After All: A YA Flashback

 

Sometimes the mood needs to be set. I’m setting it now. First click play on the youtube video and then read. You won’t get the full effect if you don’t. And well…that’ll be a real shame. 

Last week was picture day for my kids. When it comes to school pictures, they want their mugs in the year book, but as far as ordering them. Not so much.

On the way to school, I thought about my Dorothy Hamill hair cut or the year perms came out and all my friends had their waist length hair cut and permed. I thought if you were getting a piggyback perm, you had to cut your hair. I was torn. It was only a week later when a girl came to school, still waist length hair, and permed that I realized it could be done. I cried. Mostly I was mad at my mom for not clarifying.

But when pictures came, extra wallets were ordered. I wrote my name as neatly as possible and then cut them so the white edges were perfect. After stacking and placing them in a ziplock bag, I climbed on the bus full of anticipation. 

Why?

Trading day!

 

I don’t know why we traded wallets. We just did. And it got me all nostalgic. One of my all time favorite artists was Cher. You love her or hate her. I love her. Always have.  And one of my all time favorite songs was her duet with Peter Cetera. After All–which you should be listening at this moment!

I remember recording this song onto a blank tape so I wouldn’t have to rewind over and over. I’d listen to it in my room, in the car, as I drifted to sleep. And during that time, guess what I did? I made up a story. Played out like a video. 

A love story. 

Before High School Musical there was…

It involved a high school boy seeing me while on the court. That moment. When he knew it was meant to be, that’d he’d made a big mistake dumping me, but he turns away only to make the winning 3-pointer and instead of letting his team lift him on their shoulders, he runs to me. We tripped down the bleachers and tumbled onto the sweaty gym floor laughing, because it didn’t matter. We were together…after all. Suddenly his face turns serious and for the next thirty-five minutes of tape on repeat we’re kissing. And somehow no one is left in the gym, but then after two teenagers making out in a crowd, why stick around? (plot hole)

 
Remember this movie: Chance Are
This song was the theme song! I loved this movie!

Don’t laugh, you had a story like that!

Now I’d say, that’s great writing. Subtext showing their fall was how they stumbled through a rocky relationship and also adding comedic relief after the tension of me walking into the school full of anxiety. Will he even care I’m at the game? Should I even be here–and in flats? They’re pretty slick (foreshadowing). Did I put the pack of Chicklets in my purse? My new Guess denim purse–they just came out. Will it matter? 

He’s been zoning out during the locker room pep talk. Thinking about me. Why was the line busy every time I tried to call her and apologize? Was it off the hook? Was she talking to another guy? Will she notice I permed just the back of my hair? Did she get the note I left in her locker? It’s two whole pages, front and back! I was stupid to say I’d never date a freshman. And braces aren’t so bad. 

Readers would need the break. Right? That’s a lot of tension!

But in the end. Afterall. It’s just him and me. Point is:

There is no point. I just wanted to take you back in time with me a minute. After all, it’s Friday and there’s nothing left to say. Except…sorry have a great weekend! 

Did you love Cher? What was your favorite song by her? If not, did you have a perm? And more importantly, did you know you didn’t have to cut your hair to have one?

16 thoughts on “After All: A YA Flashback

  1. Hehehe…what a fun Friday post.

    Yes, I did have a perm…in third grade…oh the spirals! 🙂

     
     
    1. I loved spirals! 🙂

       
       
  2. Ha! Thanks for the flashback!

    Yes, I had a perm. Good grief. My mom gave it to me and yes, she "trimmed" my hair first. LOL

     
     
    1. LOL! I remember those days. Good times.

       
       
  3. I remember chicklets!!!! LOL! And yes, I had the perm too. Spirals (or frizz) to the middle of my back. Oh the horror!

     
     
    1. I loved chicklets! Who doesn't love chicklets?

       
       
  4. I tried to perm my hair several times but it was always too heavy and the curls never stuck. 🙁

    You're so silly!

     
     
    1. 🙁 My hair holds curl! I just wish it was thicker!

       
       
  5. Permed, teased, bleached, blackened, spiked, gelled, moussed, crimped, my poor hair. I'm just glad I still have it…..

    FUN post. Cher – not my fave, but didn't hate her. Loved Peter Cetera, though, with or without Chicago.

    Blessings,
    Becky

     
     
  6. EEEEE!!! I LOVE the 80s! My favorite song of Cher's is "If I Could Turn Back Time". And do not get me started on Peter Cetera. I like his duet with Chaka Khan "Feels Like Heaven". You made my Friday!

     
     
  7. I love you kids talking about Cher in the 80's. I was listening to her in the 60's, when she was still half of Sonny and Cher. One of my favorites was a quirky little tune called M'Lord that was tucked away on one of their early albums (a Cher solo number).

    Perms weren't the thing when I was in high school. We wanted our hair long and straight (as Cher wore hers back then). Natural curl? No problem. Just lay your tresses on the ironing board and let a friend iron it out.

     
     
  8. My perm was my biggest dowfall in school. My greatest regret, truly!! The song in the background as I read this truly cracks me up!!! Ha!!!

     
     
  9. I was not a big Cher fan, but always liked the song, Do you Believe in Life After Love.

    I did sport the back of the head perm. I think I had it in one of my high school yearbook pictures. I thought it was really cool at the time, but it looks horrendous when I look at it today.

     
     
  10. LOL. Yes. I permed my hair. Why did we think the crunchier our permed hair looked the better? Fun post!

     
     
  11. "If I Could Turn Back Time," I'd tell myself (who had natural curl) to NEVER give in to the trend of perming your ALREADY CURLY hair (turned into a poodle-ish, mullet-ish mess). And If I Could Turn Back Time, I'd also tell myself that high school is not the end of the story! True romance happens AFTER marriage! Grin. So fun to take a walk down memory lane! Thanks, Jessica!

     
     
  12. Ha ha, this was great! I did have a shoulder-length perm when I was thirteen, and braces too, ha ha! My first story was about sneaking out to a party after my parents said no…which never happened. 🙂

     
     

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