Beyond The First Impression

Have you ever formed a split second impression of someone - labeled, stereotyped or characterized them - based on their outward appearance, their mannerisms or their tone of voice? Was your first impression accurate?
Here is my story.
She walked into my salon one afternoon. It was obvious to me that her wiry salt and pepper colored hair needed shaping. She looked tired and worn. The deep lines in her leathery, sun darkened face spoke volumes about the amount of time she spent outdoors in our hot summers and bitterly cold winters. She looked physically hardened by life and time. Her frame was small, slight and uniform, unlike the typical aboriginal middle-aged woman from our area whose upper body is grossly over weight and set on legs that looked too thin to carry her.
I expected a sharp, firm voice to demand my time. As if by magic, her wrinkled face softened, her eyes smiled with a slight squint and her gentle, almost inaudible voice asked me " do you take walk-ins?" Her eyes immediately shifted to the floor as if in expectation for me to say "I'm sorry, I'm busy today". In a matter of a few seconds I came to the conclusion that this woman probably lived on a reservation, was uneducated, was dependent on social assistance, lacked self esteem and was very, very shy. I was just finishing up with a client and I sure could have used the thirty minute break I was expecting to put my feet up, but something inside me nudged me to say " Yes I do, if you don't mind waiting I'll be with you in a few minutes". She didn't smile but she breathed a big expressionless sigh as she sat down to wait.
As I began to shape her hair I felt uncomfortable with her silence so I tried some small talk half expecting simple "yes " or "no" answers that normally lead to a dead end conversation. My radio was playing softly in the background which helped to break the quiet . A news report was being read at the top of the hour. Then out of the silence my client volunteered "we are not ready for that yet". I realized I had not been paying attention to the radio but I jumped at the opening she gave me and asked " I'm sorry, what were they talking about?" "Self government" she said, " my people need more education before they take on something so big. It is not enough for our chief and our band leaders to be educated. We all need to be educated."
From that point our conversation flowed effortlessly. Time seemed to stand still. I was wishing it could. I did not want our visit to end yet.
This woman was so caring, so compassionate about her people. She was well spoken, reasonable, spiritual and patient. She had a dream - a vision for her people. She was like a mother looking out for the best interests of her children. She was a leader with quiet strength.
As I completed her hairstyle she expressed her gratitude but was totally oblivious to the fact that the style change made her look at least five years younger.
She paid for my services and left. I smiled inwardly at the gift I received by meeting her. I was grateful but sad knowing I would likely not see her again unless she had reason to pass through our town another time. In the thirty minutes I spent with her I learned several life lessons that made my service to her seem trivial. I should have paid her. I shuddered at the thought of how my first impression of her was so terribly inaccurate, so unfair. Until our conversation I branded her as insignificant based solely on her appearance. Little did I know how much this woman would impact me.
I wonder what her first impression of me was?