Individuality

I longed for a short hair style. However, he prefers long hair. I don’t particularly mind my appearance, so, I kept my hair long as he wished. This year, I decided that I should give it try and have my hair cut. He and I went to a hairdresser’s.

I told him that I like him to have long hair and I like his hair. So, the hairdresser didn’t cut his hair short but kept the length and shaped it into a style, the professional phrase is “graduation”. I had my hair cut short to chin length. So, we both left the hairdresser’s together, like two sisters or two fashionable brothers.

Back home, I cycled past my neighbour, Noel. He was doing his garden.

“Hello, Noel.” I said.

“Hello, Mariana.” He answered.

I thought that he was old and had forgotten my name. I didn’t mind. I often call people the wrong names. Then we chatted for a while. He then asked:

“Do you know tugan who lives in that house?” He pointed to the house which is my home.

I then laughed. I told him: “I am tugan.”

“Are you?” He looked closer and stared at me, “Oh, I forgot what you used to look like but you don’t look like tugan.”

“I had my hair cut. That could make me look different.” I laughed.

“Oh, you women like playing about with your hair and confusing us around you, don’t you? So, you are not Mariana.”

I like chatting with Noel. His wife is 91 years old. She once told me: “We old generation are tough because we passed though the war.”

My hair style has changed and I feel very fresh. However some changes could be terrible, especially those changes which are not designed by our own will. Though we haven’t experienced the war, we are facing other difficult changes - unemployment, competition and addiction to luxury.

I once heard my boss mention that these days how difficult it is to select a student. All the candidates have a record of A* in every subject, and their Curricula vitae are equally excellent. Even more, their interview replies are the same. This is a standard world, super dooper.

We need changes among us and within us. Then life would be colourful.