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Show in my father's house/ 247 All the children on the white house grounds loved to cool off in the cinder-block pool my father built before we left home. The pool refreshed memories of other, happier times. /Aunt Gerda didn't like Leora to swim. "You look like a skinned rabbit in your swimming suit with your hair all matted. I can't stand to look at you," Aunt Gerda said. "You can't swim anymore unless you let me cut your hair." Aunt Gerda kept her own bristly hair short, defying my father's lishes that his wives let their hair grow. "But Mother asked us girls not to cut our hair," Leora protested. "And so did Daddy. He likes long hair." Aunt Gerda, hands on hips, pressed her lips together. "Well, I can't stand to look at you with that long wet hair. If you go swimming again I'm going to cut it off." Leora braved the summer heat as long as she could, watching Aunt Gerda's boys thrash about in the water. One day she couldn't endure it. "Annette, if I swim, will you help me put my hair up before Mother Gerda gets home?" Annette agreed. Aunt Gerda's boys promised to say nothing. Leora revelled in the cool, mossy water. Then she vigorously rubbed with a towel while Annette readied the curlers. They finished just as Aunt Gerda returned. "You went swimming," Aunt Gerda accused. "Yes," said Leora, "but I don't look like a skinned rabbit." "Just the same," clipped Aunt Gerda, "I told you what I'd do...and I'm no liar." Aunt Gerda cut Leora's hair boy-short. When my father came home, he gaped. "What have you done?" he asked Leora. |
