Melinda's Hair Collection

Object Post 157

Melinda’s

Hair Collection

From The Ghost Collector

Source: From various people and animals

Significance: It made people nervous and got Melinda into so much trouble that she was glad to accept an invitation to escape

Author’s inspiration: I had one myself, with the samples sticky-taped to yellow x-ray paper

~*~*~

“But why, Melinda?” asked Mum as they drove away from the agricultural show. “Why did  you cut off the bull’s tail?” …

… “Melinda cut the tail off a bull,” said Mum.

Melinda wished people would stop saying that.
“It was only a bit of hair from the end,” she said. “The bull didn’t mind.”

“The owner did,” said Mum.

Melinda had a lot of collections. She had china animals, pot plants and books. All these collections were flourishing…

…but so far her collection of hair covered only the first two pages of a scrapbook.

Hair of the family had a nice long piece of Melinda’s hair, which she’d brought back after her last haircut. That was where she’d got the idea. She had a curl from her sister Felicity, and two pieces from her cousins.

The hair from the bull’s tail started a new section called Hair of Animals, but after the incident at the show it seemed unlikely to be a big section.

Fortunately, Melinda’s three uncles turned up… and when they invited her to stay at a haunted-guesthouse-to-be with them and their great aunt, things were looking up!

By the end of the story, Uncle Christopher was engaged to his girlfriend Sarah, who was willing to sacrifice a piece of her hair… as long as Melinda wasn’t planning to use it for anything nefarious.

“What do you want it for?” Sarah asked when reassured that Melinda wasn’t taking up witchcraft.

“My hair collection, of course! I’ve still only got six people and the bull’s tail…”

“Make sure you cut off a nice big bit,” said Uncle Christopher, snipping air.

Sarah had at least this much sense. “Thank you,” said Sarah,’ but I’ll cut it myself!”