Sunday school by Haircut memories

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This story is true, it was the 1970s, 73 or 74. Uk fashion at that time was all about long hair, flared trousers and psycadelic colours. Freedom of expression was the order of the day, much to the dismay of a lot parents esspecially farthers.

A new modern church had been built near to where i lived and on its opening day me and all the other kids and older brothers and sisters were sent along to the 12 o clock sunday school. I can still remember how clean and fresh everything smelled and how friendly all the grown ups where. A lot of the parents where also there on that first day, well mums. Most dads went to the pub or club on sundays in those days.
After a warm welcome to everyone.
We will start with a song from our guests today, at that a number of school children (smartly dressed in shool uniform) "yuck" i thought to myself walked down the isle and stood in two rows at the front, a lady stood facing them and began to conduct them. Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, they began to sing.
Anyone reading this will have realised by now that it was the salvation army . But what i noticed as they started to sing was how nearly all the boys some of them older than me had very similar short haircuts (again) "yuck" . As a ten year old, having been allowed to have longer hair like my older brothers was a great releif for me. (No more short back and sides for me) or so i thought.
After the song they all sat down exept 3 of them and a kind of religious lesson began, the 3 boys were joined by what i now know was the captain of the sally army ,(as it was known back then) i also noticed how all 3 had their hair cut more severely than the the other boys sitting down .
Can each of you tell me one of your favorite things the captain asked. As the first boy (a little neorvously) began to answer him, he interrupted, a little louder so all the boys and girls and mums and dads can hear. Going to sunday school he said smiling , a resounding "ahhh" from all the parents could be heard. Daniel? He said , looking at the second boy. Being a good boy and making my parents proud he beamed, and what makes them proud? Looking smart and respectable was Daniels answer, this was all very well rehearsed i thought, even at 10 years old i knew acting when i saw it, no lad thought like that but all the parents seemed to be buying it, and your favorite thing the captain asked the last boy. Going for a haircut, No way i thought, then a very uneasy feeling came over me as i noticed how many parents where smiling but also looking at all of us with a sense of shame as if we were suddenly a big dissapointment to our parents and needed licking into shape...
Part 2 to follow.

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