together in one shadow behind her bathroom door.
Carol says, “If you don’t close your eyes, I’ll cut all of it off,” so I do, and the tears leak out because by “it” she means my hair and by “all of it” she means bald. I hear the scissors open and close, the metal scrape of them sliding wide, the grainy sound of them closing slow over strand after strand of my hair, the long blond hair that makes Mama so proud. Then there is a screech of tape being pulled from the roll and the smell of it, plastic and minty as Christmas, as Carol sticks a piece of it to the cut hair and sticks both to my forehead. She slaps my bottom and tells me to “Go look in the mirror. Now.” I walk slowly, slow as I can, to the bathroom, my hands still at my sides so I won’t touch my head, so I won’t feel where my hair isn’t anymore, but when I get to the mirror there’s only a few strands cut, not a hunk. The hairs hang limp from their piece of Scotch tape but shine gold and white against the red of my skin, and they flash Carol’s warning: keep our secrets or everybody gets hurt.
change girl
FAMILY HISTORY
HENDRIX, Johanna #310,788
Mr. and Mrs. Hendrix were wed in 1959. Mrs. Hendrix was 15 years old at the time and dropped out of the 9th grade, San Lorenzo Valley High School, in order to marry Mr. Hendrix who was 13 years her senior.
Mr. Hendrix was a commercial fisherman owning his own boat. In 1967 this couple purchased an older but very fine home located in the De Laveaga area of Santa Cruz. The house payments are in arrears.
Although Mrs. Hendrix informed the worker that no one in her family has finished high school or attended college, she keenly feels her lack of education. She attended Santa Cruz High School at night but failed to complete the English, math, and science courses she was taking because she went to Nevada to obtain a divorce. She also took a night course in American Government at Cabrillo College. She stated to the worker that
she completed this course which is quite an accomplishment for a 9th-grade dropout.
During the 6 weeks Mrs. Hendrix lived in Reno, she worked as a change girl in the Nevada Club, a gambling establishment.
AREAS OF FUNCTIONING
A. Mrs. Hendrix seems to be in good physical condition. However, she stated that her ex-husband is suffering from a mental depression and is in need of medical attention. She states that he has been having financial reverses recently, sold his fishing boat, and has begun applying as a hand on other boats throughout the Bay. She thinks he is working with heavy equipment in the meantime but could offer me no details as to his work or whereabouts.
B. During this home visit, only the youngest child was present. The 3 older boys were attending the De Laveaga Elementary School. Mrs. Hendrix stated that all 3 schoolboys are having serious problems in school, especially during the 6 weeks she was in Reno, and they were in the care of their father. Eugene T., the 2nd oldest, is enrolled in the special educationally handicapped class. He is taking 20 milligrams of Dexedrine on a daily basis. This is for his hypertension. All 4 boys are supposedly in poor physical condition, according to Mrs. Hendrix. However, the youngest boy, who is in preschool,
was viewed by the worker and he appeared to be in excellent health and spirits. The ages of the 4 boys are:
C. See earlier paragraphs.
D. Client is uncertain of any support from her ex-husband. However, up until last week, when she returned from Reno with the divorce finalized, he had been supporting the family in an adequate manner. Mrs. Hendrix is very anxious to return to Cabrillo and further her studies. The worker suggested instead that she enter some type of a vocational training program so that she can eventually become self-supporting.
EVALUATION AND PLANS
A. While Mrs. Hendrix was able to purchase a set of dentures before the dissolution of her
Carol says, “If you don’t close your eyes, I’ll cut all of it off,” so I do, and the tears leak out because by “it” she means my hair and by “all of it” she means bald. I hear the scissors open and close, the metal scrape of them sliding wide, the grainy sound of them closing slow over strand after strand of my hair, the long blond hair that makes Mama so proud. Then there is a screech of tape being pulled from the roll and the smell of it, plastic and minty as Christmas, as Carol sticks a piece of it to the cut hair and sticks both to my forehead. She slaps my bottom and tells me to “Go look in the mirror. Now.” I walk slowly, slow as I can, to the bathroom, my hands still at my sides so I won’t touch my head, so I won’t feel where my hair isn’t anymore, but when I get to the mirror there’s only a few strands cut, not a hunk. The hairs hang limp from their piece of Scotch tape but shine gold and white against the red of my skin, and they flash Carol’s warning: keep our secrets or everybody gets hurt.
change girl
FAMILY HISTORY
HENDRIX, Johanna #310,788
Mr. and Mrs. Hendrix were wed in 1959. Mrs. Hendrix was 15 years old at the time and dropped out of the 9th grade, San Lorenzo Valley High School, in order to marry Mr. Hendrix who was 13 years her senior.
Mr. Hendrix was a commercial fisherman owning his own boat. In 1967 this couple purchased an older but very fine home located in the De Laveaga area of Santa Cruz. The house payments are in arrears.
Although Mrs. Hendrix informed the worker that no one in her family has finished high school or attended college, she keenly feels her lack of education. She attended Santa Cruz High School at night but failed to complete the English, math, and science courses she was taking because she went to Nevada to obtain a divorce. She also took a night course in American Government at Cabrillo College. She stated to the worker that
she completed this course which is quite an accomplishment for a 9th-grade dropout.
During the 6 weeks Mrs. Hendrix lived in Reno, she worked as a change girl in the Nevada Club, a gambling establishment.
AREAS OF FUNCTIONING
A. Mrs. Hendrix seems to be in good physical condition. However, she stated that her ex-husband is suffering from a mental depression and is in need of medical attention. She states that he has been having financial reverses recently, sold his fishing boat, and has begun applying as a hand on other boats throughout the Bay. She thinks he is working with heavy equipment in the meantime but could offer me no details as to his work or whereabouts.
B. During this home visit, only the youngest child was present. The 3 older boys were attending the De Laveaga Elementary School. Mrs. Hendrix stated that all 3 schoolboys are having serious problems in school, especially during the 6 weeks she was in Reno, and they were in the care of their father. Eugene T., the 2nd oldest, is enrolled in the special educationally handicapped class. He is taking 20 milligrams of Dexedrine on a daily basis. This is for his hypertension. All 4 boys are supposedly in poor physical condition, according to Mrs. Hendrix. However, the youngest boy, who is in preschool,
was viewed by the worker and he appeared to be in excellent health and spirits. The ages of the 4 boys are:
C. See earlier paragraphs.
D. Client is uncertain of any support from her ex-husband. However, up until last week, when she returned from Reno with the divorce finalized, he had been supporting the family in an adequate manner. Mrs. Hendrix is very anxious to return to Cabrillo and further her studies. The worker suggested instead that she enter some type of a vocational training program so that she can eventually become self-supporting.
EVALUATION AND PLANS
A. While Mrs. Hendrix was able to purchase a set of dentures before the dissolution of her
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