Today I shall mainly be talking to you about hair! So first of all, why is it that so many women are seemingly obsessed by their hair and sometimes talk of little else? Indeed, at one time in my youth, if a girl wasn’t to take you up on a proposed date she would always claim “…sorry I’m washing my hair” - which at that time was a well known excuse for giving you the ‘flick’. In the town where we live I reckon that there are literally hundreds of hairdressing salons of all descriptions, all vying for clients at eye watering prices. Nevertheless, it seems that many women would rather do their own hair and talk about it incessantly.
I have noticed that the latest cause for alarm in the ‘Barnet’ department of women of a certain age, is a condition known as the - ‘Cats bum’ hair arrangement on the prominent ‘crown(s)’ of the mature females head. Apparently this happens when grey hair protrudes a woman’s hair colouring and often gives the aforementioned effect. Thinking about it, does any man reading this ever notice that sometimes a complete week of proposed activities are often scheduled around ‘hair days’ - which can and often does have the effect of a heavy-duty hair dryer sounding like a military helicopter taking off in a random bedroom? However, before I get myself into too much trouble, some men seem equally obsessed. Here in the UK I have noticed when walking out-and-about there is a distressingly high level of men of all ages sporting what can only be described as a ‘Mohican’ haircut, which is frankly beyond mockery. Come on - I was always told that if a haircut had a name, as in - mullet or buzz-cut, it should be avoided at all costs. My own 13 year old grandson has decided to grow a heavy fringe that he squints through and naturally enough, once you see it in a member of your own family….you then recognise it everywhere and on everyone don’t you?
I also have to say that I am often amazed that when a serious faced woman newsreader is telling us all about the present cost-of-living crisis, a female member of the family might exclaim - “What on earth has she done with her hair? Just last week there was an intense debate regarding Helen Mirren’s new long blond hair that she sported at a recent red-carpet event and I have to say that opinion was excitedly divided on her new choice of hairstyle, rather like the pros-and-cons of the Northern Ireland EU border protocol. Unfortunately, some men appear to be getting as fussy and as obsessed as women; for instance what provoked this article was my last visit to my hairdresser Carl - as in - “Carl with a C - not a K”. Embarrassingly, sat alongside me was a chap who gave detailed and specific instructions as to how he wanted his hair to be cut, it was if he were a rather pernickety heart surgeon giving out instructions to a dim junior doctor. Much better I reckon, my own debate with Carl - which always goes something like this - “Same again Frank?” Go on then Carl, but don’t forget I’m on a pensioners rate!