Scrunchie-Fried

By Gianetta Palmer

The laughs continue in this sequel to the best-selling Reflections On A Middle-Aged Fat Woman. In Scrunchie-fried the author shares stories on everyday life, bad haircuts, family interactions and everything in between. This compilation of stories provides continued proof that life is full of joy, surprises and unexpected twists. The author's unique gift for storytelling draws in and captivates the reader by laughing at life's experiences along the way. Join her on this fun and entertaining romp as she continues in this crazy thing called life and you, too, may find yourself Scrunchie-fried.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gianetta Palmer
• Release date: Mar 27, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310941801

Gianetta Palmer

Gianetta Palmer grew up on a farm in southern Ohio and now resides in the North Georgia Mountains. Check out her popular humor website at www.middleagedfatwoman.com. This is her first book.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank my family and friends who play such a vital role in my sense of humor. Without you, many of my observations on life would not be possible. If you were searching for a story about life, laughter and Scrunchies then my mission is accomplished—you bought the book! I hope you enjoy my stories and let me know what you think about the story on Scrunchies—it was one of my favorites.

1

SHOULD YOUR HAIRDRESSER REALLY BE EATING MEXICAN FOOD?

I haven’t had the best luck when it comes to getting a decent haircut. I have lived in Georgia for twenty-five years and I have never had a regular stylist—one who knew what I wanted without me—a complete idiot when it comes to such things—having to explain it all.

Yes, I DO want my hair stylist to read my mind!

I have become friendly with a nice lady that works the drive-thru where I do my banking and I noticed she had a sassy new haircut. Who does your hair? I asked.

Well, he’s a new guy at that Hollywood place right beside the Mexican restaurant. He’s from California or somewhere. I have no idea how he made it all the way to North Georgia but he sure has my hair looking good, don’t you think?

Yep, sure does. That’s why I asked. I can’t seem to get a good haircut in this town.

Me either. Did you ever get that Edward Scissorshand lady up at that quick-cutting place?

Holy Crap! She ‘bout took my ear off one day. I stopped going there after they scalped me on my birthday. I had to go to Savannah looking like a fresh-faced recruit headed for eight weeks of boot camp at Paris Island. A different lady cut it that time and she even admitted she cut it too short. I was so mad I made myself cry. I hate it when I do that.

You poor thing, she said with a shake of her head. Well, check him out, just Wed....nes...day…., she said as I pulled ahead. I didn’t hear the last part of what she said because another car had pulled up behind me so I drove off with a jovial wave of my hand.

A few days later after another unsuccessful attempt at fixing my hair I decided to go to the Hollywood place and check out the guy from California. I was worried about having an appointment or having to wait a long time. I guess that’s why I don’t have a regular stylist because I don’t like to do those things.

I walked into the salon, the music was pumping and the place was decked out with faux head models wearing every flavor and size of wig, hair extension and several headpieces that involved various feathers and fruits. Shaking my head in wonderment, the thought of you ain’t in North Georgia no more was the first thing to come to mind. As I stood with mouth agape staring at one spectacular headpiece that seemed to sway with the rhythm of the music a snappily-dressed Hispanic man munching on tortilla chips came out from the back. Hola’, you like hair sculptures? he said with a sweep of his hand.

Uh, sure. That one seems to be moving, though, I said.

Oh, yes, si`! That is new design—very nice. You want? Good price!

You mean somebody is gonna pay to have you put that on their head?

Si`, he said.

How much?

For you, cheap price. Only 75. Today is good day, too. We not so busy on Wednesday, he continued in his broken accent.

You mean for $75, you’ll attach a basket of fruit to my head and somehow get it to dance. It sounds like fun, but I was just looking for a haircut.

Hehehehheh, oooohh, Chiquita, you make me laugh, he said in a high-pitched voice. Not $75! It’s $7500!

Oh. Not to hurt your feelings or nothing, but I don’t think ya’ll is going to sell many of those in this town.

What is ya’ll? There is no one else, only me. I am Chucko Pedro Santa Rosa Hose Munoz from California.

That’s some name...

Gracias, but people call me...

Wait! I bet they call you Pedro?

No, chica. But you are close. They call me ‘P’.

Well, that’s some coincidence. I’m called ‘G.’ and I’m from Ohio.

Ah, ha! High in the middle and round on both ends. You like Bengals? Carson Palmer was one of my first customers.

What’s that smell? I asked.

As Pedro launched into a full-blown Telenovela about the time he spent in California and the one that got away (a former Bengals quarterback) he escorted me over to his salon chair and offered me a seat. You are lucky today, Chiquita. P. normally has a three-month waiting list. I am always free on Wednesday, but nobody ever wants to come in on that day.

What’s that smell? I asked again.

P. ignored my question, threw the smock over me and then twirled me around with a flourish. Hmm, what are we going to do with you? he said more to himself than me. You sure you don’t want hair sculpture? I can make you look like Snooki.

I’m a little too tall to be confused with Snooki, don’t you think?

Oh, is she short? I was talking about her boobies. Bebe, you got the big D’s like she does. You got the nice body, why you hide it under big t-shirts? Don’t be afraid to let it all hang out? You wanna see my snake?

Pedro continued to tilt my head from side to side murmuring to himself in Spanish. I was still in shock from the snake suggestion and my nose kept twitching from some smell that I couldn’t quite identify. Do you smell something? I asked.

This question was asked to no one because P. had slipped away into the back room and after a few minutes came out with a burrito in one hand and a roll of aluminum foil in the other. We color! he said as he took a large bite of the burrito and placed it on the stand.

As P. continued to get the coloring equipment set up, the smell of the food started drifting toward me. It smelled just like the horrible stench that I had smelled since I entered the salon. Could the smell from the burritos be drifting all the way from the back?

BBBBBBrrrrppppp, rip, rip, pow! Perdone, I heard from the back.

As I sat slouching in the barber chair totally inundated with the toxic, but not quite deadly combinations of refried beans and coal-tar petroleum hair dye I heard another volley fired off near the vicinity of where I had last seen P. Papappapow. Snap. Ooooh! Pedro exclaimed. Perdone! Excuszi! My Gawd, P., what have you been eating? he chuckled to himself.

I sat in stunned silence. What should I say? What could I say? Should I laugh it off? Should I ignore it? Pedro walked over with the coloring mixture, grabbed another bite of the burrito and began the task of wrapping my hair in foil and applying the goop. When in doubt, do nothing is a motto that had helped me in the past and that is what I did now; absolutely nothing. As Herr Shultz would say: I see NOTHING! I know NOTHING!

Soon my new hairdresser settled into a routine. While humming the Hispanic version of We Are the World to himself complete with dead-on impressions of the different voices...i.e...Bob Dylan, The Boss and Michael Jackson I soon found myself join in. Oh, Chiquita, can you sing the girly voices for me? I didn’t wear the tight pants I need to go high.

"Weeeeellllll, well, well, there’s a choice we’re making. We’re saving our own lives." I sang in my best Cyndi Lauper voice while P. chimed in with a silky falsetto that would have made Barry Gibb proud. PPPPPaaaappap! Snap! Holy Crap, P.! You’re killing me with the gas!

For a few moments as the green cloud spawned from P.’s flatulence floated around and fell down upon me I soon realized that what I had smelled was the end result of my hairdresser’s Mexican food binge. I mean, really, should a hairdresser really be eating Mexican food? No wonder there wasn’t anyone here today.

Before too long, P. had finished wrapping and applying the color mixture and announced, we wait, set the timer and said, I’ll be right back and walked outside. I began to wonder if I might have made him mad because he seemed a bit subdued. As I worked my way through an out-of-date hair style magazine I was surprised to see Pedro walk back into the salon with an overflowing bag of what turned out to be more Mexican burritos. Wednesday is all-you-can-eat burrito day, he said to my surprised look. Would you like one?

Oh, really! Now, everything made sense. No wonder nobody came on Wednesdays. Who could stand the stench? For the next hour or so as P. finished up my new hairdo (which turned out great) we continued to chat and munch on our burritos and it wasn’t too long before I felt a rumbling in my gut. Poot!

Awwww, Chiquita! I like you a lot. There is nothing wrong with the passing of the gas. It is a natural thing. I told you, P. lets everything hang out. I have something special for you. Do you want to see my snake?

Uhhh! And just like that, Pedro whipped off his shirt and showed me the coiled cobra that adorned the full-length of his back. Now, I’m not really into snakes or tattoos but I knew when something needed to be said to acknowledge such a fine piece of work. Cool beans! is all I could muster.

"Oh, bebe, thank you! There is no better honor than a ‘cool beans’. Most people scream and hide their eyes when I offer to show them my snake. For you, half price on today’s treatment and