I love the pictures below of my mom. They are just two little pictures, yet they tell volumes, don't they?
She had every hair in place and she so wanted everyone of mine to be in place too.
She got her hair done each week at Ginny's Beauty Parlor. There was lots of hair teasing and hair spraying going on and I was right in the thick of it, watching it all. I went every Saturday with my mom probably until I was 11 or 12.
Ginny built her beauty business in her basement. I remember thinking Ginny looked like a movie star. She was glamorous in an Elizabeth Taylor sort of way.
I get my haircut now and it is just me and the stylist talking.
Not at Ginny's. Everyone was talking.
There was so much group conversation. The same women went every week and they were a lively bunch.
Eventually I would get bored and go through a little door that lead to Ginny's real basement. It was filled with boxes and treasures that I spent what seemed like hours looking through while turning objects into toys.
I lived many imaginary lives in that basement on those Saturday's. I bet in one of those pretend moments, I was an artist.
My Aunt Vera was usually at Ginny's on Saturday too. She was great fun to be near. And she was very generous.
Often we would stop on the way home at a five and dime called S.S. Kresge's . This store was eventually renamed Kmart.
There was a lunch counter there and my Aunt Vera always gave me $5.00 to spend while my lunch was being made. That was so much money to me.
My Aunt Vera died about four years ago. My mom died four years ago too. I do not think that was a coincidence.
And Ginny died a long, long time ago.
I was thinking of all of them yesterday on Mother's Day.
Especially my mom and all our Saturday's at Ginny's.