thedrifter
10-06-06, 01:38 PM
Marine spouse, clients bond at salon
October 06,2006
Anne Clark
Daily News staffNo matter what was happening in her life — a painful divorce, growing children, the death of her father — she could always find comfort in beauty.
These days, Kristy Pitchford deals with the deployment of her Marine husband by growing her salon business at Shear Magic.
The beauty salon can be a sanctuary of sorts, where strangers bond over foot baths and where a nail technician and her client can become close friends.
There’s nothing like an hour of free time — spent primping, polishing, or highlighting — that relaxes women and gets them talking.
“It’s like cheap therapy, on both sides,” said Pitchford, who has been in the salon business 16 years.
She’s lived in Jacksonville that long. Ten years ago, she decided to open her own business, renting a booth from a salon owner.
She’s had some clients nearly as long, including Mary Alice Gomez.
“She has such a loving personality, so gregarious that she makes you feel at home right away,” said Gomez, who sees Pitchford at least once a month.
At first, they talked about family, soap operas, and shared recipes. Then, in 2004, Pitchford had some news: she’d met someone.
His name was Bobby, and he lived next door. One day he rode over on his horse and they got to talking. That led to a laid back first date, a backyard Fourth of July barbecue.
It took a while for Kristy Pitchford to acknowledge that fireworks weren’t the only things sparking that night, but Gomez knew.
“I knew Bobby was the guy after that first date,” Gomez said.
Kristy Pitchford wasn’t interested in dating anyone, and certainly not a Marine, who had a habit of deploying. But she couldn’t deny her feelings.
“It was like I woke up from a coma, and I was alive again,” Kristy Pitchford said.
During her regular appointments, Gomez was able to share her own experiences as a military spouse: she’s married to Navy veteran Randy Reichler, who today is the retired affairs officer at Camp Lejeune.
“I told her about what to expect, about separations and how to deal with those, and the kind of services she could find on base,” said Gomez.
Before long, the nail technician began adding pictures of her new love to the wire tree draping her workspace.
Somewhere between Gomez’ monthly visits, Bobby and Kristy Pitchford made it official. On Jan. 1, 2003, the couple married before their five children at the Jacksonville courthouse.
“That was fast!” said Gomez. “But she was so insanely happy.”
Kristy Pitchford chose the date because it was a new year, a symbol of new beginnings, but she was also aware of the ramp up to war.
She wanted to live with her new husband at least a few weeks before he deployed. Which he did that Valentine’s Day.
“She was going through a really hard time,” said Gomez. “She was depressed. I talked to her about keeping busy.”
Gomez was no stranger no deployments, going through too many to count in her 20-plus years of marriage. She reminded Pitchford that military spouses today have more tools, like e-mail, to deal with separations.
There were times that Gomez was low, too. She couldn’t drive for a while after a recent surgery, so Pitchford picked her up and took her to the beauty salon.
“My family knows how important it is, and how it makes me feel after I’ve been here,” said Gomez. “I feel pampered and appreciated, and then there’s time with Kristy.”
Pitchford weathered that first deployment and has since endured two more. First Sgt. Bobby Pitchford is currently attached to the 24th MEU as the MSSG Sgt. Major.
In July, the unit rescued Americans from the coast of Lebanon, and the Associated Press took a picture of Bobby Pitchford carrying a child off the beach. His wife has added that picture to her family tree at work.
There’s always the chance that he will be whispering into Kristy Pitchford’s ear via her handsfree headset during a nail appointment.
Recently, she also took a brief call from a prospective employer who wanted to check her husband’s security clearance.
And that’s what Gomez and Kristy Pitchford have been talking about lately — the next phase of the military marriage, retirement.
Through her husband, Gomez knew about all the workshops and help available to Marines leaving active duty. It’s likely their husbands will meet.
“It’s a friendship,” said Kristy Pitchford. “I know your family, and you know mine.”
Ellie
October 06,2006
Anne Clark
Daily News staffNo matter what was happening in her life — a painful divorce, growing children, the death of her father — she could always find comfort in beauty.
These days, Kristy Pitchford deals with the deployment of her Marine husband by growing her salon business at Shear Magic.
The beauty salon can be a sanctuary of sorts, where strangers bond over foot baths and where a nail technician and her client can become close friends.
There’s nothing like an hour of free time — spent primping, polishing, or highlighting — that relaxes women and gets them talking.
“It’s like cheap therapy, on both sides,” said Pitchford, who has been in the salon business 16 years.
She’s lived in Jacksonville that long. Ten years ago, she decided to open her own business, renting a booth from a salon owner.
She’s had some clients nearly as long, including Mary Alice Gomez.
“She has such a loving personality, so gregarious that she makes you feel at home right away,” said Gomez, who sees Pitchford at least once a month.
At first, they talked about family, soap operas, and shared recipes. Then, in 2004, Pitchford had some news: she’d met someone.
His name was Bobby, and he lived next door. One day he rode over on his horse and they got to talking. That led to a laid back first date, a backyard Fourth of July barbecue.
It took a while for Kristy Pitchford to acknowledge that fireworks weren’t the only things sparking that night, but Gomez knew.
“I knew Bobby was the guy after that first date,” Gomez said.
Kristy Pitchford wasn’t interested in dating anyone, and certainly not a Marine, who had a habit of deploying. But she couldn’t deny her feelings.
“It was like I woke up from a coma, and I was alive again,” Kristy Pitchford said.
During her regular appointments, Gomez was able to share her own experiences as a military spouse: she’s married to Navy veteran Randy Reichler, who today is the retired affairs officer at Camp Lejeune.
“I told her about what to expect, about separations and how to deal with those, and the kind of services she could find on base,” said Gomez.
Before long, the nail technician began adding pictures of her new love to the wire tree draping her workspace.
Somewhere between Gomez’ monthly visits, Bobby and Kristy Pitchford made it official. On Jan. 1, 2003, the couple married before their five children at the Jacksonville courthouse.
“That was fast!” said Gomez. “But she was so insanely happy.”
Kristy Pitchford chose the date because it was a new year, a symbol of new beginnings, but she was also aware of the ramp up to war.
She wanted to live with her new husband at least a few weeks before he deployed. Which he did that Valentine’s Day.
“She was going through a really hard time,” said Gomez. “She was depressed. I talked to her about keeping busy.”
Gomez was no stranger no deployments, going through too many to count in her 20-plus years of marriage. She reminded Pitchford that military spouses today have more tools, like e-mail, to deal with separations.
There were times that Gomez was low, too. She couldn’t drive for a while after a recent surgery, so Pitchford picked her up and took her to the beauty salon.
“My family knows how important it is, and how it makes me feel after I’ve been here,” said Gomez. “I feel pampered and appreciated, and then there’s time with Kristy.”
Pitchford weathered that first deployment and has since endured two more. First Sgt. Bobby Pitchford is currently attached to the 24th MEU as the MSSG Sgt. Major.
In July, the unit rescued Americans from the coast of Lebanon, and the Associated Press took a picture of Bobby Pitchford carrying a child off the beach. His wife has added that picture to her family tree at work.
There’s always the chance that he will be whispering into Kristy Pitchford’s ear via her handsfree headset during a nail appointment.
Recently, she also took a brief call from a prospective employer who wanted to check her husband’s security clearance.
And that’s what Gomez and Kristy Pitchford have been talking about lately — the next phase of the military marriage, retirement.
Through her husband, Gomez knew about all the workshops and help available to Marines leaving active duty. It’s likely their husbands will meet.
“It’s a friendship,” said Kristy Pitchford. “I know your family, and you know mine.”
Ellie