Quirks of Massage Therapists
Each of the massage therapists here at Massage Hope have their own techniques, own styles, and their own set of quirks. Throughout the time that I’ve worked at the front desk, I’ve come to learn most, if not all, of the quirks they have pertaining to massage and their profession. I see and hear them for the majority of the day, and as I’m a very observant person, I’ve picked up on a lot. These quirks are just small things here and there that aren’t in any way weird or strange, rather funny and entertaining as they do happen like clockwork. I’ve got it down to a science. Here are a list of some of my favorites:
The soft clanging of the glass jar in the break room where we keep our mints (singlehandedly just for Johnny as most don’t enjoy the original red and white peppermint), signals that you have 5-10 seconds, or however long it might take for him to unravel that wrapping, before he comes knocking on your door to start your massage. It’s like a tradition; a mint before every massage.
If you see Bri holding a small paper Dixie cup, don’t pay any mind. She fills them with hot water and clutches them in her hands in order to warm them up before any client. The first time I saw her do it, I thought she was drinking steaming hot water and I was very concerned for her and her health. Who drinks steaming hot water?! Rest assured, however, that she does not drink it. Warm hands always make for a warm and happy massage.
Danita, bless her heart, always enjoys a little conversation before any massage. I especially love when she comes out into the front lobby area and will stare out our door to across the hall (in order to see through the window of the empty office space across from us) as we converse. I usually have some of my best conversations with her in that small 3 minute window between when she does intake with a client and goes back to start her massage.
Karlee likes to put on her belt (that they keep their lotion bottles in) right outside her door, almost immediately before starting her massage. She almost never leaves the break room with the belt already secured. The closest it’ll be is her walking out the door of the break room as she’s putting her belt on. So if you hear a clicking sound, like that of a buckle clasping shut, that knock asking if you’re all set will immediately follow.
Even though our break room has multiples seats for our therapists to sit and be comfortable before a client arrives, Ron refuses to sit. If he’s anticipating a client arriving soon, I have noticed he will be standing and waiting. Almost always, when I go back to the break room, 5-10 minutes before his client arrives, he’s out of his chair. I sometimes wonder if he ever gets tired of standing.
Now although some may have more quirks than others, or more noticeable quirks, they all seem to share one common quirk.
Each of the therapy rooms are one in the same, equipped with a massage table, a chair, and a stool for the massage therapist to utilize. They contain the same music selections, essential oils and products as every other room. They are in every way the exact same, besides maybe the setup, but yet some therapists have a strong dislike of one or more of our rooms. They have what they consider “their” room, that they prefer over the others. Sometimes they’ll even fight over which room they get for the day (and by fight I mean they kindly ask the front desk to assign them that room before anyone else)!
Before any massage, no matter how long the session is, whether 30 minutes or 2 hours, they ALL use the restroom. Like clockwork. Some call it a nervous tick, a habit or even a routine. But it’s always funny because even if seconds before they didn’t need to use the restroom, the second they start to get ready to enter a room to perform their massage, it hits them out of nowhere. They make sure to never start a massage without pottying first. Who knows what would happen if they forgot… maybe disaster would strike!!!
Regardless of quirks or not, they are all amazing, wonderful people with fantastic skills. And if these quirks help to contribute to the magic they ALWAYS seem to perform with their hands, then hey, I’m not complaining!! Keep on being quirky, my friends.