My hairdresser this morning had a first guess of Anna Nicole Smith. But, my mystery tough woman was Janis Lyn Joplin, who was raised in Port Arthur, Texas. She died in 1970 of a heroin overdose.

That the young woman took to drugs so readily would be no surprise considering the decades in which she was living, and the treatment she received from people. When she attended the University of Texas in Austin, the thoughtless redneck fraternity boys nominated Janis for The Ugliest Man on Campus Award. Even worse than that, she won. Now, if that wouldn’t send a woman looking for escape from reality, I can’t imagine what would.

Janis was never accepted in her home town during her lifetime, and that was always difficult for her. In 1988, the town that once ostracized her erected a statue in her memory. I had the opportunity to visit the Museum of the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur in January. They have a very nice exhibition of her artwork, and the replica (pictured above)of the Porsche she drove.

Many people read, but only four tried to guess, and I appreciate their input. They were all right! Thanks for indulging me in my silliness. The players were:

“Lyn”s early years gave no clue to the turbulent life she would live. She grew up in a typical small Texas town, in a family that was not out of the ordinary. Her Daddy labored at an oil refinery and her Momma was a domestic goddess. Life was rosy and sweet for the young girl.

What was
her name?What was her name?

Throughout her childhood, Lyn was considered pretty, friendly and smart. Her artistic nature showed itself early. Lyn was a skilled painter, acted in school plays and sang in the church choir. In the choir, her lovely contralto singing voice was greatly appreciated and utilized often for solos.

But, puberty was cruel to Lyn. A horrible case of acne ravaged her face and her self-esteem. By the time Lyn reached high school, she had become wild, unruly and unpredictable. She had gained a lot of weight, and in defiance, Lyn began to dress in men’s clothing and act like she was tough thug. Her language was vulgar and she was quick to anger. The poor misfit had much to be angry about, for she became the butt of every cruel teenage joke imagineable. But, underneath the outer core, she was just another sad and lonely teenager crying out for someone to love her.

As soon as she could, Lyn got out of that stifling Texas town and went to the bright lights that beckoned in California. There, she ran with a rough crowd and “lived a hard life,” as my Mamaw would say. She became a famous celebrity “bad girl,” but Lyn didn’t get to enjoy it for long. It’s not just the good who die young. Lyn died before she reached her thirties.

You know Lyn’s real name. Can you guess without me telling you? Give it a try, and I’ll post about it later.