In third grade, I put Vaseline in my hair the night before picture day at school. I don’t know why I did it. Maybe I was thinking about all the Dippity-Do I had watched my sisters put in their hair. Maybe I enjoyed the slimy feel of the cloudy petroleum jelly. Maybe I liked scooping out thick hunks of the lard-like goo and smearing it through my thin brown hair.
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| Stronger than dirt! |
After I had spread it throughout my hair, I made goofy hairstyles. The more Vaseline I added to my bangs, the better I could make them stand straight up in spikes. I got bored with making silly hairdos and decided to wash it out. I washed and washed and washed. I tried using shampoo, dishwashing detergent, and Lifebuoy soap. None of them worked. I finally told my mom. I was crying by then. I can’t remember for sure, but I think she was laughing which made me cry even more. She scrubbed my head with Comet and that worked. The next day at school, I smiled for my picture and no one ever knew what I had done the night before. In fact, my hair had never looked shinier.
You painted a picture worth many more words than you used. I am laughing still. The things kids do and why is it so often right before picture day? I made a connection with your piece...something about Desitin and baby powder...my sons...I am laughing again!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great piece to share with your students! Reminds me of my "hair cut" just before my senior picture.
ReplyDeleteBonnie
Ah Vaseline. Why are kids so fascinated with it? My sons favorite thing to do with it was put it on the walls of their bedroom!
ReplyDeleteI love all these stories that you are writing about your past. This is a particularly memorable and funny one! Mothers always seem to have the answer to our problems.
ReplyDeleteI am laughing so hard...many memories, but especially one of my son, who decided to give himself a haircut the morning of third grade picture day...I think he's destroyed every copy we had!
ReplyDeleteIt's a fun memory, but only now, I suspect. Not so much when you were a child. I never thought how hard it must be to wash vaseline out. Your scalp must have been squeaky clean!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun story. I love how you described the Vaseline. I can't even imagine the horror when it wouldn't come out. Thank goodness for moms, they always seem to have the answers.
ReplyDeleteWhat a story! It's a great slice of childhood. Gives me an idea but I don't know if I'll want to try it. We've almost tasted all our slices!!! I'm getting full, but have learned so much.
ReplyDeleteHysterical! I have a niece who would do exactly the same thing--only she'd probably want to go to picture day that way. :)
ReplyDeleteLove this one!
Too funny! Right now my 2 yr old daughter is fascinated with baby wipes. She has to have one at all times. I can just picture your bangs.
ReplyDeleteThis sparked so many connections! Your explanation (or lack thereof) as to why you might have done it was the best part. I had a talk with my 8th grade students this year, as I was passing back their school pictures, about how the whole idea of school pictures is cruel and they should be outlawed. How many stories hide behind those school picture images, like yours? Great slice!
ReplyDeleteLove the post. I was cracking up.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great story - made even more fun by the memories it stirred in me about my own "hair nightmares." What a great story stem - story "stim" - I never know which word is more appropriate!
ReplyDeleteTerrific story, just terrific. I think it calls out the bad hair/school picture stories we all have lurking in our memories. I've enjoyed reading the other posters' stories (and yes, my bangs looked hideous in one of my photos--among other things--because we'd had a "home-grown" haircut the night before). Thanks for the memory and your ooey-gooey Vasoliney story.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth E.
http://peninkpaper.blogspot.com/