When we were little kids our Mom was a special duty nurse at the local hospital.  I didn't quite know exactly what that meant, bit I did know it meant she was going to be sleeping days at home and I had better be quiet or I would get into big trouble if I woke her up.  She always wore the starched white uniform and the funny nurses hat that was later associated with flying nuns.  Her working nights inadvertently allowed me an additional serving of freedoms since hanging around the house was not appreciated during these periods.  On this particular day the family was already up and going by the time she got home from her night at the hospital.  I could tell she was tired and I didn't need to be reminded of the serious trouble I would be in if I hung around the house being a noisy little boy. 

"Bring me my purse Johnny, and please put this on my dresser for me."  Mom had removed her hat and was handing it to me as I looked up from the table where I sat. "You need a haircut today and I am not going to be able to take you there so here is fifty cents.  You get your hair cut today, and then you will have fifteen cents left over to get yourself a treat, OK?"

Two quarters were thrust into my open hand along with the nurses hat.  I carefully sat Mom's hat on her dresser and contemplated the day ahead.  I had one task ahead of me.  It seemed so easy.  A haircut was easy.  It would take me ten minutes to ride my bike into town.  The barber shop was right there on Main Street next to the drug store.  This was going to be easy.  What would I do with the rest of my day?  What would I spend my additional fifteen cents on? 

Temptation was a cruel mistress that day and at the end of our block I ran into my friend Mike, a neighborhood buddy and fellow charter member of the Buggs Bunny Fan club.

"Johnny, where are you going?" 

For some reason those two quarters popped right out of my pocket and revealed themselves there in the palm of my hand as if they were the Holy Grail.

"I'm on my way to town to get my hair cut."

There was a long silence.  Fifty cents was a lot of money.  Half a dollar!  We stared at each other for a long moment.  History has recorded several such moments in time when the fate of nations hung in the balance. 

After a moments deliberation it was decided that we would get a bottle of soda and a sack of candy and retire to the bank of the sandy river to skip stones and enjoy our wealth.  After all, we had the whole day to ourselves and I could get a haircut at Mikes house on my way home in the afternoon. 

"We have electric clippers and everything Johnny, just like the barber shop!"

It seemed perfectly logical at the time.  I was going to get my hair cut, I was not being noisy at home, Mom would get a good days sleep, Mike and I could have a grand day, what could be better? 

The first glimpse of impending doom was ol' Mike's demeanor as we were heading back to his house.  He didn't seem too interested in my haircut at all.  As a matter of fact, about the time we got to his house he disappeared all together and he left me there with his older brother Spike.  My candy and soda were gone and I felt a bit cheap asking for a haircut from Spike but he was accommodating to be sure.  I soon learned that the 'electric clippers', Mike had referred to were actually used to cut the dog's hair.  They had a poodle, and there was not an experienced barber in the house but Spike did his best.  I remember there was a lot of laughing and finger pointing at my expense that afternoon.   

The part that never made any sense to it at all was Mom's white nurses hat.  For some reason that hat made it's way from the safety of her dresser to the top of my dirty little head compounding the pickle I had gotten myself into.    

Poor Mom.  She was mad and terrified at the same time.  I discovered several lessons that day.  First was something about fair weather friends.  My ol' friend didn't get a spanking that day but I sure did.  I also got a first hand lesson about being prepared.  I was not prepared for the outcome of my behavior but Mom had prepared herself in advance for the unexpected.  I didn't know it but she had a spare nurses hat there in here bedroom hidden from us kids. 

So I was the dunce that evening at dinner with my skinned head, dog clippers hair-cut as I sat at the table wearing the nurses hat.  There must have been a lesson about humility in there somewhere as well.