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A Jump Start for Jannie!

A Thanksgiving Story.

Jannie needs a jump start for her social life. Her friends tell her she must cut her beautiful hair to fit in with life. Jannie is hesitant until the day before Thanksgiving, the day she no longer felt she could keep her hair long. Let's follow Jannie's life leading up to the day that jump starts her life for good!

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There is a knock on the apartment door. Janice, or Jannie, a plain, but somewhat pretty woman looks at her reflection in her bedroom mirror one last time. She frowns at what she sees, brown eyes and a round face showing a little more wear than her 23 years. She spices her look a little with some creative cosmetic art. She flips a piece of faded but thick, very long coarse dark hair over her right shoulder. She takes her glasses from the dresser top and puts them on. She stares deep into her mind as if in a trance, wondering how she could lose those extra pounds. She pinches her full figure in the mid section. The knock on the door repeats.

"Oh, how my life needs a jump start!" she laments to her refection. The knocking sounds again, louder.

"Coming!" she almost sings.

She scampers to the door in her slightly tight, somewhat conservative short black sleeveless dress and black sandals, ready for a Saturday night at the disco with her best friend. She opens the door to find Nancy, another woman about her age. This woman sports a pleated long skirt and jacket over a clingy white top with matching white boots. She is very pretty with her short, curly cut above the shoulders, a friend she made senior year in high school.

"Hi, Nancy!" exclaims Janice.
"Are you ready, Jannie?" asks her friend, Nancy.
"Almost. Let me get a jacket to put on over this dress." answers Janice.
"Great!" replies Nancy.

The girls smile at each other at the door.

"Nancy, you really got it, girl!" says Janice as she eyes Nancy up and down.
"Jannie, you do, too. You just need to let loose a little. Maybe consider a new look with your hair and some new clothes that are more trendy!" returns Nancy.

Janice looks away. It's been a long time since she's had a meaningful relationship. It's been three years since she was burned by love with a man who had a secret woman.

It's been a long time since she's done a thing to her hair, either. Her long, bottom length hair brushing the tops of her legs is all that's left of her fun, youthful days of college, but it's loosing its luster with the passage of time as is her figure. Contrasting that, Nancy traded in her long straight center parted hair long before disco became popular. Constant jogging with her husband and eating right allows her to maintain her young looking figure.

"Jannie?" asks Nancy.
"Sorry, just thinking. Let's head out." replies Janice.
"Thinking?" asks Nancy.
"Yes." returns Janice.
"About what?" asks Nancy.
"My hair." says Janice.

"What about your hair?" asks Nancy.
"I can't just cut it off on a whim of fashion, Nancy. I like my hair the way it is, even if it's out of style. I paid a lot of money for these dresses and I need to dress like this for the partners where I work." moans Janice.

"You should cut your hair. Maybe those stuffy bosses you have will treat you more respectful with a business type haircut rather than a long hair college kid. Look, I cut mine back in '72 cause of Mom! I was mad at first, but I learned to like that little pixie cut!" exclaims Nancy.

"You told me that several times, Nancy. You had your hair cut because you did some creative hairstyling on that girl from school." says Janice.

"EVERYONE ELSE we know has cut off their long hair, too! Lori cut hers at college. Rhiannon's boyfriend cut her long hair playing strip poker!" Nancy adds.
"I know, everyone has a disco style except me." moans Janice.

"Jannie?" peeps Nancy.
"Yes?" says Janice.
"Let it go. It's our time out, away from our problems. Forget it and have a good time." scolds Nancy.
"I'll try." returns Janice.

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The girls enter the Disco on 4th and Didier. They pick a table near a corner, well away from the dance floor at the urging of Janice. They sit and order drinks. Nancy takes off her jacket to reveal a skimpy spaghetti string top. 'Disco Inferno' blasts from the ceiling as many shake it on the floor. Nancy moves to the music, but Janice sits still. The ball sprinkles light about the patrons. Everyone has a good time. Everyone, that is, but Janice. She feels out of place in this place frequented by those into the disco beat where she preferred slow ballads.

"Jannie! Take off your jacket!" demands Nancy.
"No thanks. I'll leave mine on." replies Janice.
"Come on, Jannie! Move! Get with it! Show some life!" shouts Nancy over the crowd.

"I have no life." returns Janice in a begrudging tone. Nancy can't hear her.

"Come on!" shouts Nancy as she moves to the dance floor.
"Fine." says Janice.

They move to the dance floor, but it isn't long before Nancy is swallowed up in the crowd. Many know Nancy because of her husband and the way they steal the dance floor when they're here together. Janice moves to the edge of the floor and eventually back to their table. She sits alone and watches Nancy and the others have a good time.

Being alone is becoming more common for Janice. Most her friends are either engaged or married some have babies, and all have lives of their own. The girls’ night out that used to include many girls from her high school and the Catholic high school nearby every other Saturday dropped to monthly then every other month. As some married, they eventually became couples night out. Janice would always feel left out with the couple’s night out, so she would find excuses to bow out. Nancy tries to keep Janice involved by taking her to the disco when her husband is camping or fishing.

Janice stares at the patrons as they consume their spirits and forget their troubles. Janice can only wallow in hers. She takes a drink from her screw driver and looks in the glass.

"I'm 23. What's my future in 1980? What about 1990?" she asks herself. She takes a brush from her purse to brush the length of her hair. Finishing, she checks herself in her compact mirror.

"Jannie!" screams Nancy.
Janice looks up.
"Come on!" shouts Nancy.
"I'm fine, go ahead." says Janice.
"Come on!" shouts Nancy again.

Janice moves again to the dance floor. Again, she manages to distance herself from Nancy and sits back at the table. Soon, Nancy is out of breath and returns to the table with two more drinks.

"Here." shouts Nancy.
"I'm fine. Still have this one." returns Janice.
"Hey, I met an old friend of ours, Regina Staley out on the floor. I wanted you to come and talk to her, but you disappeared!" exclaims Nancy.
"Regina Staley?" asks Janice.
"Yes! Look, there she is! Oh, silly, you probably remember her as Regina Smith!" shouts Nancy.
"Where?" asks Janice.
"Look, over there! Regina!" shouts Nancy.

Regina waves, Janice waves back.

"That's Regina?" asks Janice.
"Yes! Don't you love her sassy new hair!" shouts Nancy.
"What happened to her long hair?" asks Janice.
"Gone! Just like what we intend to do to you next week." says Nancy.

"Do what to me?" demands Janice.
"Give you a new look. It's time you quit hiding behind that hair of yours and get a haircut." replies Nancy.

"I don't want a haircut." returns Janice.
"Yes you do. Monday, you and me will meet Regina at her new husband's beauty shop. He'll cut your hair into a sassy angled bob, we'll go shopping for new dresses and then..." exclaims Nancy, smiling.

"Then?" wonders Janice.
"She has a guy she wants to introduce you to next Saturday." replies Nancy.

"What's he like?" asks Janice.
"I don't know." shouts Nancy over the noise of 'Boggie Woogie Dancing Shoes'.

Janice feels her hair. She looks sorrowful.

"Janice! It will be fine. You'll look great without all that hair. Let go!" demands Nancy.
"I don't know about this." replies Janice.
"Yes you do. Now get over it and have a good time." demands Nancy.

Nancy leads Janice to the dance floor by the arm. They dance to the popular disco tunes. Nancy is into the beat, but Janice is out of touch with this newer disco music. She moves the wrong way. She runs into people. Her hair flies about, striking others and annoying them. She manages to escape the dance floor back to her table.

This time she cries. It appears that if she doesn't want to alienate her best friend, she will have to give in and cut her hair. She pushes the empty glass aside and starts the new drink. The music rages on. The light scatters about. Everyone screams and has a good time. Janice takes a breath and downs her second screwdriver. She sets it down along with her hopes.

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"Hi." says a stranger.
Janice says nothing, wallowing in her sorrows.

"Hi." repeats the stranger.
"Uh, hi." stammers Janice.
"You here alone?" he asks.
"No. I'm with my b..." replies Janice.
"I'm sorry to intrude." he interrupts before she has a chance to finish.

"Forgive me, I just want to tell you how nice your hair looks tonight. Hair that long is so rare anymore. Tell me you plan to keep it long and not follow the new trends!" he says.

"Well, I - I." stammers Janice.
He starts to walk away.

"Thank you." returns Janice.
"You're most welcome. Your boyfriend is a lucky guy." he says, almost sounding like he lost something.

He walks away, leaving Janice alone again.

"What did I just do? Some stranger likes my hair and I let him think I'm not alone? What a loser I am!!!" she says to herself. She grabs her purse and scurries off to the ladies room. Nancy sees the exchange and follows her.

------

Nancy finds Janice sobbing at the sink. She's staring at herself in the mirror. She takes her long hair and folds it under at her jawbone. She flings the rest of the length behind her back and out of sight. She looks closer.

"Jannie?" squeaks Nancy.
"Go away!" shouts Janice.

"Jannie, I saw that guy say something to you! Did he insult you?" asks Nancy.
"No." cries Janice.

"Did he do something to you?" wonders Nancy.
"No." answers Janice.

"Then WHAT HAPPENED??" shouted Nancy.

Janice cries harder. She doesn't answer. Nancy backs off a little to let her cry.

Finally, Janice eases up on her emotions.

"Jannie?" asks Nancy.
"I'm fine. Let's leave." replies Janice.
"No, you're not fine. We're not leaving until you tell me what happened." demands Nancy.

"It doesn't matter. I'm a loser." cries Janice.

"Jannie, you are NOT a loser! You are a successful legal secretary, respected by many! You were at the top of the class in high school and after!" scolds Nancy.

"It don't matter, I'm a loser in social life." cries Janice.
"Jannie, that guy said something to you. Tell me, it's all right." pleads Nancy.

"Fine, if you must know what a real loser I am." cries Janice.
"Tell me." demands Nancy.

"Fine! This guy comes up behind me and tells me I have beautiful hair and asks if I'm here alone." cries Janice.

"He did? Wow!" exclaims Nancy.
"Nancy, I told him I wasn't alone like a complete fool. He thought I had a boyfriend and apologized for intruding." cries Janice.

"A gentleman! Come on, point him out!" demands Nancy.
"No, I just want to go back to my apartment." cries Janice.

"No way, girlfriend. I want to see who took an interest!" exclaims Nancy.
"Why? It was my hair that attracted him. I'm cutting my hair Monday. Remember, so I can meet this guy that Jane knows?" cries Janice.

Nancy was silent.

"Let's go. I'm tired." says Janice.
"Let's go sit down for one more drink, and then I'll take you home, OK?" asks Nancy.
"Fine." answers Janice.
"Here let me wipe those tears." returns Nancy.

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Nancy brought another round of drinks to the table, followed by Regina.
"Jannie! Hi!" shouted Jane.
"Regina!" replied Janice.

"Oh, you still have all this hair, don't you?" asks Regina.
"Till Monday, anyway." answers Janice.

"I didn't realize your hair was in such good shape!" implies Regina.
"Not really. It's losing its color and I guess I'm several years out of style." stammers Janice.
"Oh, but look how thick!" says Regina.
"I hope you have extra strength shears to get through it!" laughs Nancy.

"Hmmm.." hums Regina.
"What are you thinking, Regina? Sassy bob? Short shag?" asks Nancy.
"I don't quite know as yet. I'll leave that to Keith." answers Regina.

"What do you think, Jannie?" Regina continues.

"I don't know what to think. All I know is that I have long hair and everyone else thinks I'm out of it. Just do what you think you should." says Janice as she starts to get tears.

"Well, I have to get back. See you Monday evening, Jannie! Coming too, Nancy?" asks Regina.
"Yes." replies Nancy as Regina runs back to her husband.

Janice takes a drink from her third screw driver. She's silent.

"Jannie. Don't worry, it will work out." exclaims Nancy.
"What if I look bad with short hair?" wonders Janice.
"You'll look great and very in style, especially when we buy you a new dress to go with your new haircut!" replies Nancy.

"Nancy!" is heard from the crowd. Nancy looks to find another of her club friends calling her.
"Come on, Jannie! Let's dance." shouts Nancy.
"Go on, I'll wait here." replies Janice.
"Jannie, don't be a stick in the mud." says Nancy.
"Fine." returns Janice.
They move to the floor.

The disk jockey plays a slower tune, something more familiar to Janice.
"Figures!" shouts Nancy.
"Doesn't it?" adds her friend.
"I like this one." replies Janice.
"Jannie, you HAVE to get out of your past!" shouts Nancy.
"Why?" answers Janice.
"The past is done. Gary's gone. Glen's gone, too. You have to move on, Jannie." implies Nancy.

Janice stands and listens to the slow song. She closes her eyes. It is a tune popular when she had a short relationship with an intern at her office. It only was a short while before she found out he was engaged to a girl out of town, however. She remembers the true passion the short relationship gave her while the song continued. Her little reminisce is ended by the bolting beat of 'I will Survive!'

Nancy and her friend kick up their feet. Janice sees the chance to move away and does. She goes back to the table to finish her third drink. She watches Nancy and her other friend have a blast. A couple of guys join them. Janice's mind wanders.

"Nancy and I are drifting apart. My place is the past; hers is the future with her husband. It won't be long and these little nights out with her will end. Like how long will she put up with me sitting around while she tries to have a good time? She should just go do it with her other friends and leave me behind. There's no sense making her feel guilty leaving me here at the table while she dances. I just can't get into this disco stuff at all. I have to be the one that says something." she thinks.

She waits in solitude for Nancy to return to the table. Nancy returns alone.

"Nancy, I want to go back to my apartment now! We need to talk on the way about these Saturday disco nights!" demands Janice.
"OK! OK, but don't think you will weasel out of that date with Regina's friend and your makeover!" smiles Nancy.
"Right." concedes Janice as they leave.

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Janice mopes around her apartment all day Sunday thinking about her Monday night makeover appointment. She stares at her long hair several times in the mirror, imagining what it would look like much shorter. She doesn’t get much sleep as she frets over how she will look without her long hair. At the courthouse, she seems distracted by her hair's impending fate. She frets all the way home on the bus. She sits in her kitchen chair that evening to wait for Nancy in the frumpy green dress she wore to work, running her fingers through her freshly combed, but doomed hair.

A revelation comes to her mind.

"Nancy really doesn't like long hair at all. She always seems so joyous when any of us cut our hair short. In fact it was her that suggested Rhiannon's boyfriend cut her hair at that strip poker game instead of taking off her panties and dropping out." reasons Janice as she walks to a mirror.

"I have a decision to make here. Suppose I cut my hair to please the only friend who has anything to do with me anymore. So what, I get a date for one night. What if he thinks I'm a prude? I'm stuck with bobbed hair for a long time! I'm drifting away from Nancy and my past. Maybe I should give in and cut my hair. Maybe it will give me a new attitude, a jump start if you will." she wonders as she fingers her long hair.

"OK, let's say I refuse. Nancy gets all mad at me. Regina probably doesn’t care and only wants me as a customer who keeps coming back for regular shaping of the bobbed haircut. I hate change! I don't know what to do!!! I need more time!" shouts Janice at her reflection.

The knocking at the door bolts her from her thoughts back to the present world. Tears in her eyes, she answers the door to find Regina and Nancy.

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"Tonight, the world gets to see a new Janice Snow!!" beams Nancy.
"I came too in case you get chicken." adds Regina.

"You're right, I think I need more time." says Janice.
"See, glad I came along?" sneers Regina.
"I thought we had her convinced Saturday!" exclaims Nancy.

"Come on, Jannie! Let go of all that hair! Come with us and we'll show you a brand new look!" smiles Regina.

"I'll just look like everyone else with a shag or a bob, admit it." drones Janice.

"No you won't! This look will be you!" exclaims Nancy.
"I want to think about it." stammers Janice.

"Come on, Nancy. Let's do the dress thing first and get her used to this. I'll call Keith from here and tell him we'll be later." says Regina as she scampers to the phone in Janice's kitchen.

Regina returns and the three leave the apartment for the mall downtown.

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Janice finds herself stuffed in a red dress with a swingy skirt and a plunging neckline at the department store.

"That's it. Swing around, Jannie!" demands Nancy.

Janice swings her body in a circle. The action causes the skirt to swing high around her hips.

"Great dress! Perfect for that night out with Jumbo!" exclaims Regina.
"Better get some red panties for that thing!" laughs Nancy.
"Comes with them!" adds Regina.

"What about a jacket?" asks Janice.
"Who needs a jacket?" laughs Regina.
"I do. Spaghetti straps aren't my style." stammers Janice.
"They are now with your new haircut!" smiles Regina.

Janice is forced into spending $50 on the plunging neckline disco dress. They walk the mall toward the car.

"Now how about that new cut to go with that dress." implies Regina.
"I need time, guys. I don't think I'm ready to cut my hair." stammers Janice.

"You really don't want to try and fit in! Fine!" shouts Nancy.
"Please, Nancy! Understand! I want to keep my hair long at this point of my life!" cried Janice.

"Go ahead, spend the rest of your life with that long hair. Maybe it will keep you company when you're old and lonely! Come on, Regina! I'll take that appointment and have you trim my hair instead." scolds Nancy.

"I just need time, Nancy! I just can't cut my hair right now!" pleads Janice.

"Take all the time you want. You'll have plenty of it by yourself in that stupid apartment while the rest of us who have a grip on things that change go on with our lives!" cries Nancy as she runs away.

"I'm sorry, Regina. I'll take a cab home." cries Janice as she runs back to the department store.

She sits alone that evening on her couch next to the new red dress. Seems she made her choice, her hair over her friend.

"What did I do? Is all this hair worth it?" she cries as she falls asleep on the couch.

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Weeks go by; Nancy doesn't return Janice's phone calls. Janice sits on the couch every night alone wondering if she was foolish to lose a friend over such a trivial thing like long hair.

The weeks turn to months. The warm summer turns to fall. Fall is ready to surrender to winter. Janice is cut off from her friends and her past.

She walks into her apartment from the cold. She places her coat on hall tree by her door.

It was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. She didn't have the money to fly home this year. Her younger sister just had a new baby and couldn't make the trip out to see her. Everyone at work had their own family. Janice faced a holiday home alone, just her and her hair.

"Nancy was right. I don't have a grip. It's just hair and I need to let go. Tonight, I'm cutting my hair and starting over with life." she cries.

She goes to the bedroom and retrieves the never worn red dress. She puts it on with the matching under shorts, a shoulder covering shawl, and red heels. She puts her long hair in a ponytail with a red ribbon. She stops at her hall tree mirror where her coat hangs. She gazes at her reflection.

"Goodbye, hair. We've had a lot of time together, but society says we have to part. Oh gosh! I hope I don't regret this!!!" she cries as she covers her head with a scarf.

She puts on her coat to board the bus in the direction of Regina's beauty shop as a cold drizzle covers the town.

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Cold and wet, Janice stumbles into Keith's Boutique. She shakes the water from her coat from the walk to the shop from the bus.

"Ma'am, we're about to close for Thanksgiving and an old friend of mine is meeting me here in ten minutes." said the lone occupant of the building.

"I'm sorry. I just made the decision my friends told me I should have made a long time ago. I decided tonight to cut my hair short. Do you have any openings for Monday?" asks Janice as she takes off her scarf.

The man glances at Janice and takes a second look.

"Made a decision to cut your hair? Turn around for a moment." he says.
"Well, it took me a long time. I ran into an old friend from high school at a disco, Regina, you may know her." says Janice.

Regina! You must mean my wife! I'm Keith Staley. Regina and I got married last year and we just bought this place. Come on, I'll fit you in right now if you only want a cut!" smiles Keith.

"Hi, I'm Janice Snow." says Janice as she places her coat on the next chair and releases her ponytail from its confining band. She leaves the shawl over her shoulders.

Let me take that, too.” says Keith as he takes the shawl and exposes Janice’s skimpy dress.

"My, you sure have pretty hair! You sure you want to cut this?" he asks as he brushes.

"Yes, no one wears their hair like this anymore. Regina says I should get an angled bob, whatever that is." replies Janice.

"Hm, no, I think my dear wife might be wrong on this one." he answers.

"What do you suggest?" asks Janice.
"Not sure, we should use this length to our advantage somehow." he sighs as he places her hair equally on either side of her body.

A knock is heard on the door as he looks for a cape.

"Hey! Come in, Chap!" shouts Keith as the man walks inside. His eyes meet Janice in her shoulder baring red dress and long hair covering her to her lap. Her eyes fall on him. A spark ignites.

"Hey, haven't I seen you somewhere before?" he asks as he looks at Janice.

"Old line, but yes, I think you look familiar, too." stammers Janice.

"Yes! I'd remember that hair anywhere. Disco at 4th and Didier last August or so. You were there with your boyfriend." he smiles.

"Well half right, I went with my friend Nancy, I don't have a boyfriend." says Janice as she looks away.

"Say, Keith, what are you planning for her hair?" he smiles.

"Actually, Chap, she just strolled in here to have it cut. Won't take but about ten minutes." said Keith.

"Maybe you should reconsider. Your hair is very pretty. Why do you want to cut it if you don't mind my asking?” he implores.

"Simple. I'm living with a look from the late 60's. This is the late 70's. All my friends have new short cuts now. They're after me like wolves in the hen house to do something about my long hair. I was just slow to let go, I guess." says Janice in a waning voice.

Basically, I was told I was out of touch and would never find happiness if I held on to the past. One way to let go is to change my look. I need a jump start really bad." cries Janice.

"What would it take from me to make you reconsider this decision?" asks Chap.

"I don't think there's anything you could say or do to change this. Let's get this pain over with so I can go home before the busses quit running." cries Janice. Tears run down her cheeks.

"What do YOU think, Keith, buddy?" asks Chap.

"If I were her, I'd keep the length and cut in bangs. I could give her hair a wave, too." replies Keith.

"Say, it's almost Thanksgiving! Let's forget the bobs and shags and run to the corner pub." suggests Chap.

"Sure, buddy. Regina won't be back for another hour. How about you, Janice?" asks Keith.

"I guess." stammers Janice as the three take a hike to the corner pub.

--------------

The three sit at a high bar table. Janice orders a screwdriver while the men order beer.

"So, Chap, what's on the agenda for Thanksgiving? Going upstate to see family?" asks Keith.

"No, not this year. I have to work Friday and can't make the trip. Might volunteer at the food shelter instead." says Chap.

"What are you and Regina up to?" asks Chap.

"Her parents in the afternoon and mine in the evening." smiles Keith.

"Good way to get fat!" laughs Chap.

Keith laughs with his friend, but Janice only manages a slight smile.

"How about you, Janice?" asks Keith.

"Right now, it looks like turkey TV dinner." smiles Janice.

"Alone?" wonders Chap.

"Well... Since I didn't get my hair cut, it's just me and my hair." stammers Janice.

"Have you ever worked at a food shelter?" asks Chap.

"No. The busses don't run Thanksgiving Day. I couldn't get downtown if I wanted to. In fact, I won't get home if I stay here much longer." worries Janice.

"Nonsense! I have a car and I'll take you home. Where might you live?" asks Chap.

"Lymann Heights." stammers Janice.

"No problem. I'll even come fetch you if you want to serve the homeless with me tomorrow. I can be there at noon." pleads Chap.

"I don't know." stammers Janice.

"Chap's a good guy. I'll vouch for him. Why should both of you spend Thanksgiving Day alone?" says Keith.

"OK, I'll help." smiles Janice with an ever so shy smile.

"Hey, Regina should be back soon. Looks like you two hit it off well enough to leave alone, right?" wonders Keith.

Janice and Chap look at each other.

"Well?" says Keith.

"Chap?" asks Janice.

"Janice?" asks Chap.

"Uh, guys?" stammers Keith.

"We'll be fine!" they say in unison. All three laugh at the spontaneous response.

--------------

Thanksgiving Day is a special day for Janice and Chap. They work at the food shelter together and spend the evening at Denny’s. A year later, they become engaged. They make the food shelter and Denny’s a Thanksgiving tradition.

Janice will always remember that fateful day she decided to cut her hair and end up with a true jump start on the rest of her life, a day for which she is truly thankful.