1812 Perm Mutation

A memory was triggered recently when I read of the untimely demise of Ron Palillo. Ron, as you may recall, was the very not so bright member of the Sweathog gang on "Welcome Back Kotter," the 70s TV show about a teacher who returns to his old high school to help problem students.
Hard guys made nice. One of which was John Travolta, before he got inflamed with the fame of his Saturday Night Fever blister.
Horshack brought back a painful memory. My first perm. Back then, perms for men were all the rage. It was disco time and huffing perm solution was worse than the effects of LSD in the sixties.
How else did we end up with the Hustle?
Eventually I bowed to fashion, and the pleading of my hair stylist, anxious to prove his new chops, as he had only recently upgraded himself from the term barber, and decided to give it a go. Unknown to my hair stylist was that I already used a hotcomb to tame my naturally wavy locks.
He thought my hair was naturally straight so he used a stronger method to perm it, either through extra time or stronger perm solution.
As my hair was less than naturally flat, naturally the result was less than flattering. My hair up until that time had been cut to resemble a certain member of the Partridge Family. Now it mimicked another member of another TV show. I went from David Cassidy to Horshack in one bad perm. A perm mutation I hadn't expected.
Thankfully permanents aren't actually permanent. But I regretted it for the next 6 months. Though I was able to connect with my Hebraic heritage with my new Jew-Fro.
The mistakes we make: Hearthrob to Sweathog in one bad perm.
America, ya gotta love it.