Original Date: 6-11-97

I hadn't been to the hair salon in a month. I was looking tore up about the head. I have thick hair, so gel, mousse, and a ponytail can only do so much.

Paula picked me up as usual at 7:30AM. I was sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast when she arrived. She walked into the kitchen. She was wearing a purple pants suit with a white blouse. Her gold jewelry accented her outfit perfectly. I looked down at her feet she had on a pair ran down looking slides. She hugged Mrs. Jackson, and then thumped me on the top of my head. She started touching my hair. She took my ponytail down and look at my kitchen (the hair just above my neck), "Girl, you need some help. When was the last time you were in the hair salon?" I started to answer, but she yelled Kourtnee's name.

Kourtnee walked in the kitchen and hugged Paula, "Why are you yelling?" Paula frowned, "Look at your child's head. How is she supposed to tell anyone that she knows us and her head looks a mess?" Kourtnee did the same routine that Paula had done earlier. She blew a breathe, shook her head, and thumped me in the back of the head, "I guess we have got to tell them." I turned around and said, "You tell them, I'm scared." Kourtnee held my hand and said, "Together we can do it." She looked at Paula and Mrs. Jackson. Kourtnee said, "We have a slight problem. LaDawnya doesn't use Shimmers Products." She then told them what I used. In unison Paula and Mrs. Jackson shrieked, "She uses what!" I heard birds flying away from the house. Dogs started barking.

Mrs. Jackson dropped her head and sat down in a chair as if she was totally exhausted and was about to faint. Kourtnee ducked behind me and used me as a shield as Paula went on a tirade. Kourtnee kept playfully poking me in the back. I was laughing. Paula looked at me and kept on ranting. Kourtnee whispered in my ear, "When she turns her back, I'm leaving." I didn't have a chance to respond because Paula turned around and started talking to Mrs. Jackson. Kourtnee dashed out of the kitchen and I left the kitchen, too.

We went into Kourtnee's office, "Grandmama already said that she wanted to do your hair and be your stylist. You don't have much of a choice." I looked at her, "I was going to let my home girl, Anjanette, keep doing my hair." Kourtnee gave me a look that told me that Mrs. Mary Adams was going to be my hair stylist no matter what I thought. She said, "If you can convince your Grandmama of that, it's fine with me." She gave me that look again. I knew that Mrs. Adams was going to do my hair.

Kourtnee said, "Go see if Paula is still ranting and raving. Then ask her to come in here." I left Kourtnee's room for the kitchen. I told Paula what Kourtnee had said. Paula walked to Kourtnee's office. A few seconds later, she yelled my name. When I walked into the office, Kourtnee's was fusing at Paula for yelling. It was decided that after Day Camp, Kourtnee would take me to get my hair done. Paula added, "I am glad, because I don't want to be the one who has to tell Mrs. Adams that you don't use Shimmers Products. I will be praying for you." Kourtnee gave me a reassuring look and said, "It won't be that bad." As I walked out of the room to get my stuff, Paula yelled, "Girl, Mrs. Adams is gonna hurt you," and laughed. I was scared for the rest of the day.

The Moment of Truth, Talking to Mr. & Mrs. Adams

My hair appointment was for 5:00PM at the salon that Mrs. Adams owned in Dorinda, but Kourtnee said that we should go talk to Mrs. Adams first. We arrived at Mr. and Mrs. Adams' house at 4:15. Mr. Adams met us at the door. He greeted us with a hug. He looked at my hair, "Mary, we need you out here. This child's head looks a mess. Hurry up!" He laughed as Mrs. Adams walked in the room. She didn't even greet us. She looked at my hair and shook her head. She started fussing at Kourtnee, "Why didn't you bring her over here before now? I didn't know that her hair looked that bad. Aren't you all supposed to meet me over at the shop at 5:00?" Kourtnee looked at me, "Yes, ma'am we were, but we need to tell you something first." Mr. Adams looked at Kourtnee, his wife, and then me. Kourtnee proceeded to tell them what hair care products I used. In unison, Mr. Adams and Mrs. Adams shrieked, "She uses what!" I heard birds flying away from the house. Dogs started barking. A couple of cats meowed and a car alarm went off. (Not really, but it sure felt like it.)

Mr. Adams leaned up against the wall as if he had been shot or something. Mrs. Adams looked at me. I ducked behind Kourtnee and used her as a shield. Mrs. Adams was more upset with Kourtnee than she was with me. Mrs. Adams fussed at Kourtnee about not telling them earlier what product I used. Mr. Adams smiled at me and winked. Mrs. Adams hugged me and told me, "We do not only use Shimmers Products at the shop. It will be ok." She popped Kourtnee on her hand and walked out of the room. We left the house to go to the beauty salon. When we were on our way, Kourtnee poked her lip out and said, "You got me in trouble. You are going to have to tell Mother." We laughed all the way to the beauty salon.

Ms. Shields Has a Laugh

Kourtnee invited her mother, Ms. Shields, over to the house for dinner so that I could tell her what hair care products that I use. Ms. Shields was supposed to be at the house at 7:45PM. She arrived at 7:56PM. That was unusual because Ms. Shields always arrived 10 to 15 minutes early. She was held up at the office and her schedule was thrown off about 10 minutes.

She greeted all of us when she got to the house. We immediately went in the dining room and ate. All through dinner, Kourtnee kept shooting me looks that indicated that I should tell Ms. Shields about not using Shimmers products. I wouldn't do it. Ms. Shields kept looking at Kourtnee then at me. She kept giving me this smile as if she knew something we didn't know. Towards the end of dinner, Ms. Shields said, "Kourtnee, are you trying to get her to tell me that she doesn't use Shimmers products?" Both Kourtnee and I dropped our silverware and looked at each other with astonishment. Ms. Shields laughed and said to Kourtnee, "You know Mama called me the minute you all left. She went on for over ten minutes." Ms. Shields laughed at both of us. Kourtnee and I exhaled. We had overcome one minor obstacle in our lives. What was next for us?