Wow, I Had to Ask

 

Tafisha, a Guyana-Canadian living in DC

blew me away when I first saw her sitting

outside the University Club.

How did you do your do, I asked?

Say what?

I felt silly. I’m friendly but reserved but in

total awe of how she had gathered her

 hair as art into that mile-high creation of twists, turns,

a chicane a Corvette would love.

She smiled, then laughed as did her table mate.

It’s very long, she said.

How long, I said?

Down to my waist, she said.

I wanted to touch it–careful man,

get a sense of the heft and weave,

feel the speedway in my fingers–

my manners and sensibility are better

by a strand.

So, I asked for more.

How do you make it happen, I said?

She said, I separate strands into different

size groups, wrap them, pile them and pin

it all in swirls.

Incredible!

It was all together, tight, beautiful like an ice cream

swirl gone wild, almost intimidating, but not a Medusa.

She said, I can’t have my hair down all the time, it is

too much to handle which made me think it would take a

good fight to best that sea of hair–call for samurai to

fight the hair tsunami.

Although in wonder, I wasn’t speechless,

Tafisha’s hair was plain awesome.