Aunt Bill Rambles — Her First Permanent

Lordy me,  last week when I went to git my hair cut, they’s a-givin’ some pore old woman a permanent.  Course that made me remember when I got my very first ‘un.

The shop was located on the south side of Main Street in Crossville.  It was in a old building and very crude compared to shops today — very dark with jest a few drop wires with light bulbs at the end (for light).  I must a been nine or ten years old.  Atter my hair was cut and rolled, this monstrous electric machine was rolled over by my cheer and parts wuz attached to my head.  It was a tall rolling gadget, round at the top with lots of electric wires and clamps to fasten onto each of the rollers I had on my head.  Atter a clamp was attached to all rollers, the electricity was turned on and the fun started. Y, a woman stayed right by me and when them clamps startin’ heatin’ up, I did, too. I would point out where I wuz  a burnin’ and she’d fan, using a funeral home fan, newspaper or just blow to try to cool that spot enough so she could go on to the next hot spot.  Hit was awful!!  Atter they took them clamps off and the roller wuz removed I could see the improvement (?) or damage that had been done.

Lordy, what a kinky head of hair I had and hit smelled burnt.  I guess hit was burnt.  Then they took me to the sink and run ice cold water over my head and I complained.  They rolled hit agin and put me under the biggest dryer you ever see’d and I got hot there, too.

I wuz glad to git out of that place, but I had curly hair!!  Hit wadn’t no improvement as far as I could see, but hit was country living.