Sequel Salon is my follow up to Tabu Hair Studio, which was my baby.  

Twenty three years ago, when I was about seventeen myself- I was driving my brother’s lowrider car, and I met a girl. She asked me if it was my car, and with a smile on my face, I said, “Yes!!” So, of course I had to beg my big brother (his nickname is Crow), to please lend me his car to take the girl out on a date. I made a deal where I needed to pay him $20, fill his tank before and after the date, and then I owed him five car cleanings. It was kind of an awful deal.

But I made my date, I went to pick her up and opened the door for her, like a gentleman should do. When I got back in the car, the first thing that came out of my mouth was, “What stinks?” She said it wasn’t her, and I said it sure wasn’t me. “Maybe it’s your perfume.” Man.This was a bad idea. She wanted to end the date right then and there. All I could think of was all of the favors I owed to Crow and that this date was over before it had even started.

I apologized and asked if we could finish the date. And like any amorous young man, I tried to get a kiss. We cruised around the good old town of Santa Paula for a few hours. Tried again to get a kiss. Again, I was shot down.

Eventually I asked her, “So, what is the name of your perfume?”

-”Why,” she asked, “so you can give it to your worst enemy?”

“Come on, just tell me,” I pleaded.

-”Tabu,” she said.

“Taboo!- Like the porn movie?”

-“No, you sicko! It’s Tabu!” And she spelled it out,”T-A-B-U.”

“That’s a cool name. I like it,” I replied.   

And so Tabu cost me a no-kiss date, $20, two full tanks of gas, and five car-washings for the Crow.             The Sequel