Kim always went into see Carmen every six months to get her hair clipped short. Carmen would take the clippers and using cut the hair down to a two-inch length over all using clippers and scissors. It was brush able and easy to manage. Today Carmen noticed that Kim had brought in her 18-year-old daughter Tammy with her. When Carmen finished up doing Kim she looked at Tammy and said ? How about I give you a good haircut. I have time.? ? Oh, no! ? Said Kim ? Her father won?t let her hair short except for trims till she turns 21.? ? Ok, then I?ll just give her a quick trim.? Tammy came up and sat down. Now, Tammy had long silky blonde hair like that tennis star Anna Kornikova or something like that. It was long and silky to her waist. Carmen wetted it down and spoke softly to Tammy ? Your dad won?t let you cut it. Right.? ?Right? said Tammy not till I get 21.? ? Would you like to get it cut shorter?? Asked Carmen as she trimmed the ends of the silky mass. ? I?d like to have a change just to see how I?d look. I hate to wait till I?m 21? replied Tammy. Carmen?s face lit up. ? Listen there is a special event going on at center stage at the Valley Mall this Saturday. You come around 11am and wear a red blouse. I?ll look for you. Ok?? ? I?ll think about it. What kind of event?? said Tammy. ? You just come and see for yourself.? said Carmen. Carmen finished up the trim and called her mother Kim to the side as she paid the bill and off mother and daughter went. Carmen looked at the shiny silky blonde locks of Tammy and wanted to be the first to cut them off.

The Special event at the Valley Mall was a cut-a-thon to raise money for Charity. Carmen was one of the main haircutters. She told her helper and the Master of Ceremonies to be on the look out for Tammy wearing a red blouse. It was 11:45am and Carmen spotted Tammy wearing a red blouse hanging around the back outskirts of the gathered crowd. She went up to the MC and he spoke into the microphone. ? I think we have a potential donator in the back of the crowd wearing a red blouse and she has long blonde hair. Young lady will you please come forward. Come on ladies and gentlemen lets give this lady a helping hand to the stage.? The crowd quickly turned to find Tammy standing there in a red blouse and tight fitting Levi pants. Her golden hair hanging to her waist. They pushed and pulled her to the stage and pushed her up on it where she saw Carmen waiting for her. Carmen turned her around to the crowd and brushed down her long golden mane. The MC spoke ? What shall we do with all this hair as he lifted up Tammy?s flowing tresses..? ? Cut it! Cut It! Roared the crowd. ?Well, lets put it into a saleable form and see how much we can raise for it? said the MC. responding to the crowd. That was the clue as Carmen and her assistant took hold of Tammy?s hair and put it into two ponytails one on each side of her head. ? Tammy yelled at Carmen ? I?m not ready to cut it off!? ? What did she say? Asked the MC to Carmen. ? She said that she would cut off these ponytails for $$$$$$$ donation.? Said Carmen giving a ridiculous figure. ? I did not !? Yelled Tammy but it was too late no one heard her. The MC got the crowd going into a donating fever. ? Come on ladies and gentlemen. Send the money down to the front and let?s get this girls haircut !? The money was passed hand over hand to the MC. He tabulated it till within 15 minutes the figure was met. ? Ok, we have the money. Let?s count down from 10 to the moment of cutting at zero.? Yelled the MC. Carmen grabbed a pair of sharp scissors and placed them at the base of one ponytail on her side right above the ear. She pulled tight the long 36 inch golden lock. Her assistant did the same as they turned a red faced Tammy towards the crowd.? 5,4,3, 2, 1, 0? shouted the crowd and at zero Tammy heard the scissors snipping through the thick hair on the side of her head. Schnick,schnick, scnick was the sound and soon the tension of the hair was released as it was cut free. Carmen took the long silky ponytails and held them up. The MC spoke ? Wow, what a difference. We have a brave young lady standing here. I think she collected a record donation. Way to go people!? he said to the crowd as Tammy was ushered off the stage to a private area. Carmen put the two ponytails into her pocket. Tammy knew she must look dreadful with her hair just chopped off. Carmen spoke to her ? Well, you told me you were ready for a change. Now, you have it. I?ll just finish you up. Don?t worry girl. Short hair is in your genes. You know what they say ? A Daughter is like her mother.? Your mother likes it short and so will you. She grabbed the clippers and buzzz was the next sound that Tammy heard as she sat there feeling totally helpless. The length was about two inches long or about the same as her mother?s. The clippers took more golden silky hair off and it fell to the floor. Her long mane was no more. The short hair revealed all her features; her neck, ears, jawbone and for the first time there was no carpet of blonde hair going down her back. She feared what her father was going to do and say to her as Carmen gave her a form thanking her for raising the $$$ donation to the charity. Tammy?s first look in the mirror was a shocker as she looked at herself and felt the shorter hair. ? My god, my own mom won?t even recognize me!? she said angrily at Carmen. ? Oh, I think she will.? said Carmen. Just then Tammy heard a familiar voice close by of her mother Kim ? I think you dad is going to be angry at both of us for a long time. So we best go shopping for some new cloths for your new look. You look absolutely stunning.? Tammy turned and not three feet away was her mother holding a video camera and the ponytails that Carmen had given her. Tammy had been so wrapped up that she hadn?t noticed her. ? She looks great Carmen. Just like you told me she would the other day at your salon.? spoke Kim like a proud mother who had just seen Tammy go through one of those life-changing transformations. So down the mall they went. One mother, one daughter, both with short hair going off for lunch and some heavy shopping. Carmen went back on stage to wait for the next ? Volunteer.?