When I was a small child my mom would brush my hair. All mom's brush their children's hair, and that's a good thing, but my mom's method was downright painful! First of all, she'd start at the scalp with a very stiff bristled brush. She'd quickly force the brush downward through my long hair in a raking-like motion.
"Ow, ow, ow!! Mama, You're hurting me!
She'd reply with some comment that seemed as though she was telling me that beauty needed to be gotten through pain.
More brushing, then another "Ow, ow, ow!! Oh Mom, Can't you please stop?!"
Brush, brush brush; "Ow, ow, ow!"
She said "Why don't you scream louder so Nanny Fanning can hear?" Nanny Fanning lived two houses up the block from us.
I screamed louder, Mom laughed and the brushing got even rougher.
"Ow, Ow, Ow!! Nanny!! Call the sheriff!! Mama's hurting me!!"
Laughing now, she said "Oh you think the sheriff would take you away from me? The sheriff doesn't care about little girls getting their hair brushed."
Oof-dah, I actually believed her. I became jaded about law enforcement and remained so until I learned that Mom was wrong, the police really do care about the welfare of little girls, which happened when I was a young mother and lived next door to a retired police chief, for whom I grew to have enormous respect.
After all the rough hair brushing Mom would braid my hair so tight I couldn't close my eyes.
Here's my fantasy account of the hair brushing:
"Ow, ow, ow!! Mama, you're hurting me!"
"That's the price you must pay to be beautiful."
My sobs are heard by my usually deaf grandfather, who dials 911 to report another incident of abuse on my mother's part.
I hear a knock on the door just as Mom is making another pass with the stiff brush on my tender scalp.
"Ow, ow, ow..."
The front door is broken down and two deputies arrive to take the brush away from Mama. They pull her aside and talk to her about the tenderness of a little girl and how pain affects the way they feel about themselves and their mothers. Aha! Mom is led to understand, and I am from then on free of Mom's abuse and neglect.
Ironically, shortly after this event I was given my first haircut; I asked for a pixie cut. Hair brushing became a non-issue. Thank goodness.
ReplyDeletei want to post a picture of my tightly wound braids, I'm sure it was the "doo's" that gave a perma-slant to my eye shape to this day. You were a lucky lady to have a senile (or not), wise grandfather and some sensitive cops enter the scene! :)
ReplyDeletedid you ever have to sleep in rollers all night? Im quite flabbergasted at the moment that I submitted to this. It must have some bearing on why my kids almost always have messy hair. I realize there is an excuse for my apparent 'laziness' or 'lack of control' and 'power over my kids'. mnnn. One thing i know is tight braids are not worth the hassle, pain and resistance I would consider a fish big enough to fry.
Ha-ha! yes, braids can make your scalp sore, that's for sure.
DeleteAfter Mom would brush my hair like this, she would braid my hair so tight I couldn't close my eyes. A perfect hairstyle for a sleepy girl in Catholic school.