My Permanent Memory

When I was about seven I found a roll of money in my Grandmother’s top drawer.

When I was little my grandparents would spend half of the year in Tennessee on the farm and the other half in Florida. Sometimes on the way through Mississippi they would pick me up and I would ride with them in the RV. Well actually I would ride in that front part that was over the top and when I looked out the front window it felt like I was flying. Safety first. My Grandparents, Edith and Scott, lived next to Grandma’s sister and brother in Tennessee, and they also lived next to them in Florida. Aunt Ruby, Aunt Joyce, and Uncle Buster all lived within 2 blocks of each other in either location. I always thought it was normal.

I also always thought it was normal for your grandmother to have a small beauty parlor in her utility room. My Mamaw did. She was actually pretty hot shit in rural Tennessee in the 40’s and 50’s to be a woman who owned her own beauty parlor and beauty school. She just kept it as a hobby when she retired and moved down to Florida. Or so I thought.

Evidently Mamaw and Aunt Joyce were in business together in Florida because Aunt Joyce had a full blown salon in her garage. They had sinks, stations with mirrors, and a damn wall of dryers. Little old ladies would come in groups to get a wash, set, and curl on Thursdays and Fridays. They also gave permanents. Not some pansy assed perm; a PERMANENT. High and tight baby, high and tight. That place was hopping with Mamaw and Aunt Joyce working on all these ladies. Aunt Ruby, who had been a nurse in the Navy and a widow for 40 years, didn’t do hair. She was in charge of hospitality, or as she called it – “Visiting”. I would sit and watch all of these women talk and carry on for hours while I folded towels. Then that place would go silent at 11:00 when Young and the Restless came on T.V. I mean not a word for an hour. Mamaw must have been making money left and right in that shop in order to have all that cash in her drawer.

Until they got busted. Yes the po po came to shut down the illegal beauty shop in the retirement community. Evidently they didn’t have permit number one and sure as hell weren’t paying any tax. Aunt Joyce was mortified when they put police tape across the garage Uncle Buster had worked so hard to enclose for her. They also ranted and raved about who called in the tip. Some thought it was Pearl down the street. A real conspiracy theorist thought it was Aunt Garnett, although that got shot down pretty quick. They were madder than hell for a few weeks, and then they calmed down.

And started doing hair in Mamaw’s utility room instead…

As always thank you for reading my post. I hope you feel a little better about yourself…and your Mamaw.