
“What happened was… I used to be involved at church with the confirmation kids; we were always looking to save money,” Becky recalls. “One of the ladies said, ‘Oh, let’s use the magnolias on Kenney Street,’ for something we were doing. So I got my husband’s truck and loaded the kids, and I always picked someone I knew and would tell them what we were doing. The kids picked the magnolias… and the last house we picked, I waved to the lady – ‘thank you!’ – and she was mad. She followed me back to church. So when they started talking about ‘Steel Magnolias’ one day, I thought they were making fun of me because we laughed so much about me stealing magnolias.”
The Hair Must Be Combed!
Becky’s good intentions roll over into her professional life. From picking up patrons for appointments to opening early or trying to be available for last-minute touchups, the beautician is always available to lend a helping hand.
“She’s not just a beautician to us,” patron Bobbie Henry explains. “She’s, first of all, a very good friend. She counsels us; she’s like our confessor; she’s our faith counselor; she’s also a healer.”
The latter role gets another round of laughs as the ladies begin recounting the numerous times Becky has spotted early signs of medical issues, like shingles or thyroid conditions.
“One lady actually had a stroke sitting in the chair,” Reggie adds, standing in the doorway as he listens to the women.
“I saw her talking to another patron, and she was having a hard time. I was looking at her through the mirror, and I said, ‘I think you’re having a stroke, Sugar! What to do?”‘ Becky recalls. “She told me to call her daughter, so I did. I can’t believe I didn’t call 911 first – and she told me to call an ambulance.”
“She wouldn’t leave with the ambulance people until [Becky] combed her hair,” Reggie adds.
“I knew if she went with rollers,” Becky pipes in, “it just would not have been good.”
‘I’ll Have to Die on a Thursday’
The sisterhood that gathers at Becky’s shop – her “bread and butter” clients – has dwindled in recent years. The beautician lost seven clients in 2014 alone. Although these friends are missed, their spirits live on, remembered in prayer time shared by the ladies that frequent the shop.
“I had one patron… her name was Ms. Terrebonne… before she died, I went to her house to do her hair,” Becky recalls. “She was in the bed and couldn’t get up, so her daughter said I couldn’t do her hair. I left, then she told her daughter in French, ‘She’s not doing my hair?!’ [The daughter] told her, ‘No, Mama, you’re too weak.’ Well, the next morning, I got a phone call at seven: ‘As soon as you close, could you come do Mama’s hair? She’s sitting up.’ She sat up long enough for me to do her hair because they were having company and all her family was coming over. That was the last time I did her hair.”
The room grows somber. The anecdote is a reminder of the fragility of life.
“Becky said she doesn’t do dead people’s hair,” patron Virginia Molaison leans over to share. “I guess I’ll have to die on a Thursday evening.”
Just like that, the laughter returns, infectious and honest, symbolic of the bond these ladies have formed.
Faith, Family & Friends
The scene is one most ladies hope to find themselves in when the kids are grown and out of the house and a trip to the hair salon is the highlight of the week.
As another patron hops into the chair for her standing appointment, the question is posed: “What do you most look forward to when coming here each week?”
“The company.”
“The camaraderie.”
“The coffee and biscuits!” a third lady jokes.
“It’s faith, family and friends,” patron Peggy Drury adds.
“I’m 91,” Virginia adds. “My children tell me, ‘We don’t worry about you because we know your neighbors are going to take care of you.’ It makes them relieved. It’s just wonderful that God has been so good to us.”
The customers at Becky Landry’s beauty shop smile and pose after a fun-filled day at the business. Landry touts she’s made countless friendships and bonds over the past 48 years, developing countless long-time clients.
