The Patchwork Head!

by Jacosta
(North Carolina)

My mom was not the most savvy in caring for her own and our hair. For the early years of our lives (up to 4th grade), we endured the horrible Jerry Curl (if that's how you spell it...anyway the one that comes in the red and yellow packaging...care free curl I think).

I was named juicy fruit, etc. She still used the care free curl products (minus the rollerset) to relax our hair (after we pleaded with her to stop with the wet curl already). So my mom gets the bright idea (when I was in fifth grade) to do the same method; however, she was low on her neutralizer....these chemicals need to be neutralized....seriously.....but she proceeded with the process anyway. My hair was the straightest ever!

I was sooo happy....but the next day after a nap, the back of my head felt very cool when the wind blew...including my left temple and a patch in the crown of my head. This was when wearing a fan (the ponytail combed out with a slight bend in some cases) was the thing for little girls. I got a second mirror and lo and behold, three big ol' bald patches in my hair.

So to remedy this, my mom decided to box braid my hair at the roots only with the synthetic (really poofy) hair. So that hair is not really designed for the micro-style, rootbraided style. So in 5th grade that was not a so popular hairstyle.

When I say I got joked out....man......but anyway, yeah so I think my hair story trumps many. Oh the trauma...but I am tough as nails now so what didn't kill me made me stronger :-). My mom is not allowed within 500 yds of my hair with a comb, brush, shampoo, etc.