Getting Your Hair Done

Getting your hair done

Black people in my church community, well to be more specific, the black girls, tell me that I need to understand that getting their hair done is:

• Expensive

• Takes a very long time to do

For years I took this on board as fact and sympathised with the money they shelled out and the hours they spent sitting in the hairdressers.  One morning I woke up and thought, ‘today I’m going test this fact out, I’m going to take my white man’s hair to a black hairdressers.’

Lunch time came around and I left the office and headed to the local black hair salon.  Now I must confess that it was a ladies salon, but that did not seem to bother the hair stylist when I popped my head round the door and asked, ‘can you fit me in for a hair cut?’ ‘Yes darling, come in and take a seat,’ was the willing reply. 

It was 1pm

I was ushered to a seat by the basin and my hair was washed quite quickly, then, with a towel wrapped round my head I was offered tea; then cake and other goodies appeared and after quite some time I was placed in a chair in front of the stylist who began to scrutinise my hair.  She pulled it this way, and then that way, and then back to how it had been, and then it started all over again.  All the while chatting away and telling me the local news, the music soothed me, and the cutting and styling went on.  And on and on.  And on.  Eventually it was done, and done very well I must admit.  The cost was not that high considering all the food and drink and time spent based on an hourly rate.  Being of the male species I’m not sure I want to spend so much time on getting my hair done, I gave her a generous tip and went on my way.

It was 5pm.

Now, when the girls say, we are black and our hair takes time and money.  I reply, ‘You can’t kid me, I know all about your hairdressers!’

Adrian Hawkes

For Adrian’s Blog

www.adrianhawkes.blogspot.com

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Editor: A. Brookes