Friday, November 6, 2009

Long-Haired Freaky People




And the sign said long-haired freaky people need not apply, so I tucked my hair up under my hat and went in to ask him why. He said you look like fine, upstanding young man, I think you’ll do. So I took off my hat and said imagine that, ha, me working for you. Sign, sign everywhere a sign, blocking up the scenery, breaking my mind, do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?

Remember this song? Just in case you’ve forgotten, I’ll jolt your memory. Signs, by the Five Man Electrical Band.

This is the time of year when we get pinched with nostalgia, or NOS-TA-LODGE-Ah, as my daughter used to pronounce it. Old pictures are good for that, and so are the holidays. Oh, the luck, or not, to have stumbled upon these pictures right now, tucked in a dusty book put together by my mom long ago.

My daughters said I looked like a hippie. Yeah, I see it. Slap a ring of daises round my head and deck me out in bell-bottoms and you could have tossed me smack into Woodstock. My name might have been Milky Way or Sunshine Rose. I still can’t believe I missed that. Man, I shoulda been there. Cool bands. Flower power. A bad moon rising. The whole she-bang.

I would have been a fab hippie. Peace out.

No psychedelic drugs for me. I’m partial to natural highs. It’s cool, man, it’s all cool. Most likely I would have been the hippie making sure all other hippies were well fed and didn’t wander off looking for Alice in Wonderland. “Nice fro, dude, nice fro. Now get the heck back over here, you’re missing Purple Haze.” I would have said something like that.

Okay, so I was too young to go. And my parents certainly didn’t drag us there. I really do love them for that. I hated getting dirty even at a young age. Woodstock rain and mud would have given me fits. My white vinyl Go-Go Boots would have never survived it. I shined those suckers every night and propped them next to my bed, sparkle, sparkle, pretty.

So,the other picture with the shorter hair. That was a year later, and, yes,I cut my own hair! Something about my shirt screams nerd bomber. And the Monkees when they sang, Daydream Believer. Didn’t they wear tan shirts with that type of collar? Never mind, it's not important. Even though I wouldn’t have won any beauty contests, it’s fun going back in time, yes? Somewhere in the closet, or under the bed is your own box or book of memories. Maybe it’s time to blow the dust off and tip-toe back.

Meanwhile I've got to go get my membership card to get inside..Hu!

11 comments:

  1. You look fab with your hippie hair, Dorraine! I'm like you, I'd rather have a natural high than a drugged one. Nor am I fond of mud.

    I loved reading your memories.

    Jai

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  2. Great post, Dorraine! You look like a babysitter I had back in the 70s. (Fashion tended to run about ten years late here before the internet.) Old pictures are fun. I'll have to dig out some photo albums and see what I can find!

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  3. Ha, thanks, Jai! Those memories are sure fun. I do wish I had a picture of me in those Go-Go boots, though. Well, maybe not.:)

    Hi, Stacy! Hmmm...you mean there's somebody else that looks like me? They say we all have a twin somewhere in the world. I hope she was nice, anyway. Cool possibly? Have fun exploring those old memories.

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  4. I think you are so cute! And your hair is so long. Somewhere I have a picture of mine that long but haven't run into that box yet. And, yes, The Monkees "Day Dream Believer" does ring a bell with that jacket.

    Sure wish you had a picture of those go-go boots. I thought I was so cool with my boots and my hairy jacket.

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  5. P.S. I love that song. I wrote a post nearly a year ago that I haven't posted yet where I used Sign, Sign everywhere a sign..." Nostalgia time of year is right!

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  6. Oh, thanks, Ronda. Yes, it's been a long good time since I've had hair that long. Or that color!:)

    I might of known you had Go-Go boots also. I wonder what color yours were? I had a wooden box set up in the backyard that I'd dance on. Even though my audience was just my brothers and sisters I'd still put on a little show.

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  7. I love those pictures! Your hair is beautiful. Were you a writer back then as well?

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  8. Thanks, Yvette. Back then I wrote poetry and kept the occasional journal. But, yeesh, it's funny to read that stuff. Let's just say I've made strides.:)

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  9. Hi Dorraine,

    What a surprise! I'm glad to be here.

    This posting is far out! You look gorgeous. I'm sure you were the Queen of trendy hippies. In Japan at that time, I used to drool looking at hippies on magazine covers before I went to the U.S. in 1970. When I hear the word "Woodstock," I begin smelling the sweet flower smell mixed with the fragrance of leather belts and bandana.

    Reading the post, I could see your white vinyl boots. Mmm, groovy. Now, I stand facing you with a V sign.

    Peace,

    Keiko

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  10. You're so funny, Keiko! Glad you are here too. I've missed you! I bet you would have made a grand hippie yourself. Peace out.:)

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  11. Dorraine,

    I posted my hippie photo, too. Have you seen it? Please take a look.

    http://keiko-amano.blogspot.com/2009/11/hippies.html

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