Backslidin'

Chrome instead ofMortuary Black. After the shampoo, the hefty beautician, whose name was Sherry, wrapped a towel around my head turban-like, and guided me, with a firm hand, to her chair in the front of the shop. There she proceeded to divide my hair off into sections and roll it. As more and more the vicious rattail comb brought back memories of Voncille's, I turned my mindto Sherry'smirror. Tapednexttoher beauty license was a Polaroid ofher shirtless boyfriend, Scott, and several shots of her children who appeared to have been born the year Scott got his learner's permit . As I wastoying with the ideaofusing the photographs to start a conversation, I noticed a middle-aged lady at the next station. She was staring, without really seeming to focus, toward the line ofdryers on the opposite wall. She had a cigarette in one hand and acanned Coke in theother, and from time to time, withdrew slightly from the daze to alternate her attention between her two hands. When Sherry abruptly announced that Mrs. Suggs and I were getting the "identicalperm,' the lady came out of the daze a little and smiled a sweet, but rather blank, smile at me. Then she shook her head slowly and murmured, "There'll never be another Eli," and went back to her staring. These words served as Sherry's cue to whisper in my right ear that Mrs. Suggs hadjust lost her husband. Then she quickly covered for herself and loudly announced , "Let me turn that hot wax on while I'm thinkin' about it. My ten o'clock'sgoingtoherthirtiethhigh school reunion this weekend and wants the works." Upon hearing the number "thirty," Mrs. Suggs looked up again and said, "Me andEli run thatrouteforthirty-two years," and after a pause and a drag on the cigarette , exhaled, "and now he's gone." Sherry had returned in time to fill in the details. She whispered hastily in my ear, "Sold Eagle American Health Products ...run a route through here...died in the panel truck. . .heart attack." Then more slowly, she added, "Poor ole thing! Her perm ain't gonna take. Emotions. I tried to tell her, but she wanted it for the funeral. Why I've knowed of women's perms not takin' on account of they was on their period." Out of respect for Mrs. Suggs, I didn't show a sign of hysteria when Sherry unleashed the frizzled coils of my hair from the rollers. Hair was only hair, I reasoned. AndSherryassuredmeitwould "relax" in time. But there would never be another Eli. Two trips to the beauty shop, fifteen years apart, taught me a lesson in permanence and transience, permanents and transients. Backslidin' A body that's done much fishin' Knows a worm ain't the straightest a critters He's stud an' mare I'm mighty glad the preachers don't know it For on a wet night There'd be a passle of 'em in the backyard A stompin' to beat the band -Nathan Holaday 29 ...