Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Haircuttin' the Country Way

My mom went to beautician school way back in the 60's. She would cut my hair, put it up in a bouffaunt which I would prompty go brush out with my fingers and the worst was when she would wash it with vinegar while I screamed, "It smells like pickles!!!"

She wouldn't let me grow my hair long until I was in junior high. Mom always thought I looked best with a short pixie cut and for that reason most people thought I was a boy. I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that I wore Billy the Kid jeans and cowboy boots and my favorite toy was a shotgun accompanied by a holster with two six shooters. I wanted to be a cowboy, dang-it.

Mom also wouldn't let me do any sort of chemical process to my hair. So, while my sister was highlighting and perming her hair I had to sit back and watch with envy as she transform her hair into something new and trendy. Then the summer before my sophomore year in high school I made an appointment in the trendiest local beauty salon and asked for a perm. It didn't fry my hair or turn it green like Mom feared. But, it did make my hair even whiter and frizzy like a poodle. That's when boys started calling me April the Albino, it was that white. So, I stayed away from perms for a few years.

Mom had kept all her supplies, including one of those huge dryers you sit under, we always had rollers, clips, drapes, razors and scissors. It wasn't weird that I would cut my bangs and most of the time they looked okay. Then I started cutting other people's hair. There were several boys that were friends of mine that would come out, sit on a stool out in our sunroom and I would cut their hair in weird patterns. My friend, Brian, wanted a zigzag cut into the back of his hair, so I did a zigzag and then older folks kept asking him if he was the youngster that had been in the car accident earlier in the year and had to have brain surgery. I never said I was good at cutting hair, it was just something I did, and for some reason a few people trusted me enough to work on their heads and then walk around in public.

Now, I have my own hair salon. It's in a nice breezy place. I don't have many customers and the few I do have, never leave with a smile on their face.


They come in my swanky salon, sit in my chair and give me cautious looks.


Sometimes they comment that at least the view is good. I never know if that's a compliment or not. Then I throw a torn plastic drape over them.


They bolster their courage and put on a brave display.
I like to help them relax by asking a lot of questions.

How was your Christmas?



Did you get some fun new toys?

Did you get any candy in your stocking?



How's your folks?


I heard your mom is a really nice lady. Tell her I said, "Hi" and come back again real soon.

10 comments:

Linda said...

OMG ... that reminds me of trying to cut my son's hair.

ME: "Sit up, be still, quit wiggling, I have sharp things in my hand!"
HIM: "But Maaaaahm!"

Although we don't have that nice porch with a view that you have. Still, a great use of self-appointed mom talent and it saves money. Woohoo on that one!

Sharon said...

I used to cut the boys hair then I got brave enough to try a stylist. It's the best $20 (for two!) that I spend each month.

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh you're funny! "The kid who was in the car accident and needed brain surgery"?! Priceless.

Anonymous said...

Wow. The exact same thing goes on at my house. Five boys. My dd won't let me touch her hair. But I'm GOOD at it! Now the big boys cut their own or each other's hair. Lots of times it looks crappy and they still think it's better then letting mom do it.

It must be warm at your house. We have snow and slush everywhere.

Southern Gal said...

We have a lot in common.

MY mom went to beautician school in the 60's also. In fact, after I was born my parents lived with my grandparents for 6 weeks while mom finished her courses.

My mom rolled my curly frizzy hair on huge curlers so I could sit under the huge dryer and sleep on the huge curlers all night to wake up to still damp hair that would frizz the moment I walked out the door.

One of my most horrifying memories was when my sister was born. My hair was unruly and mom wanted something easy to take care of. She gave me a short boy cut. We still talk about how I stood on the bed to look in the mirror (I was 4 1/2), then collapsed on the bed while crying, "I'm gonna get a new mama who doesn't cut hair!!" In my teen years, we ironed my hair on an ironing board with a clothes iron and SCORCHED it. Yeah.

LOVE these pictures of your son. Good job on the cut. Your boy looks just like mine when my mom cuts his hair (I don't touch anyone's hair). He's now going through the 'I'm letting my hair grow' stage so he won't have to have a haircut.

Renee

Rhea said...

Wow, those faces...are you sure you weren't performing archaic torture on them? Wow.

Suzanne said...

I would not be brave enough to cut anyone's hair. Does anyone remember the Flow-Be? Omigosh the stuff people will invent.

I have that same red stepstool. I love it and I love to see it in your photos.

- Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

Anonymous said...

Funny thing..my mom also went to Cosmotology school in the early 60's. Later on my Dad remodeled our garage & made it into a Beauty Shop; a dream come to for me and my 3 sisters! (not so much my brother LOL) Like you, I had to endure many "short trendy" cuts as a child, and I have years of school photos to prove it! UGH!

And, like you, later on I began giving haircuts. I think I started with my hubby and then a few of his buddies, etc. When our son came along of course I cut his too. To this day (he's now 23), I think he's only had 2 "professional" cuts, both of which were terrible! Through the years I acquired many "regulars" and I could never figure out why they kept coming back each month?? The only guarentee I gave was that their hair would be shorter when they left than when they arrived!!
I never thought of using the "brain surgery" line...but perhaps they did!!

Thanks for the memories--
Bertie

Danielle said...

ooo, liking the porch idea! So much less hair in the bathroom. My son is a wiggle worm and screams like I'm Sweeney Todd or something.

Messy Jess said...

I love your Porch - i mean, beauty salon! Great view indeed. And those faces are priceless!