ARMY BUN MAGIC

“Snart!” (Nickname the sisters gave each other from 40 years ago when snot and fart were combined because these were ‘bad’ words)

“Yes, Snart?” Penelope answered, happy and relaxed after her too warm swim in the Encinitas YMCA Magdalena Eckee pool. Actually, can it ever be too warm for her? No—even 88 degrees, which is what the kids’ pool with the one designated lap lane that Penelope had nabbed, felt heavenly if a bit lethargy. Penelope had relished every moment of this steamy swim. Sure, she didn’t get much of a workout, but she did still do her 2500 yards, albeit very slowly.

So now, back at her sister’s house, watching her check her Facebook page for any new horse updates, Penelope was feeling more relaxed than she had in weeks.
“Lemme do you hair!” Sister Snart exclaimed. “I saw this on the Internet. It’s called an Army Bun.”

“I don’t know....” Penelope hesitated. Did she really want a military hairdo? Not that she was anti-military but she was antiwar, and the idea of sporting a bun with such a militaristic name was decidedly off putting.

“Why do you have long hair if you don’t let me play with in?” Snart Sister whined.
Penelope had to smile. For wasn’t this just what she’d written about before her trip down south? How she was hoping to style her sisters’ hair like the kids she saw at Hilltopia with the Hello Kitty Product? And now, here she was, at her sister’s, with an offer to have her hair done.

Synchronicity as Jung would say.

“Okay,” Penelope relented.

Delighted, SS grabbed the chunk of Penelope’s’ hair and made a ponytail fist with it.

“Why is it called an Army Bun?” Penelope had to ask.
“Because Snart! They have to wear their hair like this in the Army! Now, it’s not that hard to do and it’ll look so pretty. Lemme show you, okay, Snart?”
Penelope grinned, “Okay.”

And the Procedure began. The ponytail first, gathered up on top of Penelope’s head. “It’s high, Snart. You like it high.”
Nodding, Penelope giggled softly. “Yeah, that’s right, I do.”
“Now, you just need to get another rubber band and then you fold the hair over like this Snart....”

Penelope waited as her sister worked her Army Bun Magic. It only took a few minutes and then Voila!

“Snart! See how pretty?”

Penelope twirled around to face the closet mirrors. And yes, it was quite stylish. Her hair looked like a little round haircushion on top of her head.

“That is very pretty, Snart!” Penelope thanked her, wondering how long it’d be before a headache set in from the ponytail.

Yet, it felt fine for several hours. Through dinner and most of the Jennifer Lopez movie on Lifetime. Penelope finally took it down after several hours and lo and behold, she now sported lovely wavy big curls.

“Snart!” her sister marveled. “Look how pretty! Your hair has such nice big curls now!”
“Wow!” Penelope exclaimed, wondering if this is how the Army Women set the stage for romance in the barracks.

Later that night, Penelope had a dream. She was at a large fancy dinner and had to impress a Cranky Dowager. Her hair was a fright. But the woman she was with (not her sister) had the perfect solution. An Army Bun. She quickly styled a perfect one for Penelope’s Dream Self, and when Penelope went back out into the crowd, the Cranky Dowager nodded with approval at her Army Bun.

Of course there was a pool in the dream too, but Penelope didn’t swim in it as it was only ornamental, blue shallowness like Hearst Castle.

Plus a swim would most certainly have ruined her Army Bun.

Or not.
Those Army Women must put their buns through the paces when in the hell of war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Penelope, in her dream, had no such test for her Army Bun. It simply saved the day for her with the Cranky Dowager.

And in her waking life?
Penelope knows that the Army Bun was Sister Bonding at its best.
Thanks, Snart!