Hi, my name is Mandy. I want to tell you the story that happened to me and my friend Amy.

We were both 14 at the time this happened.

The story starts on an October Saturday morning, Amy was spending the weekend with me while her mom was away on a business trip.

We heard my mom walking down the hall toward the bedroom. She opened the door and told us to get up that we were going to the mall. We both jumped up real fast and got ready.

Mon shouted for us to hurry, that she wanted to get there before the rush started.

We got in the car and drove to the mall. Mom told us to meet her at the food court in 1 hour. Amy and I went looking around the mall. We noticed a new shop it was a hair accessory shop. We went in and started looking at the items. One item caught our eyes, it was real nice hair clip with sparking stones in it, and it looked fantastic. We did not have any money, so Amy told me to keep the lady at the counter busy and she would take 2 of them. I went and talked to the lady for several minuets asking questions about different items. Amy came walking up and asked me if we were ready to go. We turned around and walked toward the entrance when we past the door an alarm went off. We did not know what to do. I was almost instate a security guard came up to us and ask if we had taken anything, we told him no but he wanted to have us searched anyway. He asked where our parents were, I told him my mom was in the mall. He asked what her name was, I told him Joy Parker, he got on his radio and told the dispatcher to page Joy Parker to come the security office. Amy and I were taken to the security office where we were told to set on the couch. There was a lady setting at the desk. The security guard told her that a Mrs. Parker would be coming in a few minuets. Just about that time my mother came through the door. Mrs. Parker, yes I am. I am Joe Johnson with the mall security; we think the girls may have taken some items from the hair accessory shop. He asked my mother if she would be willing for the girls to be searched to see if we had. My mother asked me if we had stolen anything, about that time Amy told mom that she had taken two hair clips. My mom almost came unglued with her but she kept her cool. She asked Mr. Johnson what he was going to do. He told my mom that it was customary to ban the shoplifters for one year from the mall, and to turn them over to the police to be charged. My mom looked at me and asked I had anything to do with this, I could not lie to mom and I told her that I kept the sales lady busy while Amy took the items. Mom said then you are a guilty as Amy. Mom asked Mr. Johnson if there was any other way to take care of this besides calling he police. Mr. Johnson told her that this was the first time the they had shoplifted, and if she would take care of the punishment of the two girls he would not charge them but just ban them from the mall for one year.

Mom told him that she would take care of us and the girls would not be happy.

Mr. Johnson released us to mom and we went home. Mom did not say a word all the way home. When we got to the house mom made us go to the bedroom and stay until she came for us. We heard mom talking to someone, she was on the telephone, and we could hear part of what she was saying. Then she came to the bedroom and told us to come to the den. When we got there she told Amy that her mom wanted to talk to her so she turned on the speakerphone. May, Amy is here go ahead. Amy mom said, is what Joy told me correct? Amy said yes it is and I am sorry for what I did. May told her that she was going to discuss the punishment with Joy and she was to take whatever punishment they came up with and not to fight it. Amy told her yes mom and we were told to go back to the bedroom.

We could hear my mom talking to Amy’s mom, then we heard her say ok that’s what the punishment will be and will be done today.

My mom then called another number and we heard her say ok that will be fine

Mom came to the bedroom and told us to put on our jackets, that we were going to Mr., Mike’s. Mr. Mike was the local hair stylist and barber for our community. He cut all of the peoples hair in this area; he was very good and was almost like a second father to a lot of the kids, Amy and me included.

We walked down the block to Mr. Mikes house, he had his shop at his house. We walked in and Mike said hello kids. Amy and I ran and gave him a big hug. Mom came in and told the girls to have a seat that she wanted to talk to Mike. They went into another room for a few minuets. Mike and Mom came out; Mike came over to us and said I heard you girls did a bad thing today. We said yes we did and we deserve whatever punishment mom wanted to give us. Mike told us then that is why you are here. Amy said what do you mean. Mike told us that our moms had decided that since we had taken something that had to do with hair, the only punishment that would be best would be something with hair. I asked him what he meant. He told us that when we take something we must give something in its place, and our moms had decided to donate your hair to lock of love.

Amy stood up and told him that she did not want to have her hair cut. Mike told her it was that or the police would have to be involved and this is the punishment her mother and my mom agreed on, and that are what it would be.

Amy and I started to cry, Mike told Amy and then us that I should go first. Mom took me by the hand and led me to the Chair. All the time that I sat in that chair having my hair trimmed was fun, this time it looked like it was 20 feet tall. Mom told me to get in the chair and be a brave girl and take the punishment like I should. Mike came over to me and told me he was sorry that he had to do this, and pulled my hair into a ponytail. He placed the cape around my neck. He then asked mom what she wanted done. Mom told him to cut if off real short and not leaves any thing she could comb of a long time. Mike told her that it would be a very short buzz cut, Mom said not to leave anything on my head. With that Mike looked at me and said Why did you do this; this was killing him to have to cut all of my hair. He then picked up the clippers and turned them on. I had never heard them before and they sounded like a motor running. He told me to be still and he will cut as fast as he could. I could see Amy in the mirror, she was crying a lot, just then Mike placed the clipper at the center of my forehead and pushed the clipper back, a mound of hair hit the cape and I started to cry hard. Mike kept cutting all the hair on top off and then went to the sides and back. Within 2 minuets my hair was all clipped off.

He then took the cape off of me and dusted off the hair. He then called For Amy to come to him. He knew Amy’s mother was not with her and she would have a hard time with this. He took Amy by the hand and led her to the chair. He placed her in the chair and put the cape around her neck. And with out saying anything he started clipping all of her hair off. I was watching him in the mirror he was crying also.

He told this was the saddest moment of his life having to clip off all the hair of the two most beautiful girls in the community.

When Mike got through he went and sat down beside us and told us to please let this be a lesson to us so he would never have to do this to us again. He hugged us and turned around and walked out of the shop. Mom told us to come on the house that we had all learned a lesson today.

The next day was Sunday and Mom told us that afternoon that she had to go somewhere and would be back in a little while.

When she returned she had gone to Mr. Mikes had her hair cut real short (a clipper cut) and told us she needed punishing to for not taking them with her in the mall.

We are grown now and we look back at that day. Mr. Mike still does our hair we never let it grow long again. Mr. Mike cuts my daughters hair now and he tell her every time we go to be honest and please don’t steal from some one, that he could not stand another day like the one he had years before.

MOM WE ARE SORRY