Writer Experiences Hair Envy

by Sherard Harrington

Every four months or so—right around the time I need to get a haircut—I have a serious serious internal debate about doing something with my hair.

Growing up as a military brat it was always no question, nolo contendere, that my hair was to be kept short and neat and plain. So the few chances I had to do fun things with it growing up (like straightening it in 4th grade, or twists in undergrad, or dreads at the beginning of grad school), I went for it. But every time, I’d look at a picture of myself and think, “really? That’s what my hair looks like? I look messy. I look messy all the time. I need a haircut,” and that would be the end of it.

But every so often I come across a guy with long dreadlocks, or a notably large afro, and all polite stranger interaction goes out the door. All of a sudden, curiosity overtakes me and I’m saying things like, “What products do you use?” “Did you do that yourself?” “How do you maintain that?” “WHAT IS YOUR SECRET?!”

Truth be told, I feel as though I’m too short to successfully pull off long hair. But damn do I want it. I want good hair so bad.