h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This article reminded me of the time I had a years contract working in Belgium. I had been put up in a hotel apartment which provided clean fluffy white towels each day. Having a desperate need to redo my hair colour which stained any thing it touched a rather sinister red I couldn’t risk the fluffy white towels and the hotel staff consequently thinking I’d cut my wrists.
Searching around I found an old red scarf to wrap around my neck and three largish plastic laundry bags. Not being a fan of the dye-while-naked school I manufactured a rather fetching tunic with one bag, the other I slit open to protect the floor, and the third I used to protect a chair. I then proceeded as you direct in your article in applying the dye.
The white interphone rang, note these are difficult to disconnect without doing serious damage. ‘Yes’ I yelled into the mouthpiece trying not to get the earpiece all bloody. ‘It is your Barty come have drink with me in the bar’. This was No-socks Bart my recently acquired Belgium boyfriend who was not expected for another hour. I explained I couldn’t come down for another half hour at least. ‘No problem’ came back the answer faintly as I wiped off the earpiece with red scarf.
Five minutes later, the doorbell rang and guess what - there was No-socks himself glass of beer in each hand. After I finished wiping off the spilt beer on the door and floor with trusty old red scarf and convinced No-socks that I didn’t have a major head injury, I invited him in and explained the hair colour bit. Fascinated, he’d never seen a colour job close up before (they lead protected lives these Belgiums), he obligingly helped with the rinsing out bit so I let him drink what remained of my beer. He even conceded that the plastic laundry bag tunic had a certain allure though could I perhaps change before eating out. And of course, I did.
I still have the red scarf which washed out OK, it always brings back fond memories.

you were brave even attempting to dye in a hotel .... what if the fire alarm had gone off.


..and knowing my luck, If I'd have done that I'd have a had a great big bill for stained fixtures and fittings from the hotel when I checked out.