My Hairied History

Day one out of the womb – had a full crop of hair, black like my daddy’s (it later went more fair). Early childhood – Mom kept my brown hair short because I’d twist it into knots. What a silly sport. Peanut butter and some gum in my hair might stick. Never a long hair style could I ever pick. Pre-teen years – at last I saw my dark hair grow. Pony tails and pig tails were ways my hair might show. Junior High, late 60’s, hair piled high like a hive. A wonder that no bumble bees were seen in there alive. My hair was also parted always on one side. I’d wear curlers in a store. Did I have no pride? High school days – hair longer. In boring math at school, I sat there pulling off split ends. Must have looked a fool! College days – used a cheap product from the store. “Sun-In” gave me reddish-blonde. I used it four times more. The 80’s – got a perm. The curls were tight. Had oodles. Now I can have sympathy for cockapoos and poodles. 90’s – used extensions. A lot of folks I fooled. Strawberry blonde seemed to be the color then that ruled. New century. New color. My hair was very blonde. There were two guys in a tram in Rio that I conned. My friend who looked American knew every word they stated. About my natural color those guys in Portugese debated. They finally decided my blonde was natural. I got a kick out of those young fellows’ folderol. Later on, my hair got over-bleached. I showered, and lots of strands of it crumbled right into my hand. After that, while growing out dark roots about two years, I wore a wig until uncolored hair went past my ears. A co-worker , not knowing I wore a wig at school, told me that my hair had never looked so cool! By 2010, my hair was in a rut. Only one side of it grew, so I’d always get it cut. Turned 60 and got cancer. Ate better to be stronger. Miraculously my hair AND nails grew a whole lot longer. Since then till now, my daughter’s been my dear beautician. She keeps the gray away and my hair in good condition. Were my hair not dyed, salt and pepper it would be. I love my gold-like hair, thick, and long and wavy. Some people think a woman of my age should wear a shorter “do.” Decades it took to get this look, so NO (and I’ll keep my cute bangs too!)