“These perm rods I’m using on your hair? These are my Anne Bancroft rods.”

That statement caught my attention even more than the smelly perm treatment Michael squirted on my hair.

“Anne Bancroft? The Miracle Worker actress? The Graduate? Mel Brooks’s wife?”

Yup. One and the same.

And that’s how I first learned about Michael Rasor’s “other life.”

His hair salon’s name – The Rasor’s Edge – was enough to hook me. He operated a little shop at the other end of our county here in southern Indiana. He made it worth the drive.

This was back in the ’80s. I brought our first born along with me a few times. The toddler misheard Michael’s last name and from then on, Gary and I called my stylist “Michael Eraser.”

Michael grew up here in Spencer County, but didn’t hang around long. He resettled in Hollywood and joined Don Hill’s Salon on Sunset Strip. From his stories long ago, I remember him talking about helping out with the hair needs for the Happy Days cast (Potsie was a particularly good guy). Also, Mrs. Cunningham was self conscious about the pounds the camera added and insisted she only be shot from the waist up.

Michael chuckled remembering a frantic phone call from Billy Joel‘s mom … she was concerned about a particular model he was dating and didn’t want him to get hurt.

With such an exciting life, why did Michael move back to Indiana? He’d seen too many friends lose their parents and decided he should take time to be with his mother when her health started failing. “You’re a good boy, Michael,” I’d tell him, using my best Yiddish accent.

After his mom’s passing, Michael returned to Hollywood and I found a new hair stylist. According to his obituary, he returned to Indiana when his health told him to go home.

Thanks for the great stories, Michael, and the excellent hair care (even the Very Big Hairdo during the Suzanne Sugarbaker era). I wish I had a magical eraser to wipe away a few years so we could go out to lunch and swap stories just one more time.

Rest in peace with the angels, Michael. And please say hello to Anne.