Rat tail sighting...seriously.

Today, while making my way through the mall on a mission to return some items, I spotted a woman at the Piercing Pagoda whose 'do warranted a double take. I admit, at first, I was unsure the individual was indeed female. I only saw the back of her head and thought for sure that: 1) the rat tail was eradicated in 1986, and 2) prior to 1986, most of the individuals sporting the tail were males. Piercing Pagoda lady completely upended both of my theories: it is not 1986 and SHE was sporting a mangy looking rat tail. Moreover, her bangs were platinum blond and the rest of her hair was jet black. I don't think any of this was an accident: she was intentionally sporting a rat tail and we all know the intentional rat tail is the worst kind there is. Now, let's be honest, there's been a time or two in our own lives when something went terribly awry in the stylist's chair and you walked away with Farrah Fawcett wings, a mullet, a mushroom, or a helmet, none of which you actually requested by name or implication.

I remember back in 1996, Friends was the rage and I, like every other high school girl in America, wanted Rachel's long layers. I had the long, shoulder length hair necessary for such a 'do and brought in pictures to show my stylist. An hour later I sat staring into the mirror at someone with short, two-inch layers from the crown of her head all the way to her shoulders. This was NOT the Rachel; this was a feathered mullet. It was all I could do to choke back the mixture of horror, bewilderment and panic that inched its way up my esophagus. I composed my young self and made it to the car before bursting into tears. I had to sport that stinkin' mullet for three months before it finally grew out enough to fashion into something less mullet-like. It was awful.


It was quite clear to me that the situation on the back of the Piercing Pagoda lady's head was nothing like the Botched Rachel Cut of '96. If I hadn't been in such a state of shock, I surely would have snapped a picture to post but my world was in the middle of being rocked so, alas, no picture. I will try to pull myself together next time and get the photographic evidence.