Monday, March 27, 2017

#SOL17 Looking Back 27/31

2017 is the tenth year of the Slice of Life Story Challenge hosted by Two Writing Teachers, The goal is to write and post a "slice of life" story every day during the month of March. My seventh graders are also participating in a slimmed down version of the challenge, writing 10 slices during the month.

Slice of Life: Looking Back


(Inspired by Lois Lowry's wonderful memoir, Looking Back: a book of memories)


It was either the summer before sixth grade or the summer after sixth grade. I no longer remember what in the world inspired me to decide that I wanted a perm. It was probably the first and the last time that I ever thought to do something dramatically different with my hair.

Being the rule-following type, I paid attention when the stylist warned me about taking a shower the first few days after the perm. But somehow I did not connect the dots between the shower (i.e. water) and swimming in the quarry (i.e. water).

The quarry was only a few miles down the road from our house. (A quick Google search informs me that the quarry was dug in the 1880s to early 1900s and was later turned into a local swimming hole-type of place, which also boasted bike trails and a campground.)

We went there fairly often in the summers, either to swim or play on the beachy part during the day, or less often to "commuter camp" for a few nights. (Commuter camping meant that my mom and sister and I stayed around camping, while my dad would spent the night, get up early to drive home and shower, and come join us again after work.)

I think we had friends in town on this day, which is how I found myself playing in the water while showing off my brand-new perm. The memory stayed, but the perm did not. It was nearly unidentifiable by the end of that first week. A victim of the water and the fun of that day.

Something about this particular photograph has always stuck with me. I no longer remember what I was doing or why I was staring off into space at such a particularly dreamy angle. But something about that picture, something about the particular balance between childhood and middle school and beyond, has always stuck with me.

(Click here to read my previous Slice of Life Challenge posts.)

10 comments:

  1. Those old perms. Was it a home perm? All I can do is smell it. Did you remember that you liked it?

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    1. No, I went all in and went to a salon for my perm. I remember wanting it so badly, but I think I was honestly relieved when it didn't really take.

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  2. Love this line: " I no longer remember what I was doing or why I was staring off into space at such a particularly dreamy angle. But something about that picture, something about the particular balance between childhood and middle school and beyond, has always stuck with me." It is amazing how a picture, a song or an object can transport us and we find ourselves in the middle of a slice. It is a great photo -- you were already on your way to living a writerly life --it is clear in your expression. Sorry about your perm...
    Clare

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    1. Thanks, Clare! I actually really was into writing around that time of my life too. Mainly fantasy inspired by Bridge to Terabithia.

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  3. I had many perms, but none looked as good as yours. I remember middle school and a boy asked if I had put my finger in a light socket. Totally mortified.

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  4. I like your line: "the memory stayed but the perm did not" I had so many perms when I was younger and I just couldn't wait to wash it for the first time even though I knew it might compromise the curls. Your post brought back memories for me.

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  5. Love using this photo to write about that moment. And the fact the memory stayed but not the perm. I want to go dig up a photo of mine that shows me in the balance between childhood and middle school!

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    1. Tag me if you do! Lois Lowry's whole book is pictures + short memories. Great mentor text for kids too.

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  6. those between times always seem to belong to summer

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