I paid $22.00 in cash to have acrylic nails put on each of my ten fingers. The nails were long and green and pointed. The store did exactly what I asked them to do.
The day after I had the nails put on, I paid $8.00 to have the nails removed. I didn’t want long fingernails anymore. I realized long nails are stupid. I couldn’t open my own front door, button my own coat, tie my own shoes, discreetly pick my nose, or type efficiently on my computer.
And, my nails hurt. They ached.
The store opened at 10:00 a.m. I was waiting in front of the store at 9:50 a.m.
“Why are you back?”
“I want my nails off. My fingers hurt.”
“Oh, it just takes a few days. It won’t hurt after a few days. ”
My fingers were crying to me, “I can’t breathe, please help me. I need air.”
I did not just get the fake nails shortened. I did not have green nail polish put on my own nails. I did not have a clear polish put on my nails to hide the sanding marks where they roughened the surface of my nails. I did not do any of the things the woman at the Nail Establishment suggested. I wanted my own fingers back.
The Nail Establishment kept my $30.00 and I walked out of the store buttoning my own coat.
When I got home I had a shower. As I was drying my fingers and pushing back my cuticles, I saw why my nails hurt. It wasn’t just because they were covered in acrylic and couldn’t breathe. The woman at the Nail Establishment had sanded my nails along the contour line of my cuticles almost to the soft tissue underneath.
The Mayo Clinic recommends not allowing the surface of your natural nails to be filed or roughened before the acrylic nails are applied as it weakens your natural nails. Good information to know. Next time I try something new, I will research on-line first.
I walked into my oldest daughters room.
“Look what they did to my nails!”
“Oh gross. I can’t look.”
With a completely wet head, I drove to the Nail Establishment. I prayed as I drove.
“God, help me to be kind and firm. If they don’t refund my money. Please help me accept their refusal, and not be angry.”
A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
Proverbs 12:16
“Hello. I want to speak to the manager.”
“What is wrong?”
“My fingers hurt. I know I didn’t want the green nails anymore. But, you damaged my nails. I want my money back.”
He handed me a twenty and a ten out of the cash register and said, “”Next time, know if you really want them.”
I shook his hand, and thanked him for being honest and having integrity.
I walked out thinking, There won’t be a next time.
Have you ever asked for a refund? What happened?
Please let me know in the comments. I would love to chat.
