When I was in grade school my parent’s would get together with four other couples on a regular basis to play cards. One of the women in the group was Gay Jenkins. I thought Gay was so cool. She had a huge personality, smoked like a chimney and had a smile that took over her entire face. I have always been a natural at imitating people, so I quickly adopted Gay’s smile as my own. I call my 3rd through 6th grade years the “Gay Jenkins’ smile years”.
One of my boys brought this photo to me and asked me who it was. When I was done laughing I said, “That’s Gay Jenkins!”
Do you want to talk about the freaky white hair? Can I just bullet point it for you?
- Yes, it’s real
- It turned green if I swam too much
- I spent many summers with light green hair
- It really is the real thing
- I was easy to spot in a crowd
- Some people thought I was an albino
- Not many hairdressers believed that was my real hair
- Not many believe me now
- My high school colors were black and gold
- I dyed half my head black for spirit week
- It took a week for me to stop looking like a Black and White cookie
- Yes, it really was that freaky white
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MY hair was really light when I was little and I used to remember (no joke I can remember this clear as a bell) seeing these gogo boots chicky babes on tv, I must’ve been 4 or so, with the bleached blonde hair and real concerned that that was what I would look like when I grew up (one big run-on here, I’m tired and should be in bed) anyway, I was terrified that that was the kinda woman girls with hair like mine would turn into – hoochy mama lookin’ gogo boots kinda girls. Instead I became a tomboy.
The randomness…I need sleep.
Love the pict by the way – the “Gay Jenkins” works for you.
My little brother had hair like that. I’ve seen other little boys with it too but can’t think of any girls…
It’s one thing for a child to be such a tow-head but I seem to remember a pic of you and Clay and your hair is platinum there too. When did it start to change to a more “common” blonde?
Did you tan or burn?
I love the freckles! What a great photo
The smile’s kinda cute. It really is hard to believe that hair color could be natural, though. I think the tan really sets it off and makes it look lighter in this pic, but I have seen maybe one other kid with hair that light.
Great picture. My kids’ cousin (on their dad’s side) looks just like them only bleached — he swims…
That sure was some blonde hair! But what a cute picture of you as a kid.
My hair was white blond until I was about five. It gradually started getting darker and darker and now it’s almost black it’s so dark brown. Lately, some grays have been creeping in, so I guess I’m on my way back around.
My hair was that blonde and turned green in the summer too. I still have my blond hair although it’s more golden than white and no one believes that it’s real either.
You were (and still are) quite the cutie patootie!!
Hooray for us natural girls!
Ha ha!!! I had the same hair when I was little and definitely had the green thing going on!!!! You’re right about people not believing – I was always stunned by how many adults would ask me at 5 years old if that were my natural hair color – as if a 5 year old would bleach!!!
I guess the good Lord decided to give you a colourful personality instead.
Yes, my hair was white until I was in my twenties when it turned platinum blonde! People also used to say that I and my equally white haired younger brother were albinos. When I was around 40, I got together with my best friend from grade school whom I had not seen since we were teenagers. She commented “Your hair has gotten a lot darker.” And her husband (whom I had never met before) laughed — he thought she was making a joke about how light my hair was.
Now I am almost 60 and my hair is turning back to white.
My sister had a friend with hair that white when we were growing up. Her name was Angie White and she was as sweet as an angel. I always thought her parents must have named her after her disposition and her hair. She couldn’t hang with my sister very long. My sister’s disposition DID NOT match Angie’s hair.
And to think there are people out there who pay good money for that beautiful hair.
April — you and I could have been sisters… I was on the swim team growing up, and had the same freakish white hair that turned green on me, too… though we were made to use a special shampoo that stripped the chemicals from it (can you say ‘healthy’?). I think the worst thing that someone ever said to me about my hair was that I ‘glowed in the dark.’ …what every girl’s dying to be told, right?
…you have my sympathies!
Happy Turkey day, lady!
Oh, you were cute! Your hair is super light though…very pretty.
-FringeGirl
I used to get green hair and remember many a summer my mom rinsing my hair with tomato juice. I bet there was a store bought product that would have taken the green out, but nope I just smelled like spagetti sauce for a couple of days. Worked like a charm though.
Ah! So pretty! I love the pic.
I wasn’t lucky enough to keep my freakishly blonde locks…but my middle daughter currently has that platinum look happening and I just love it!