December 27th Tuesday 2005
I just cut off my hair. Strangely, I am elated. I went overboard a bit. With two swift chops I had two hanks of hair in my hands. And it is really short.
Rapunzel
"Mom how much do you love me?" I asked as I walked down the stairs.
"Why?" asked Mother looking up from the paper she was reading. "Did you break something?"
I run up to her pulling off my brand new pink Northface ski cap. " I just cut off all my hair.'
'What?" she said as I hugged her.
"All my hair" I say going around and standing in front of her.
'Oh My God...' she stares at me her jaw hanging open in shock. She is stunned.
I laugh nervously. "You still love me? Right? Mum?" I say holding onto her arms hoping for reassurance.
"And here I was just saying, 'Whatever possessed that blonde girl to cut her hair."
She isn't mad. Not yet. Although this happens when she gets the big scissors and tries to even out the mess I made of my lovely dark locks.
"You're a big girl. You're seventeen. I expect little kids to do this. Like when you're six and don't know anything. Usually you have to drag teen girls into the hair salon." She says irritated as she clips more of my hair off.
"I can't believe it..." she says shaking her graying blonde hair. "What would posess you to..?." she queries.
" I don't know Mum. Perhaps I was sick of it. It takes so long to do and It can be so irritating, never going the way I want it to." I sigh exasperated and fidgety.
"Sit still. You are going to ruin it again."
Later as we sit on the couch together, reading she remarks..."If you didn't have a pretty face this would have ruined you.'
I smile quietly and go back to my novel about adventures and dragons. She just has approved my new look and complimented me at the same time.
"But Don't ever cut it short again. I will decide when you can cut it next...When you're 38" she says quietly under her breath. I nod slowly, pretending I am not listening to her comments.
"Twenty years" I think "is a long time."