Hair Raising Issues

I've always had a close crop (see this and this. And this is my Alter Ego, an anti-portrait with short hair). At times, people have inquired about whether or not my hair actually grows. My half-bald homeopath in Pune once recommended (unsolicited) a medicine for hair growth, following which I recommended a barber to him. As NB once put it - there are several good doctors around, but very few good barbers. NB gets his hair restyled once a fortnight, and the only kind of doctor he ever visits is a dermatologist for a regular checkup of his scalp.

At rock concerts I usually find myself next to lots of black t-shirts with heads with long hair on them, unsuccessfully attempting to get rid of the head by bending and straightening from the waist (NOT what you're thinking, pervert) to the tune of the bass guitar. My black t-shirt usually attempts the same, though sans the mane, and hence possibly feeling left out. Unselfishly, I decided to grow my hair.

The following are a few hair-raising facts and some comments that one is likely to receive:

Comments:

• Some Friends: "Baal katane ke paise nahih hain kya?" Translated: You don't have money to get a haircut? ( However, note that not one of them comes forward to offer money for a haircut. O-)
• Dad: "The Einstein look went out of fashion long ago."
• Uncle: "You hair looks like that of Aishwarya Rai's ex-boyfriend. That Oberoi chap."
• Dog: "Woof" Translated: I've got longer hair than you! MUHAHAHAHA
• Mom: "Talk to me only after you get a haircut" (Fifteen minutes later: "What'll you have for dinner?")
• Sister: "I'll talk to you only after you get a haircut." Then looking at the grin on my face: " No, wait! Just go get a haircut, man."
• Friend with shoulder-length hair (a month into the hair-raising exercise): "Ha ha ha! You call this LONG?"
• Random strangers: "Nice hair."
• Still more friends: "So, you're a Dhoni fan?" (AM NOT! I mean, I didn't grow my hair because he's got long hair.)

Facts:

• Fingers automatically switch from scratching the stubble to fiddling with longish strands of hair and the tendancy to run hands across the back of the head increases
• Hair tickles once it reaches the top of the ears. That's when you begin wondering whether you ought to tuck it in behind the ears, or allow it to fall over.
• Shampoo (and type of shampoo) becomes important. You learn that there's also a product called a conditioner that, unlike shampoo, shouldn't be washed off as soon as it is applied
• Audibility reduces ever so slightly once hair nears the ear lobes.
• You're often worried about whether your hair is in place or not, and are likely to look around for mirrors whenever possible. Friends get irritated when you ask them every few hours - "How's my hair?"
• People tend not to forget you, and the frequency of "I've seen you somewhere" increases. (Although sometimes, it's "I've seen your photograph on that world-famous Jabberwock blog." :D
• Strangely enough, I kinda felt that I was being taken a lot less seriously and as unprofessional, just because my hair was long.

So, after two and a half months, with a single visit to a barber shop for 'Thinning" and a slight trim, my hair was finally 'taking shape': I didn't look like I'd just emerged from a chemistry lab after an exothermic experiment mishap. Your hair is falling well now, I was told by the encouraging friend with shoulderlength hair.

Unfortunately, it's summer and I have exams to give. With hair falling over my eyes, the tendancy to doze off while reading increased. Also, as a rule, I get a haircut before my exams. My head feels a lot lighter, and my scalp is feeling a little cold. Long hair is something that you end up belong to, and too much of a bother at times, while short hair is low on maintenance, and much more convenient since one doesn't need to comb it. I'll post the Oh, you got your hair cut? type comments later.

If actually read all of this, you may answer any or all of the following questions:

* What's your take on guys keeping long hair. (Their own hair, I mean. No voodoo.)
* If six times four is forty two, what's the question?
* If you're a guy - ever grown your hair long? How did people react? Do you care?
* Approximately what percentage of this post is true?
* What's with everyone insinuating that long hair is inspired by Dhoni? I mean - Becks had it long before Dhoni came into the limelight (I reiterate - I didnt copy!)
* Eh?