Love is a two way street: Love your hair and it loves you back!

“Oh poor you! How did this happen to you?”  Reethika asked him as she sat next to him on his bed.

“I slipped from the ladder and got hurt in my skull. It is still aching. I think I will die soon.” ,saying that he looked at Reethika, who stood near the green blanketed  bed.

“Don’t worry, this is nothing. You’ll be alright soon” she combed his dense black hair with her fingers with really long nails.

“I will die soon, I can see, the last day is fast approaching” he pulled her hands off his head and disoriented it again.

The doctor came in and did his regular check up. We followed the doctor out.

“This is nothing, this fellow is blowing it up. Just a normal panic pain. He assumes too much. But if this continues worrying like this, he will die soon due to depression. Just cheer him up, that’s the best medicine he needs now.” The doctor said that and left us in the corridor. We went in and smiled at Ashruth. Question marks were written all over his face.

“When will I die, what’s the expected date? End of everything right? Who will take care of my parents? Who will date Reethika here on? Will you move on after I die, Reethika?” he said all of it in a single breath.

“Who will nag me all the time, irritate me by calling me up at odd hours for relationship counselling?” I added and laughed.

“Be serious Ganga, he is going to leave us soon” Reethika was a drama queen, she frowned.

“Listen Ash sweety, you will die the day the last strand of hair falls from Ganga’s head.” She tightened her lips to prevent the slip of the naughty smile.

He believed that and we dropped him home. Few days passed and we met him every day, every  inch of my hair raised hopes of living in him. One fine day, I woke up and saw the mirror. I was completely bald. I called up Reethika and she laughed at what I said. Tears water-fall’ed my face and I curled up in one corner where there was nothing reflecting back my bald head. Reethika came home and was in complete shock looking at me.

“What the hell is this? Now Ashruth will go back into depression. How do I save him” she was too worried about him but not a bit about me.

“Idea!” she said that and pulled me into her car. I had not locked my house nor did i change my night clothes. She took me to a hair dresser and ordered a brown shining wig. I wore the wig and looked into the mirror. Tears rolled down my cheek, my neck, my shoulder, all over my body. Tears flooded me.

“Get up. Will you? Do you need one more bucket to be poured?” my mom yelled.

‘Was it all a dream?’ I couldn’t come out of it for a long time. The ‘Last Leaf’ effect.

This happened when I was in my 11^th class. That is when we had a story titled ‘Last Leaf’. I got alarmed. My hair was too weak and dry. From then I started loving my hair. I tried a lot of things.

“Use henna, it gives a shine to your hair.” someone said and I started applying henna once every month.

“I don’t want Curry leaves, please. They taste bitter.” I used to spit it out when my grandma fed me. “It is very good for the growth of your hair.” She said and I started eating curry leaves every day.

“The woman in this parlor is an expert in oil massage.” I ran there when I heard that.

“Shampoo? It rips off the oil from the hair. I use shihakai, home-made.” There were days like this.

I took good care of my hair by oiling it regularly and covering it with dupatta whenever I go out. But my hair always looked ripped off of oil every time I washed it; no shine, no healthy look.

This shampoo, that shampoo and I tried it all, one by one.

(Dear gal,
Your shampoo rapes off the oil form me. Have some mercy, use a proper shampoo. you never leave me open and you are so ashamed of me. You always cover it up whenever possible. You photoshop me to add glow. After all I am your HAIR) My hair cried.

I love you, my hair. 

Finally, mom found a shampoo that did wonders to my hair. “Dove” was the name of the shampoo. From then my shelf was always full of Dove shampoo conditioner and soap. I have been using Dove products for the past 3 years and i’m loving it. Recently, I started using the serum and the mask. That has just added to my love towards Dove.

And now :
(Dear gal, 
I know how much you love me. I love you the same way. I will never leave your head; I will never make you cover me to avoid embarrassment. Now I am healthy and thanks to Dove. You can proudly leave me lose and sway around with me. You don't have to photoshop me anymore, as I am really glowing and healthy now.I love you)

 I love the smell of it, 

I love the smoothness of it,

I love the shine of it,

I love it the way it is,

I love my hair 

and it loves me back.