At a recent writers group meeting we were asked to write a short story called "My Most Outrageous Hairdo" and this is how that true story goes:

The Girl with the Green Hair

I was born a blond, but over time, my hair started turning dark. When I was 13, it was a drab shade of "dirty blond." So, with the help of a friend I bleached my hair. Obviously, we didn't know what we were doing because my hair turned an alarming shade of green.

I knew my mother would have a fit over my new color and planned to try to fix it while hiding out from her. Maybe my childish little brain thought she would not notice. But she did notice and when the yelling and crying tapered off, she said, "Lynn, get your coat, we are going to the drug store."

Later, searching the Miss Clairol aisle in a frantic attempt to find "something" to cover up the green color, we heard "Well, hello there!" It was my mother's friend from bridge club. Mother stepped in front of me and I heard her say that she was in a big hurry, "How nice to see you, but I have to run." She grabbed a box from the shelf and herded me away from the woman as quickly as she could.

Looking back, I guess Mother was really embarrassed. Who could blame her? There I was, her skinny, pale child wearing a winter white car coat with a white fur collar. The fad in 1959 was to wear pale, almost white lipstick, and who was I if not stylish! But the icing on the cake was that green-glow-in-the-dark hair. Mother said I looked like a GHOUL!

My family still tells that story on me when we are all together. AND..... Mother still says the same thing, "You looked just like a GHOUL!" And I guess I did.