Dipo Tepede.POeT

 

About six years ago, I had an 'accident'.

It was one of those adventurous periods of my life- I braided my hair, and wanted to dye it mid-night blue. Unfortunately, since the hair refused to dye, my hairdresser suggested that I re-dye it and leave the dye in for a couple of hours. Well I did. Few weeks later when I undid the braids, most of my hair fell out with it. I did the honourable thing and cut it off- very low. It was the only thing that made sense at that time since the hair looked a pitiable sight of valleys and barely-there hills.

My best friend tried to console me- but I could see through her reassurances of «It's not that bad»s that she was only being a 'best friend'. It was that bad.

I looked at the mirror and I screamed… It was horrible. My unseen but hearable enemies «No hair, no hair, no hair….»

And in front of that mirror I vowed – first, to change my hairdresser; second; that Never again! Never again will a scissors touch these locks. NEVER… etc.

 

Oh well, I broke the first- after I told the poor guy, he begged and managed to bribe me a free hair-do with the very short hair (I think I fixed weaves using bonding glue at his own expense) But I've kept the second ever since- only reneging for the necessary snips required to keep the hair healthy.

I kept the faith… willing the hair to grow, conditioning and all the stuff people say will make your hair healthy and growing.

I knew what I wanted- long, luscious tresses.

They refused to come.

But I wasn't ready to fall back on my vow. I continued in the path, willing to grow, and aiding it with smelly and sticky hair-grow stuff.

It failed me and refused to pass the barely 8-9 inches. I got used to it, helping it with weaves and braids- and never dyeing it again.

 

Five months ago-

I had met this really intelligent young woman not so long before then- she was smart, beautiful etc…  with all natural hair which she kept in twists and sometimes afro.

I never gazed upon Alec Wek with love and awe. I just didn't get the short hair look. While I admired Yeni Kuti's strength from afar, I hardly glanced her natural hair.

I just never noticed the 'natural thing' as cool.

Until I met this real-life person.

And it struck me- I realised that this was what I wanted.

It started with green envy of her black fro, only stopping at not actually chopping it all off while she was asleep. Well, the greed in me finally won when I decided to start on the Afro too, starting with ditching the relaxer.

So, here's five months with all natural locks and me. 

Practicality has been near zero- I cant pack it into a bun without looking like an SU and I cant weave or braid it because the natural hair keeps sticking out. All that's left is the weave-on option- that is very sad and a mockery of all the natural hair drama.

So, I finally find what I want. I was reading on adefunke's blog when it finally struck me- I shall cut the hair!

Now, I think 'm in between crazy and stupid, but I figure I'll try it one more time- I'll cut my hair, keep it short and uncombed and see if I look anything between glam' and areaboyish.

This is a hard decision for me- not sure I can go through with it- but waddihel (what the hell), there's always the wig I bought last year to fall back on.

What does anyone think?

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