How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!
By
Rebecca Coleman

Note to the reader: The “How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!” is an ongoing in-universe serial that appears each Saturday evening in the “Benton Evening Post” the story focus on the ongoing struggle of Emil “Emily” Anderson as she strides to adopt to her new life in a small southern town that straddles the hills and the delta. The story chronicles her daily life as she tries to figure out what direction she wants to take her life. Some of the chapters will focus solo on Emily, and others might focus on her aunt Flora and a few special chapters might focus on her new, possible boyfriend Jack.

-17-
Emily's First Haircut

I'd noticed that Aunt Flora was looking at me pretty hard from across the kitchen table. She seemed to be judging me a little, no that not the word I'm looking for she seemed to be studying me. At first I did my best to try to avoid it. After all, I had just plotted out my newest project, a fanfiction based on my favorite game series “Starlight Valley ''. And I had the first chapter already written out in long hand and a bunch of notes written out too. All written on a bundle of papers that had found a home beside my laptop. Now all I needed to do was to type them up, polish them, do a little proofreading and get to them ready to be published on the web.

“Emily.” Aunt Flora said as she lowered the morning paper. “When was the last time your hair was given some attention?” She said as she folded the paper up and pushed it to the side. She then leaned back in her chair and folded her hands behind her hand.

“I think, I think right before my mom got sick and kicked the bucket.” I said blinking. “It's been about eighteen months since I've gotten my haircut. And I don't want to start now.” I was about to start rambling off in my head. But I quickly noticed that Aunt Flora had held up her hand and waved it through the air in front of her. Like she was dismissing what I was just about to say I was just about to jump out of my seat and throw one heck of a hissy fit when Aunt Flora spoke.

“I figured as much. Listen Emily, you need a haircut. Your hair needs some attention.” She said pushing her seat back a few minutes later she stood up and started to make her way toward the coffee pot. “You are such a beautiful girl that it would a total shame to have your poorly kept hair take away from your appearance.” She added as she wrapped her fingers around the handle of the coffee pot and poured herself a good measure of coal black coffee.

I opened my mouth and then closed it shut.

“For the last few days I've noticed a lot of split ends. I've noticed it even in the back and on the sides. You can barely notice it when you wear your hair up in pigtails or when you pull it up in a ponytail. But when you wear it down. Trust me it's really noticeable. Listen, it looks shaggy.” Aunt Flora said with a sigh.

“But, I like having long hair.” I said curving my pink lips into a pout as I peered toward Aunt Flora.

Aunt Flora sighed and just shook her from left to right.

“Emily Hannah Anderson. If you will take just one moment to clean the wax from your ears. And listen to what I'm saying you will be doing yourself a big favor. I'm not suggesting buzzing it all off. Unless you personally want that. What I'm saying is this, you're about to start presenting yourself as female. And you need a style that will look nice, something you wear up, like with pigtails that seem your favorite hairstyle or with a ponytail. Something you can decorate with ribbons, bows, clips if you want. Or even wear down with a colorful head. Something though that would look neat and clean and very lady like.” She said as she sipped her coffee.

“And how do I look now?” I dared to ask.

“Like female Shaggy from Scooby Doo.” She said, “I mean there is so much we need to work on. For example, I want you to start taking better care of yourself. And that means clipping and trimming your fingernails more often without me telling you you need to. And taking a shower more than once a day. I also want you to learn to wash your own clothes and fold them nicely and neatly and to store them like a girl will. You are a decent cook for your age, and you do a wonderful job making sure the house is nice and neat and that the yard looks passable. So I need to increase your pocket money.” She paused.

“But listen to me. If you're going to really be 'Emily' until the day you take your last breath and leave this rock. You need to start taking better care of yourself. I know it sounds like I'm beating a dead horse with a baseball bat. But I mean it girl.” Aunt Flora said, sighing as she drained her mug of coffee.

“Okay.” To be honest I was not really catching her drift.

“And that means we gotta start with the basics. That means, we need to get your teeth cleaned. And for that to happen we need to find you a good dentist to start with. But today were going to get your hair trimmed.” She said, shaking her head. Her head moved from left to right. “So here what I would do if I was in your shoes. I would go ahead and get a shower. After I've showered I would put on a nice floral sundress. Since the high this afternoon is supposed to be a hundred and fifteen and that in the shade. Some nice matching sandals too. And be sure to clip your fingernails and toenails. And trim them too. And if you want to, put on a little lip gloss and a little foundation.” There was a pause.

“While your doing all that I'll be getting dressed too.” Aunt Flora added. “Because I need a haircut too. And we might as well knock out two birds with one stone.”

I nodded my head.

Oh! Before you ask, I already know the perfect stylist for you. Her name is Charlotte Jackson and she runs this cute little salon in the mall. If I recall correctly it's called Charlotte Family Hair Salon. Anyway she is really good and really a friend and would like you. I'm taking you there because she also has two teenage daughters and a teenage son. So she'll know what to do in style.” And with that Aunt Flora poured herself a cup of coffee and started to walk away.

It took me around forty five minutes to get dressed. It took Aunt Flora twenty minutes, she had to spend another twenty five minutes searching for her purse and then we had to spend another twenty minutes looking for her house keys. In that time I'd somehow managed to wash my hair, do my face, and get dressed. Today's outfit was as Aunt Flora suggested a nice floral print sundress.

“You look very nice dear.” Aunt Flora said finally she had long at last found her house keys, turns out they were hanging up to her car keys. Which is to say they were hanging next to the front door. They were hiding in plain sight. I'd spotted them five minutes into the search. But knowing how Aunt Flora was, I let her tear the living room asunder in her mad search for them. I knew if I said anything she would snap at me out of frustration.

And given how I was walking on eggshells at the moment I might have snapped back and that might have caused Aunt Flora to finally take me across her knee as she often did when I became sassy with her. So instead of pointing them out I allowed her to tear the living apart.

“Thanks. I'm still not too sure about getting my haircut. I mean I kind of like having my hair.. long and I like wearing it in pigtails. And I like wearing it in a ponytail! And I'm just leaving my 'Tomboy' phase behind me. And plus been growing out my fair for so long.” I knew at this moment I was rambling and once again Aunt Flora just held up her hand to silence me.

“Again Emily Hannah Anderson it's just a trim. Listen young lady, I'm not saying get all your hair buzzed off your head. And I'm not suggesting you chop it all off either. Now if you want to get a buzz cut, sure be my guest. If you want to chop it all off, sure you can do that too. It's your hair after all. Again, all I'm saying and all I'm going to suggest is that you get the dead ends trimmed up and get it shaped up a little. That is, think of it like this, you're cutting that connection.” Aunt Flora Paused.

“Cutting the connection?” I paused as I turned around. A few seconds later I found myself peering into Aunt Flora's eyes.

“Yes. Okay look at it like this, because this is kind of the way I see it. Boys can wear their hair long. The idea that boys can wear their hair short is kind of dying out and I'm glad for it. A lot of boys these days have hair that reaches down to the collar of their shirts. Something that would have been unheard of when I was your age. Now, that's fine and good if a boy wants to wear his hair long. I'm cool with that. I have no problem with boys wearing their hair long, if I did I would have made you a buzz cut before your moms funeral and before you started to live with me.” Aunt Flora took a deep breath and heaved a weary sigh.

“Okay.” I pulled my ponytail around and started to stroke it a little.

“But if your going to be 'Emily' and you plan on going to school as 'Emily' and soon, and I mean very soon getting your named on your account changed from 'Emil Anderson' to 'Emily Hannah Anderson' and getting the name on you social security card changed from 'Emil Anderson' to 'Emily Hannah Anderson' that is going to require a ton of work. A lot of paperwork too! And well it all starts with you presenting yourself to the world as a female and that means getting your haircut and styled like a teenage girl would!”

I blinked.

“Listen girl, if you go around town looking like a girl who wears her hair like a boy people will ask questions. Girls will start to whisper behind your back, and trust me, girls like nothing better than to dig. And with the internet being the internet and all. Before long somebody is going to put one and one together and come up with two and when that happens. We'll be in for a world of trouble.” Aunt Flora said with a sigh.

“But..Like..” I felt myself lost for words.

“Listen Emily, I want you to know that Charlotte is cool, and her employees are cool. She is one of my best friends. We went to school together. And she is cool with people like you. And she is a firm supporter of the LGBTQ+ community too. And she is the driving force behind getting this town's first ever pride parade started.” Aunt Flora said with a smile. “And all of her hairdressers are top of the line and will listen to what you want done. Heck I even think one of them watches those same Japanese cartoons you like to watch and I know one of them even likes to read those Japanese comic books too. So Like you can get your cut in style if you want?”

“Oh. Okay.” And all of a sudden I was feeling better about the whole thing.

“Welcome to Charlotte's Family Hair Salon! How can I help y'all today?” A woman who seemed to be in her mid twenties said as Aunt Flora ushered me into the salon. The woman had short, blonde hair and blue eyes and wore what appeared to a black smock.

“Yes, I was wondering if you have time for two walk-ins?” Aunt Flora Said. “I need a haircut and my niece needs one too.” She kind of left her tomboy phase behind and well, it's been a while since she had her hair cut and styled.” Aunt Flora said as she pulled me in front of her and smiled.

The woman peered at me and then smiled softly and nodded her head.

“Oh sure!” We've got plenty of open slots! Y'all ladies just take a seat and I'll be right with y'all. Also my name is Amanda Bowman by the way. And I'm the new stylist here.” Amanda said as she smiled toward Aunt Flora and then at me.

Well a few minutes passed and then a few more minutes passed before the woman returned.

“Okay Flora and Emily, we can see y'all now. Emily, you'll be with me today. And Ms. Flora you will be with Mrs. Brown.” And with that being said Aunt Flora and I parted ways for the time being.

“Well.” Amanda said as she turned to me, “Somebody told me it's been a while since you last had a haircut? So what did you want?” She said as she motioned for us to take a seat in a black, leather chair.

I felt my cheeks starting to bloom with color as I eased my bottom down into the chair, being sure to fold my dress under as I did so.

“I don't know, something basic.” I said blushing. “Like I want to keep as much of the length as possible. And I really like putting my hair up in pigtails and I like ponytails too.” I said blushing.

“Okay.” Amanda said as she started to play with my hair a little. There are a lot of split ends, and a lot of dead growth, and it is really thick, okay so here what we're going to do, I'm going to trim it up and get rid of all the split ends and dead growth and shape it up too. That way when you grow it out, it would look nice and even and not shaggy.``

“Okay.” I said, taking a deep breath.

“Trust me girl when I get done with you, you will look amazing!” She said as she draped the cape over me and fastened it around my neck. “So do you have a boyfriend?”

I blushed a little and found myself going silent.

“Oh sorry! It's just with how pretty you are, I was sure you had like all the boys in town eating out of the palm of my hand.” Amanda teased and with that she went back to work.

The minutes slowly ticked by, I felt like my world was falling apart as I watched large amounts of hair fall down on my lap. I tried my best to silence the voices in my head telling me that when I was done I would just look like a boy. That this whole thing had been Aunt Flore's ploy to get me get a proper haircut that my time being 'Emily' was done with.

Ten no fifteen minutes passed. I wanted to scream out and yell. But finally Amanda laid aside her clippers and smiled a little. “Well, it was hard, but I think I got you on the right track. It would grow out nicer than before. When I started it was a ragged mess.” And with that she spun me around and well the moment I looked myself in the mirror

My long, shaggy brown hair had been trimmed to perfection. It was still pretty long, still felt to my shoulder but now it looked healthier and felt lighter. I felt a little smile starting to form as I reached up and ran my hair through it. I felt like a princess.

“You know if you wanted too, I'm sure you could sign up for this beauty pageant that is going to be hosted at the coming summer fair. I think it's going to be the evening entertainment. But you should sign up, I think with your body type, your new hair style, and the right kind of dress and the right kind of make-up you'll be a shoe in to be crowned Pecan Princess.” Amanda said smiling. “I have a few entry forms here.”

“Do you think I have a chance?” I asked, blushing a little.

“Girlfriend, let me offer you some advice. You only live once. But I'm sure if any girl deserves to be crowned 'Pecan Princess' it is you.”

“Okay I'll do it.”

And that is how I got my first true haircut as Emily and also entered a beauty pageant in hopes of being crowned 'Pecan Princess' and that is how I must conclude this chapter.