old dog, new tricks
Having a bald head is an interesting experience.
For a start, it definitely helps with the hot flushes. A quick nip outside and all that excess heat is dissipated into the winter sky from my hairless scalp. Well, not quite hairless any more. I have stubble. (Can stubble be soft? I have soft stubble. Maybe I should call it bum fluff.)
The most interesting part is the reactions of people.
Strangers gawk and mutter about me under their breath once they think I am out of earshot (which, apparently, is immediately after they walk past me). Children blatantly stare. Teenagers laugh and point. Friends make jokes. My kids tell me I look like their father and "never mind, it'll grow back".
But the strangest of all are acquaintances. People with whom I am friendly but are not friends. Like the people at the local shop. Or at the gym. Or nodding-in-the-street neighbours. These people say nothing. they don't look (if fact they studiously avoid looking). They don't ask. They don't mutter or stare or point. There is absolutely no acknowledgement that I am as bald as a badger (which, by the way, are not bald at all so, maybe, I am as bald as a baby's bum).
My PT asked some pointed questions about "are you well?" and "are you up to a full session?" but there was no "OMG you're bald!". Not a single comment about the huge fiery red patches on my scalp with their lovely silvery scales (which, BTW, are looking much improved).
I know people notice. I notice them noticing. Then avoiding. There are lots of solicitous comments about my health and well-being but not a single question about why.
I have come to the conclusion that they assume I have cancer and the bald head is from chemo!
This was backed up last night when a total stranger, an elderly woman in the ticket queue, patted me on the arm and told me to be strong and fight, that I would be OK. I didn't have the heart to tell her that no-one has yet died of psoriasis.
7 comments:
isnt it amazing how people judge on how you look, and assume the worst? how about a picture of you smiling with your new do?? one thing u can tell them, that you are joining the US Marine Corps!! hahahaha!!!!
I don't mean to laugh at your predicament, but I did giggle at your last line.
Some people generally don't notice. Seriously. More than once I've gone into the beauty parlor with my husband and asked the hairdresser if she could do his hair too. She'll be looking directly at him and say sure! He's bald. He shaves his head with a razor. He has NO hair.
But yeah, if I saw you I would assume you had cancer.... There aren't many reasons a woman would shave her head.
You could actually make a really interesting story out of this. Interesting what people will do...
At least that woman was trying to be sympathetic.
I really need your address now! You need a t-shirt. Something like Hug me I have leprosy...okay perhaps my particular brand of humour will be lost on the general public.
The conclusions we jump to as seemingly logical beings can be quite pressumtuous and usually wrong at any given time. (I never ever ask a woman if she is pregnant...for eg. just in case)
But I too find this abject politeness disturbing at times, usually it's because no one wants their pressumption validated, what exactly do you say to someone you think may be dying when you don't really know them all that well?
Me? well, even with aquaintences I tend to get humourific on their ass and make light hearted jokes...sometimes not always met with approval.
I agree on the T-shirt thing, but it should be subtle - "I'm No Stranger to Heartbreak ..."
BALD is BEAUTIFUL!
OhMyGodYou'reBald!
Welcome to the club.
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