Perm

I drown luke warm water on the dark brown hair combing it straight back. My teacher says “20 minutes”, twenty minutes to finish five perm rods in the back of the head. I was being timed on a ticking timer clock. I look over to grab the small square cut end papers and the long white perm rod. Hoping I get it done in time I move and roll the hair faster. She points at the perm rod letting me know to re-roll it again. I grab another perm rod to roll the next section. I never liked to do perms, I hated touching wet slimy hair. “Five more minutes” she says, as i finish the last one as she yelled “time!” and the ticking clock that annoyed me so much turned into a loud ringer.