maybe the fumes finally got to them

Every so often I indulge in a pedicure. I sometimes can't resist those few moments of peace and acetone' plus it's clinically impossible for me to paint my toes red. Other colors I can manage, but red always ends up looking like a crime scene. So I decided to try a new place this time, a spot that opened near my home.

It was spectacular: posh seats perched high over gleaming footbaths complete with massaging chairs and yummy smelling water. It wasn't too crowded, there were only two other indulgers in various stages of repose. About halfway through the process I was lulled out of my revelry by raised voices behind a door across from my seat, an office or storage room perhaps which was making a lot of noise. The conversation steadily escalated and as it wasn't in english I couldn't tell what it was about, but the tones were angry and getting louder. I noticed the other employees starting to squirm, nervous glances and hushed tones when all of a sudden the shrieking was joined by slaps and thunks and thuds....alrighty then, ladies...we have a nail parlor brawl.

One of the other customers got up and left, and the two of us left were not so easily disentangled and besides, it was rather interesting. I am certainly used to homeless shelter fights but this was a whole new experience. I cast a look at my comrade in insanity and she offered me the universal gesture known as WTF?: an arched eyebrow chased by a smirk and I reciprocated in kind. As another minute or so passed the noise kept rising, a full on brawl was ensuing. The door flew open and both women tumbled out, one intent on attacking the other. The other women moved to break them apart while my comrade and I sat transfixed, feet surely waterlogged by now but neither of us quite sure what to do about it.

Since the entire transaction occurred in a language other than english, I can't say what the fight was about. But speculate I must. Perhaps one of the women slept with the other woman's partner. Or stole her tip money. Or took her customer. Or took her customer and slept with her/him and pocketed the tip.

Sex or money, friends? Because you just know it had to be about one or both. I can't think of much else that would lead to a back room nail salon brawl in the middle of a sunny afternoon.