When was the last time that you cut yourself shaving your legs? Why do I ask, you wonder? Because I, CAN’T remember the last time I cut my leg while shaving and, I just did a nice number around my ankle.

It was an amateur move. New razor blade, not enough soap/conditioner, in a hurry. Yup, just like the first time I took multiple layers of skin off my shin. Oh man did that hurt and I can still remember.

I was about 11 or 12 years old. I went home for lunch from school. ‘Back in the Day’ we could do that kind of thing. The school was about 5 blocks away from our house. I jumped into the shower intending to shave both my pits and my legs. To say that I was in a hurry is an understatement.

Oh man, who knows which sister used the razor last or how old the blade was. I was on a mission and I was going to ‘Git Er Done.’ You see, after lunch we were going to have question and answer period and we have to raise our hands to be called on. Are you with me so far? I did not want to be teased about having ‘hairy pits’.

Pits went well. Lathered up and went for it. No instructions mind you. Nor did I ask permission or any how to’s from Mom or sisters. As I mentioned, it was single-mindedness of purpose. Now time was getting short and I still needed to ‘do my legs.’ “Hurry, Hurry” I kept thinking to myself.

Shaving of the legs did not go as well. Let’s just  say that I had no idea of the amount of pressure to apply, angle of the razor, amount of lubricant/soap/shaving cream to apply prior to putting blade to skin. OH MAN! SCRAPE right up the shin bone. Yup. One very long nasty skin filleting. Now I’m really pressed for time.

I toweled off but the bathroom was starting to look like a murder scene. I kept putting toilet paper down my shin to try to stop the bleeding. Where are the band aids? Rats, that really hurts. I finally find the band aids and am able to staunch the flow of blood long enough to apply a some band aids.

I throw on my cutest sundress and run back to school just as the bell is ringing to go back to class. (There were no locked gates back then, just freedom to wonder off the campus. We can’t even imagine that today. Today, it’s an involved process for a parent or guardian to get a child out of school for a doctor’s appointment. Go to the office, fill out paper work, summon the child and if you’re lucky, you will make it to the appointment on time.) I get in line with the rest of the kids and we head back into class.

My mind is whirling, does anyone notice all the band aids on my shin? Do I look different now that my pits  and legs are hairless? Right, as if anyone is looking or thinking of me. Haha the self-centeredness of youth.

As the teacher begins the question and answer session, I wait patiently for my turn. BAM, there it is I raise my Arm up High and proudly. Silently hoping that the other girls will notice the smooth pits. I am called on, answer the question and life goes on.

After school, the girls came over and we talked excitedly in whispers. I was now accepted into the ‘group’ as I had evolved into a young women with my new distinction of having shaved my legs and pits.

Needless to say, I did not get the same reaction from my girlfriends last week.