Marlee Got The Giggles

While Grandma Lu was telling the story about the beauty school she went to on her wedding day years ago, a friend stopped by and said, "Hey, guys, scrooch over. I want to listen." So of course, everyone said, "Hi, Elizabeth! She ordered a drink and listened with lots of smiles on her face. She said, "Oh my goodness. I so remember the "bluing days in the "60's" (Marlee, she meant in the 1960's.) Those days were long ago, but fun for many different reasons. Someday we will talk about some of those fun times.
So of course, Grandma B and Grandma Lu all asked her why she remembered those days so well.

Annie Lee Dopson

"Well, I was born in a really little town. I don't think it got much over seven hundred people in those days. It was just seven (7) miles from the Louisiana border, so it was really south of here. Like many towns it was settled by people because it was along the railroad tracks. It has even changed names since it first began. It began as Victoria and now it is called Strong. In those days just like your hometown, Marlee, railroads were so important to folks. At one time we had a train stop there eight (8) times a day. They shipped out farmer's goods like their produce and cotton and lumber. We don't see cotton fields much around here, do we?"
About that time Marlee interrupted, Elizabeth and said, "Did you  know I got a new baby sister? Her name is Whitlee Jo. She cries sometimes."
Elizabeth laughed and said, "Yes, I heard about your new sister. Do you like her?" Marlee smiled and said, "I love her, but my "B" doesn't need to hold her; just me." The ladies laughed and continued on with their visiting.
 "When I heard your story about the bluing days I thought immediately about my Granny. We called her Long Granny.
Marlee started to giggle and said, "Long Granny. That's a funny name, was she really long?" Elizabeth laughed with Marlee and said, "No, honey. We lived a long long ways away from my granny. We lived in a state called Oklahoma. It took a long time to drive to her house. We just started calling her "Long Granny" when we were little like you. That name stuck clear to this day. My little town had grown so  much that we had many many stores and cotton gins and grocery stories and three (3) sawmills. Most important to my Granny was the beauty shop.
 My grandmother, Annie Lee Dopson, on my dad's side went to Miss Sula who owned a beauty shop to have her hair "blued" once a month. My grandfather mowed Miss Sula's yard once a week to pay for it for her. In September when the grass didn't grow as fast, he only needed to do it about twice a month. My Granny usually had a perm about twice a year. She liked curls.
Grandma Lu said, "Me too, but I hate the smell and the time it takes. I've gotten lazy and just wear my hair straight nowadays." she chuckled. You could just see Grandma Lu thinking about something. She gets this look in her eyes like she is somewhere else. All of a sudden she said,
"Oh my gosh, have you girls ever heard of the old time permanent wave machines? They were horrible. My mother always said my hair was straight as a string. We were poor so my mother baked cinnamon rolls and cookies and cakes and sold to people and a grocery store for extra money. Well, she asked this friend of hers that had her own beauty shop if she would give me a permanent for some baked goods. They agreed. You have no idea what a traumatic experience that was for a six (6) year old. It was hooked up to electricity. It had metal clamps that clamped over rollers that my hair was

Country Clippers

wound around. It was hot and little sparks flew out of it. I was so scared I couldn't even cry or move. I will never ever forget that. Well, that wasn't the worst of it. It was nothing but frizz. I cried and cried when I got home. I told my mama I wasn't going to school because I looked like a clown. And I meant it. My mama tried everything she could, but there was nothing to do, but have a different lady cut off my hair. Which of course, charged her money. After that she let my hair grow long. I wore it in a pony tail and she permed my bangs which was the fashion in those days. I'll never forget she used a Tony perm. It was smelly too, but no fireworks!"
Grandma B was laughing until tears were running down her cheeks. She said, "I can not even believe all of the bad luck you have had in beauty shops. It's a wonder you even came to my shop, The Country Clippers.
And that's another story for another day...