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I went into a local Black beauty supply store. The clerk and I were in deep conversation about current events. A beautiful Black acquaintance came in wearing a blondish wig or hair weave. I could not tell which because she had a kerchief on her head. She talked with the clerk about getting the straighter and blonder weave or wiggy thing she usually buys.

The clerk went to check the stock room even though I could tell by her facial expression and body language that they were out of stock. I asked my acquaintance if she was registered to vote. She said ‘Yes, but there was a mistake and she needed to correct her voting location’. The clerk came back and together, we tried to offer my acquaintance suggestions to correct the polling place error.

I asked her who she was voting for (Yes, I just HAD to ask! You know you would have, too). She said she was voting for Barack Obama. (I usually misspell it as Barak Obama. I guess we all must progress

One thing I noticed though, was that she was very distracted … but not by the 2008 Presidential Election or current events. SHE was distracted by the fact that she would have to walk out of that store less blond and less straight than she wanted. The clerk and I tried to keep her focused on current events, but it was no use. The dread and disappointment was plastered to her beautiful face, her body movement fidgety … unsure …

Why, oh, why would a beautiful Black woman become frustrated, worried, and insecure because she can not find the right kind of (perhaps) dead person’s hair to hide her own God-kissed hair?