This story is part true and part fiction, the sequence of hair cuts is true.
 
Barbara and Debbie were the oldest of 4 kids, aged 8 and 10. They had 2 younger brothers and their mother was pregnant, due to have twin girls any day.  It was a tradition in their family to shave a girls head on her 1st birthday so that when her hair grew back it would grow back long and thick, never cutting it except to trim the ends. Both Barbara and Debbie had hair down past their waist. Everyone envied them for having such long thick hair.
 
Every morning their mother would braid both their hair into one long braid or 2 pigtails before sending them off to school with the warning, “Do not take your hair out of the braids, or else.” And every day one of the girls would come home with their hair blowing in the wind, full of knots and tangles. So every afternoon their mother would sit and brush the tangles out while the girls screamed and cried.
 
One morning after braiding their hair for school, she warned them again, “Do not take your hair out of the braids or else.”  And this time I mean it. But soon as they got to school both Barbara and Debbie took their hair out of the braids. That same afternoon their mother saw them running with their hair flying in the wind. She told both of the girls to get in the car she needed to go and get some final supplies for the babies and she needed their help. After getting diapers and formula she suggested going to the beauty college to get some shampoo and conditioner. They entered the college as if nothing was out of the normal when their mother requested to get the girls ends trimmed. Barbara and Debbie were taken and caped by 2 students when their mother told the students she wanted their hair cut to their shoulders. Both girls started crying since they liked having the longest, prettiest hair in their classes. Soon the floor around the chairs of the 2 girls was covered with hair. The 2 girls continued crying all the way home. When they got home their mother told both of them to go do their homework while she made dinner. Instead of doing their homework they sat and made plans for getting even with their mother. During dinner they sat and pouted and refused to eat. As they were getting ready for bed their father overheard them still talking about getting even, but with everyone in the family. He decided not to say anything to his wife and see how the girls acted the next day.
 
The following day the girls got ready for school the same as always except their mother put their hair into a ponytail and curled the ends. When the girls got to school everyone wanted to know why they cut their hair.
And some of them teased the girls for not having the prettiest hair anymore. Both the girls refused to do any work at school that day or answer any questions. Their teachers sent home notes describing the girls behavior that day, which prompted the parents to warn them, “You better stop this behavior, or else.”
 
 The next day Barbara and Debbie put on a show for their parents making them think they decided to behave like they were suppose to, but when they got to school their behavior continued as the day before. Added to this Debbie cussed at people talking about her hair, and Barbara made hand gestures to some. Little did Barbara and Debbie know that their parents got a call from the school about their behavior, when they left to walk home their mother was waiting in the car. Both the girls were startled when they saw their mother waiting for them, and that she didn’t look like she was in a good mood. As they walked to the car their mother told them, “Get in the car, you were warned to stop this behavior, or else; well it is or else time. Their mother drove to the same beauty college as 2 days before and the same 2 students were available. Upon seeing the mother and the 2 girls wondered if something was wrong with the cuts they gave 2 days before. The mother told them both girls were to get another haircut, a short pixie cut. Neither of the girls knew what a pixie cut was, but both started crying just thinking they were getting another hair cut. Both of the girls were caped and wetted, and then the students gave them their new hair cuts. When it was over there was more hair on the floor and in their laps than on their heads.
 
When they got home they were told to go and wash their hair and get ready for dinner. At dinner their father
told them they made their own decisions to get their hair cut by their actions. Both times before they had their hair cut they were warned, or else. That they had better start acting right, or else.
 
 Everything was going well for about a month and their hair had started growing out when a new little girl came to the school with long thick hair. Suddenly everyone was making a fuss over her hair like they used to make over their hair. Barbara and Debbie got jealous and decided to take care of this problem. Both of the girls had scissors in their backpacks as required by the school. So they decided to corner her on the playground and cut her hair.  One day she showed up with her hair in two long pigtails so each decided to cut off one.  Their mother was home with their 2 newborn twin sisters, so their fathers came to the school to meet with the principal. Upon walking into the office he saw 2 long pigtails laying in the desk and his 2 daughters sitting crying on a sofa along the wall. The principal told him they were suspended for 1 week for a physical attack on another student.
But the father told him that is the least of their worries. Both girls were made to get into the car, and advised they would be going with him and their 2 brothers to the barber shop.  After picking up the 2 younger brothers
They were taken to the barber shop, Barbara and Debbie were made to sit and watch as their brothers got their hair buzzed to half of an inch, both girls were scared they would get the same haircut. Finally each of the girls was made to take their turns in the chair. When the barber asked what he wanted done to each of the girls he told him  both were to be shaved bald, they cut 18 inches off of another girl at school, and they would be regular customers for the next year to make up for the 18 inches.
 
After that day, Barbara and Debbie knew the meaning of, or else.