8/11/11

Carrega's Corner: Strange Stares

By: Christina Carrega


Sitting in the train, short kinky haired woman forgot to pick up a newspaper to read or that book you've been meaning to tackle so you're forced to read the advertisements.

The refreshing scent of the air conditioning pumping into the overly populated car, blowing the smell of a combination of perfume and funk from the Summer's forced perspiration on commuters.

She noticed someone staring.

Kinky looked over and its a woman with a budget-type-synthetic ponytail, eyelash extensions and fiberglass tips on her fingers.

At that point, you can't help put scratch your short kinky curls because you remember those days of wearing those itchy extensions and you turn away, back to the Kingsborough Community College ad.

As you stare at the pictures you look over and budgeted ponytail lady is still staring. Okay now this is getting awkward. Wondering what she is thinking, you flex your eyebrows upwards and put on a closed mouth smile in her direction, hoping she'll return a greeting.

But she's cold.

No response, so turn away, again and back to the KCC ad. Goodness this express ride is taking longer than usual and synthetic ponytail is making it longer.

Okay good, its 42nd Street maybe she'll get off.

Nope she's still on, why? okay I'll move my seat. Oh shoot she's coming over.

What do you think she's going to say?

Have you received strange stares &/or negative comments from non-natural females?

5 comments:

  1. Yes I received strange stares quite often. Some come over to ask a question regarding my hair because they are thinking about becoming natural as well and just what some information on how to go about it. Me being the person that I am I love talking about hair. I take on the philosophy of "each one teach one".

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  2. I agree with you as well Chatchickchat. I also enjoy having full blow conversations that turn into learning lessons about hair.

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  3. Im late on this post...lol but I can SOOOOOOOOOOOOO relate!lol
    -she leans over and says "HOW DID YOU GET YOUR HAIR LIKE THAT?-JERICURL?TEXTURIZER?-LIKE WHAT DID YOU DO?" LOL...
    Me: "Nothing it's natural"
    Her: ::blankstare:: Oh you must have Indian in your family..
    Me: smh
    Sorry lol but this happens quite often,other times it turns into a nice educational conversation..Most times...Im laughing..lol

    New to your blog!I likes!
    Keoka

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  4. It's funny that you mention this Keoka. This same exact thing happened to me the other day.

    A lady w. a horrible weave stopped me coming out of the bank & asked me what texturizer I used because she wants to try that next.

    I explained to her that I didn't use any texturizer -- this was just how my natural curl pattern was.

    Her response: "Oh you must have some Indian in you cuz you got that GOOD hair.."

    I frowned & walked away. No matter how you try to explain to some women your hair can curl too -- they just don't get it. ;-/

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  5. @Keeks you're never too late to join the discussion. I honestly get those stares all the time and most of the time its from Spanish woman. I worked in Ridgewood, Queens before, which is flooded with Dominican and Puerto Ricans and they all assumed I was Dominican because of my skin tone and hair texture, but when they find out that I'm Caribbean, they are shocked. I wonder if its societies or our own fault for the world to believe that we are only a processed hair culture.

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