Hot Head Warm Heart

by Fran

When I was about twelve years old I went to get my first relaxer, my mother being old fashioned had started getting my hair pressed by a little lady who was about seventy-two at the time, I will call her Miss Johnson for Anonymity, anyway Miss Johnson who had long decided my hair was not easily taken by heat, was all to proud to give me a relaxer. I must admit so was I, I knew that I could avoid the oil she'd smear all over my head, I wouldn't have to sit for hours as smoke rose from that terrible comb, and when she'd burn my ear and ask did I touch, I'd no longer have to soak in the tears, for I was headed down the path of beautiful flowing hair, without the pain...was I wrong.

To make a long story short she fully speckled my hair with the horrible smelling white cream and put on a timer, meanwhile she went to check on her sweet potatoes, the ones she thought she had smelled burning in the stove, time went on and my head began to tingle. I sat the timer went off and waited and waited till my eyes began to flood and I was screaming, putting my head under the sink after turning on the water and washing my own hair.

Miss Johnson ran up the stairs sweet potato in hand and mouth, saying "oh lord I forgot all about you". It burned so bad that when she sprayed my hair with the full water or even rubbed my hair with any pressure the tremendous pain sent me into spasms. After a lot of burns and tears she had finally finished whatever it was she was doing.

My mother picked me up, and soon started taking me to a new salon. Of course Miss Johnson offered me potatoes the whole time she did my hair, and was crying with guilt for the pain she caused. I must admit the experience is something I can look back on and even joke with other sistas about.

I stopped relaxing my hair only last year. Even with all that damage I went back partly by force and partly by choice. I am an adult now and can do whatever I please with my hair. It doesn't matter what process you go through relaxed or natural healthy and happy hair is a beautiful thing. May 11th will be my year of freedom from the burns and blows that I attribute to trying to appease myself for all the years I thought my own hair a mess. I am proud of my curls and kinks they are a part of who I am, and there is no burns excuses or apologies in that.

Thanks...stay encouraged and be beautiful whoever you are. Love doesn't hurt trying to prove it does.