When I was born I am told I had red hair just like my mother, who also had red hair.  She was ecstatic and said she was not even concerned with my fingers and toes or anything else — it was good enough for her that I had red hair.  Days later it all fell completely out and I remained bald for several years.  Around two and a half there is a horrid picture of me with about three sprigs of hair each sticking straight out from behind both of my ears, lending me a somewhat Dr. Spockish appearance.  Daddy used to say Mama would get so angry because she would always put me in frilly dresses and frilly socks and people would say I was a cute little boy.  When my hair did grow in it was a sort of blonde red.  My little one was born with the lightest dusting of red blonde hair so striking contrasted against her long, jet black lashes (from my half Choctaw father).  She pretty much stayed bald for her first two years and, like me, people would say she “sure was a pretty little fella”.  I never took offense because I detested bows on babies with no hair and I still cannot stand giant bow-headed little girls.  It’s like they’re all bow and nothing else.  Anyway, when my Baby Doll’s hair did grow in it started to curl; that’s courtesy of her daddy’s fabulous hair.  Immediately every one everywhere we went began calling her Shirley Temple.  She is precocious and I do think she looks an awful lot like her.  Last Halloween it was a no-brainer:  I put her in a short sailor dress, gave her a giant lollipop, and there wasn’t one person who needed help knowing who she was.  It transcended race, gender, age, and ethnicity.  I was surprised because I didn’t think anyone really remembered Shirley Temple anymore; she was Hollywood’s number one box-office star from 1935 to 1938.  Although I was thrilled they did because I loved Shirley Temple as a child actor and admired her work in adulthood as a United States Ambassador.  In 1935, the movie musical “Curly Top” debuted.  The lead song is exactly how my naturally curly headed little one makes me feel:

“Curly Top”

Whenever clouds start gathering
To cover up the sun
It really doesn’t mean a thing to me
It seems a tiny miracle
Comes to me on a run
And never fails to bring a remedy
She’s just a little curly headed thing
Who creeps into my heart and makes it sing
Curly top
You little bundle of joy
Curly Top
You’re like a wonderful toy
You’re just so full of sunshine
Folks agree
You could supply the world
With Vitamin D
Two eyes that make
The heavens proud to be blue
Angel cake
It’s just a copy of you
Take ev’rything that’s sweet
All rolled into one
That can’t top you
Curly Top

Just like during the Great Depression, we need a little more happiness and innocence in this world.  She is mine; my little Curly Top.