Happy Locks

Some of my friends are not on FaceBook and don't know that I have locked up my locks. Yes I have dreadlocks, no I do not listen to Bob Marley all day, maybe Bob Dylan but that's it.

Why?

When you decide to lock up your hair…I hope for your sake you have the patience of a saint. Be prepared to answer silly questions a zillion times. I figure it’s part of the journey, teaching me patients and to smile through the pain. I am also breaking the mold for stereo typing of what a fifty eight year old woman should look like. I really love the double takes from older people.

Before I did this I asked two supervisors at work about it. I work in a hospital. They looked up the dress code for me and reported back to me that there was nothing in the dress code about dreadlocks, there was a paragraph about different colored hair, like no pink hair.

The first day I showed up for work was nerve-racking. The very first day I got called into the big bosses office. She said to me and I quote “you have dreadlocks.” Brilliant deduction mam’ yes I have dreadlocks. Why would you do that to your hair? I wanted to say, staring into her eyes, right back at ya, why would you do that to your hair?

But I didn’t. I said I am Native American. Enrolled with a tribe from Minnesota. I have very strong feelings about my hair. When my ancestors were herded on to reservations they were made to cut their beautiful hair. Native Americans believe the spirit is held in their long hair. Scalping was started by the soldiers. Soldiers learned how much Native Americans valued their hair, and started to scalp the Indians. So the Indians in return did the same. A little known fact they forget to teach you in school. I also informed her that I had asked two supervisors about this before I did it. I said there is nothing in the dress code. She got the book out, read through it, looked up at me and said “you are right, there is nothing in the dress code.”

So if you are thinking about locking up your hair be sure to check it all out and do your research. Happy locking. Also be prepared to answer some really silly questions for example…I have worked at the hospital for ten years. Co-workers have started a conversation with me like this…it’s dirty and you never wash your hair. I look them in the eyes and I smile. It’s hair, why would I not wash it? You wash your hair don’t you? Of course I wash it. I wash it twice a week. Then I smile even bigger and say let’s go down to the lab and let them take some of my hair and some of yours and we will see who has cleaner hair shall we? The answer is always no.

Six Months out...