"Haircut looks really good, Babe!"
I smiled, greeting him with an upturned cheek for his kiss. I turned back to my laptop screen, squinting as I refocused on the tiny letters. I really should book that eye appointment soon, I thought, as my fingers flew across the keyboard. After a moment of curious silence, I looked back up and caught him watching me work. He looked pensive. Pensive and amused.
"Something happen at the barbershop, again?"
Ever since he'd switched barbers, he'd regale me with random anecdotes about the goings-ons of his most recent visit.
Stroking his freshly trimmed beard, he chuckled,
"Some people really have no self-awareness,
Geraldine."
Immediately, I sat up straighter, tucked my feet underneath my body, and readied myself to be entertained by the latest antics of the men at his barbershop. Today's tale centered around a father and his young son of about 7 years old. It appeared to be a sort of bonding outing between the two- Sunday morning haircuts. While waiting to be serviced, the little boy had declared that he wanted his hair to resemble another client's, a teenager who sported a curly mohawk that was also completely saturated with a white cream.
"It looked like s-curl cream or something lame like that," Babe guessed.
I stifled a snort.
As he remembers, the dad quipped, "I keep telling you that you don't have good Indian hair like I do. You have that nappy stuff from your mom's side of the family."
At this juncture, everyone in the shop was snickering.
The child looked on, puzzled. I imagine, he probably didn't understand, and was probably simply happy to just be out with his father.
I'm all for spending quality time with the kids, but served with a healthy portion of self-hate, too?
Really.
In my lifetime, I'd like to witness the period when we collectively move past these hang ups.
Really.
In my lifetime, I'd like to witness the period when we collectively move past these hang ups.
Can we break the chains already?
On lighter notes, I've been feeling whimsical, maybe even a little manic. New York summers bring it out of me, and I can't ever get enough.
Seriously. Why can't summer last year round?
Seriously. Why can't summer last year round?
I filmed a short tutorial on this fun hairstyle, and it's as simple as it looks- two buns in the front, an unraveled cold rod set in the back. Perfect for summer festivals, fairs... fêtes?
Any plans for the summer?
I find it "amusing" , or I should say, DISGUSTING that these kinds of folk even have children with black people. What's even worse is that we actually lay down with these dogs without doing a PROPER background check first. Seriously, what was his mother thinking? This just proves that just because one's significant other is black, doesn't change the fact that "you" still might be a flaming racist POS.
ReplyDeleteAs for summer plans, I have none, mostly cause I'd rather spend my money in Namibia (my home country) later this year. #family
Looking forward to that video!
Ummmm I must've missed where she said that the father was not himself black. I get the feeling that this statement was made by a black man to his black son. Hopefully Geraldine will clear this up.
DeleteIt's coming up, don't worry.
DeleteIt's sad how we continue to perpetuate the very same factors that stigmatize us.
Namibia sounds amazing! It's on my bucket list :-)
@DaResInt1 Yes, it was made by a black father to his black son. :-(
DeleteThat statement by that father was disgusting but surprisingly so many black people use it. My coworker with a masters in Social Work uses it, and so does another friend of mine who is also an educated professional.
ReplyDeleteSad to say, that I don't think the mentality will go away in this lifetime but hopefully the child will get to know that he is beautiful, hair and all.
Yes! That's how insidious it is. It understanding youself and accepting yourself completely, takes a different kind of education.
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