Nando & The Winners

When I was young, I was easily influenced by the world around me. At the age of seven, I wanted to be a doctor, thanks to Days of Our Lives. I longed to struggle as a black family member living in the Ghetto, at eight, because of Good Times and by the time I was nine, I knew my mission in life: to be a Private investigator for Townsend Associates--in other words, to be a Charlie's Angel.

(*Editor Side note: I always really wanted to be Wonder Woman, but wasn't allowed to purchase Wonder Woman underoos and always got stuck with the Spider-Man ones. One day I was caught by my dad transforming a pair of Spidey's underoos into a fabulous Wonder Woman costume...well, let's just save that story for another time.)

I didn't want to be just any Angel, I wanted to be Kelly Garret, the one with the long and flowing shiny dark hair. The anticipation I felt while the opening credits would run must be the same way Tyra Banks feels when she purchases new hair-weave.

Jaclyn Smith, aka Kelly Garret had scenes in the opening sequence that pronounced her high-spirited hair: while holding a stop-sign as random children crossed the road—her head turned to the left as her hair would swing in from the right, she ran away from an exploding car bomb as her hair tossed about erratically all over the place, and my all time favorite—she’d take off a motorcycle helmet causing her hair to bounce everywhere when released!


My daily hair adventures were endless.

Nando's episode #1

Mom: Did you feed the dog again?
Me: No. (Tossing my hair)
Mom: Who is feeding Nina all the Alpo beef and chunks? She's gonna get sick.
Me: This sounds like a job for the Townsend detective agency. I'm gonna have to ask you a few questions.

One weekend after watching Kelly break into an apartment.
Nando's episode #2

Dad: Who-the-hell broke a twig inside the car keyhole?

I decided to leave that one alone. Something told me that he wouldn't understand that I was rescuing Nina the poodle from a bomb inside the locked car and had to pick the car lock open to get her out. I failed.

Dad: Where is Nina by the way?
Mom: I'm not sure…I haven’t seen her in hours.

For the next three years the entire Rodriguez clan had to climb into that green Mercury Cougar through the passenger side because my dad refused to get the lock fixed until someone confessed.

During my mother’s soap opera time.
Nando's episode #3

Me: Mam, I'm with the Townsend detective agency (tossing my hair) and I'm here to ask you some questions about the murder next door.
Mom: Not now, I'm watching All My Children; Erica Kane is trapped in a burning closet.
Me: I'm investigating a real crime. If you don't cooperate I’ll be forced to arrest you.
Mom: Charlie's Angels can't arrest anyone, they aren't the police.

She had a point. I'd have to come back and get my clues another way.

2 A.M. in the Rodriguez household.
Nando's episode #4

Mom: Wake up, I hear noises. I think it’s a burglar.
Dad: Stay here, I'll check.
Mom: Should I call the police?
Dad: Go check on the kids and stay with them.

A few moments later.

Dad: (Yelling at the top of his lungs) Do you know what time it is?

My sister and mom rushed into the living room where they found my dad standing over me (I was dressed in my night-time spy-gear: black clothes, a flashlight and a ski mask) as I held my mom's giant-sized porcelain rooster in my arms.

Mom: Was that you making all that noise?
Me: I was checking for fingerprints (I would have tossed my hair but it was trapped inside the ski mask). But all I found was dried up gum at the bottom of the rooster’s beak.
Sister: Mom he's so weird! Why did you have to adopt him?
Me: Cause obviously, they weren't satisfied when they adopted you!
Dad: Everyone shut the hell up! We adopted you two in order to share moments of joy. Now everyone go to bed and don't bother us unless it’s a joyous moment! And you (pointing to me) have to stop this crazy investigating.

It was obvious—dad was hiding something.

Fast forward to present day; I still find myself fantasizing over flowing shiny hair a la Kelly Garret and thanks to Mayra (the Hair Goddess), it’s getting there. And now the following contest winners will also have the Charlie's Angel experience, courtesy of Mayra’s F Studio.

1. Stephanie from Cedar Rapids,Iowa
2. Dee from San Antonio, TX
3. Tim from New York, NY
4. Efrain from Dallas, TX
5. Cenia from Dallas, TX

I’ll be touching base with you winners to get your mailing address and schedule some one-on-one Nando time for a future blog on how the orange wonder-potion is working for you. And if you’re interested in getting your hands on some of Mayra’s Nurture Shampoo and Conditioner—visit Mayra Segovia's "f" Studio for info on how to order, c’mon—you know you want Kelly Garret hair too.