Today we brought our pups to Brandon. SD to be groomed. Our Cesky Terriers have a very specific hair cut, leaving them with a shaved back, tail, head, and ears, with a fluffy beard, eyebrows, chest, and ballerina skirt on their front and sides
Their longer fur is very curly and prone to matting. Last night I noticed lots of mats on Mitzi’s legs, so I grabbed my bottle of corn starch and the grooming comb I got from the breeder. The cornstarch really helps with detangling. I was able to get most of the mats out, so I hope today’s grooming won’t be so traumatic for her. She was so good and patient during my combing. The only problem with squirting the dog with cornstarch is that you can’t let them get wet afterwards.
My first haircuts were by Kay Aanenson, a rather flamboyantly gay barber on Luverne’s main street. I don’t remember this, but I was told that I cried the whole time, and Kay just stuffed chewing gum in my mouth to keep me quiet. Kay was a noted dancer of the Charleston, worked as a dancer on Atlantic cruise ships in the 1920’s and 1930’s, and wore very gaudy, colorful suits to our Lutheran church. He came to church every Sunday until he passed. I remember those suits.
I really need to brush out our dogs on a more regular basis. Mitzi loves to plunge in the water feature in our backyard, and I think that leads to more matting. I need to invest in more cornstarch.
Where was your first haircut? Have you had dogs who needed grooming? What is your favorite production of Anything Goes?
Trail Baboon 
The only one I know.
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I was born in Inglewood, California (a suburb of Los Angeles) in 1951, and, until age 7, lived in South Central LA, a short walk from the intersection of Florence and Normandie ( a central location in the 1992 riots). I recall being taken to a barber shop on Florence Avenue, very near Normandie, for haircuts. One day when I was 6 or 7, I was sent to the barber by myself. Of course, I didn’t want to go alone. It wasn’t crossing the street or having my hair cut, it was that I didn’t know what to say to the barber. I was told to ask for “a regular boy’s haircut,” and sent off with coins in my hand. Since then, I remember the phrase whenever haircut time looms ahead.
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My mom gave my dad strict instructions that Kay was not to give me a pixie cut, since my hair stuck up with that cut.
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Anything Goes was my thesis show at Madison, so I’ve always had a soft spot for it.
I do remember getting a pixie cut as a child and for some reason my parents thought it merited a special portrait (not a school picture). I loved the dress I was wearing, but how I loathed that cut!
Never had hair that short again and agreed to sleeping in curlers so I wouldn’t have to! I have a lot of hair, so it was an ordeal.
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My first haircut was from the only barber in Hills, Dave’s on main street. Dave was a crabby, old codger who probably didn’t like kids. No “regular boys hair cut” from him. You only got Dave’s haircut and be happy about it. 25¢ got a kid a stupid buzz cut from a non-smiling, gruff old man. And yet, the place would be full of older men who didn’t come for a haircut but for the gossip.
We had a Cocker spaniel Gracie, who needed to be groomed. We had a lady in a big van with all her grooming supplies inside. It was called ‘Wag-on wheels’. If Gracie heard her voice before we could catch her she would run for her life.
I only saw the play Anything Goes at Carlton college when my cousin’s daughter was the lead. The show was wonderful and Amy was terrific.
Paul
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Welcome to the trail, Paul.
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My mother cut my sister’s and my hair when we were little. She had neither the skills, the proper tools, nor the patience to do a decent job. It didn’t help that my strawberry blonde hair was thin and fine, making any “mistakes” obvious for all to see. Despite this, I have no recollection of bad haircuts being the source of any teasing. I suspect that most of my playmates in those early post-war (WWII) years sported similar haircuts.
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