Bad Haircut Won't Kill

I just witnessed something stupefying today! I entered the pavilion in Bintang Timur clinic where Shinta was staying and couldn’t believe what I saw in there. I’ve never seen this in my life. In there, Shinta was cutting Debby’s hair. What’s so strange about that? Well, what could possibly go through your mind when you let someone who has never had any single training as a hairdresser in her whole life cut your hair?

I couldn’t bear that thought. It took me years to finally find a hairdresser to whom I entrusted my hair. I’ve never attempted another hairdresser until now. It was like finding your soul mate ;-).

I just want to underline the importance of a hairdresser in one’s life … ergh … I mean in my life. Why? Because it is you who will bear all the consequences of every single thing s/he does with your hair. It is you who will walk with funny looking hairstyle for many months if s/he has done something wrong. And the thought of paying someone to make you look funny is utterly excruciating!

So, I nervously watched Shinta’s hands as the hands ungainly moving around the hair to perform the task. It was plain to see how inexperienced those hands were. I was trying to look for a trace of doubts in Debby’s face or anxiety in Shinta’s face. Nothing! In contrast, they both seemed so relaxed like it was a normal thing to do. I restrained myself from stopping them. Debby, a Sangir girl who works in the clinic, wasn’t bothered much with the rough looking hairstyle that she now has. And Shinta, the girl from Larantuka, appeared to be as calm as any other experienced hairstylists who just completed her work. I didn’t offer any comments. I was still in a state of shock. I later found out that many people in Sorong do this that is having friends or family cut their hair though there are actually some hairdressers in town.

But I guess I envy them for taking their hair not too seriously as most people in a different “Lebenswelt” do. It’s like they are saying to me: It’s just hair, so what? They’ll grow. There are so many other important things to worry about in this life. Bad hairdo won’t kill you, will it? Nah!