It's that time of year.....Homecoming time! Yesterday was our daughter's Homecoming dance. Dresses, jewelry, shoes, flowers, limos, nails, hair-do's and more! Part of the day of course was spent at the hair salon getting the "do" done for the big night! As you all know from one of my previous posts hair is not a simple thing in our house. =) It just got a little more complicated because the lady that used to do Tatiana's hair moved back home to Indiana! What to do!? You don't understand...this is a tragedy! Now you know girls, once you find someone to do the hair right, they are with you for life! Hopefully! Well luckily we got referred to someone else, so off we went to the new salon....Tatiana, cousin Alyssa, and Moi. We walked in and as usual I am the ONLY white person there. Not only was this a "black salon," it was also a "black barber shop." "Stick out.....sore thumb.....Me." =) However, after being with Jamie for all of these years I am very used to being the only white person in the room. So after the initial "awkwardness" when we first walked in, we then met the new stylist and took our seats. While sitting there, of course I got the curious glances, and polite half smiles. Then a little boy comes over and sits beside me and says, "What are you doing here?" Out of the mouths of babes! Just an innocent question from a kid. Obviously he was just wondering......kind of like, "One of these things is not like the other." =) So I proceeded to tell him that I was waiting for my daughter to finish getting her hair done. He then pointed to every female in the room and asked if any of them was my daughter. Young, old and in between. It was pretty funny! Tatiana was at the shampoo bowl so he never did point at her because he couldn't see her. I told him he needed to go behind the wall to see her. So up he got...over he went...and back he came. He said, "I saw your daughter, and I said hi!" Too freakin' cute. He kept going back and forth to say hi. =) Then a little girl that was in the salon decided I needed to be her friend too. So she came and sat by me and showed me her video game. I LOVE that kids can make friends with anyone! Even the odd "wo-man" out! After more time went by I started looking at the clock and was hoping we were going to have enough time to get home and get Tatiana ready for the dance. A lady that was also getting a perm by the same stylist heard me talk about the time. She asked what Tat was getting her hair done for and when we said homecoming she kindly let us finish before she started her perm. I thanked her a hundred times and made another new "friend"...this time one of the adults. When Tat finished I said goodbye to everyone in the salon and said, "See you next time." Everyone smiled and said good-bye. So by the time we left I was no longer the odd wo-man out, I was just another Mom getting her daughter's hair done....well, kind of. =)
8 comments:
Attitudes toward "mixed relationships" (different skin colors where one happens to be "white") are still a little weird in the U.S., but nothing like what they used to be.
In 1959 me (white), my father (white), and my stepmother (black) drove through the South to Mexico for vacation. When we stopped at truck stops, we got food to eat in the car, and we had all the windows covered. Very secret. As soon as we got into Mexico we could walk around and be accepted. My stepmom could drink from water fountains and join us in restaurants.
In 1999 me (white) and my girlfriend (black/Jamaican) usually had no discrimination at all. Big change. Progress really happens. The rare times people looked at us strangely, I just looked back proudly. When we visited Jamaica and I was the only white person in a room or on a street, I was completely accepted and felt right at home.
Thank God times are changing.
Awww...Sooo pretty(though I prefer "natural", as most of my " exes" wore. Despite cursing and endless braiding before bed-time to prevent "morning KERR-PUFF!" :-) Yess..I know darn well of the hair-hangups, one learns quite a bit, dating black girls for years.. but natural is jus'my -maybe odd- preference)
At the Salon..Well, it once more proves that most little ones are blissfully un-aware of that blithed "race" thang.. and will happily be anyone's friend until (some) elders start making a fuss about colour of skin...
David,
Welcome to my blog! How did you find me?
Oh my how times have changed! Still lots of work to be done, but oh so much better! My husband also remembers the drinking fountains in the South....that just breaks my heart. I can't even imagine thinking that someone has to use different facilities because of the color of their skin. Insanity, stupidity and ignorance. Covering the windows on the car...wow! Thank God that is not something that needs to be done anymore. I just keep saying that one day my blog won't need to exist because there won't be any conversation about any of this...we will just be who we will be! =)
Jay,
So good to hear from you. I know you like the natural look! I do too but my daughter couldn't take the maintenance. =)
It's funny about the boy at the salon because clearly I stood out or he wouldn't have asked what I was doing there. However he was just so darn cute and curious it didn't bother me a bit! I was his new best friend by the end of the visit! Until next time....
Hope you both have a fabulous week!
Amy
Miss Amy - you could go into a room full of grizzled, cantankerous, old men (black or white)and come out everyone's best friend! You see the humanity of people - not their skin color, not their economic status, just their humanity - and people recognize that and love you for it. It is what makes you who you are and it is why everyone loves you lots! (remember the pied piper of FB comment!!) I really enjoy reading your posts - you are so articulate!
It seems no matter where you go and who you encounter, most people will recognize that you are a regular person just like everyone else... and you made new friends in the process. I know the heartache of losing your beautician and what the ramifications of it are. My beautician was off for 2 months and I decided I was going to cut the boys hair myself. What's so hard about it? I mean for the most part, I can use the clippers to get it down to the length I'd like, then trim it up. What's hard about that? Well, I learned that I will never ever try that again. I apparently was not doing it correctly because it actually hurt when I cut it... must have been going against the grain, with the grain, heck I don't know, lol. I was thankful that their Dad has a cousin who cuts all the boys hair in his family so he straightened it as best he could until our beautician came back to work. I told her if she ever moved or stopped cutting hair, I will find her!
Awww is that you Sis on the Anonymous comment? Thank you for the compliments! Humanity is what it is all about! If we all just accepted each other for who we are no matter rich, poor, black, white, educated, not educated, the world would truly be a kinder place. It's all about the heart!
Tonya,
Isn't it funny that losing a hairdresser is such a "tragedy!?" Now I know in the scheme of things....but still!!!! =) Hope you are having a great week!
Amy
Lovely homecoming photo - stunning couple! Still on the search for that perfect hairstylist... Des is 4 and needs the skills big time. ! know we'll find the right pair of hands, and scissors, and will pray they never leave Rhode Island once we do.
Then again, no one ever leaves Rhode Island :)
Rhea sooooo good to hear from you!!! You will find the right person for Des when the time comes. =) Never leaves Rhode Island? Um come back!!!!! =) No we know you love it there and have built an amazing life...we are so happy for you! Love you guys!
Amy
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