Speak & Listen

I FORGIVE YOU, HAIR!

I Forgive You, Hair!

Flashback:

"You have symptoms of hypomania, borderline personality disorder and anxiety." The psychologist said as he looked through his clipboard. Mr Wells trusted psychology in our family. Well, my father's family.

Although I had never met my father's family, I knew the negativity he tried to escape from them. They didn't like Cynthia.

It was not because of the disrespectful outfit she had worn that day when she was introduced to David's parents that made them despise her...but her attitude stank like a skunk.

She was loud.

She was indecent.

She wasn't of the appropriate class.

But what they didn't want to say about her that both David's parents hated the most was that she was a black girl from Bellington. Cynthia was literally what most would call a 'stereotypical version' of a black woman. Loud, aggressive and always ready to smuggle drugs, so Cynthia was accused of doing drugs by David's parents.

"I don't like her." David's mother had said. "That girl is barely dressed, she's yelling all over this place and staring at every corner of the room as if she had stepped inside the Louvre. It's embarrassing."

"The girl called me zaddy." David's father had added. "Asked if my chandelier is pure diamond or fake." This is the first thing she had said before even opening her mouth to greet the parents. In fact, she almost never did.

"She's just...not familiar with this kind of environment. But trust me, mom and dad, she's wonderful. She has the voice of an angel when she sings, she's funny and supportive..."

"Supportive of milking you dry, alright. Son, you need to let that girl go. I'm not taking in that hoodlum as part of this family. She's unwelcome here. Ask her to leave!" His father whisper-yelled.

They were in the kitchen, as both parents wanted to 'have a word' with David after they were settled at the dinner table, eating a feast that David's mother had prepared for them in high anticipation of a modest woman. But in turn, she turned out to be a disappointment to both of the parents.

But David loved her. It had been a year since the day they met in Alex. They were both still young, still students from college. But something in David believed in Cynthia. He was convinced that he was irrevocably in love with her, despite her outer character that almost everyone seemingly overlooks.

"Too bad, mom and dad...but..." He took out a small black jewel box. He opened it and a silver, glistening ring appeared. "But I'm marrying her."

His mother stepped towards him and threw a slap across his face. "Over my dead body will you marry that hoodlum!" She yelled.

"And not under my roof!" His father added. "I thought you were doing some better things out there. Little did I know you were out there 'hooking up' with Bellington sex workers!"

David just stood there in utter shock. He had no idea that his parents saw people for colour until that moment. Bellington sex worker? Hoodlum? It said it all. The problem wasn't majorly her personality, but entirely her race!

That was the day they found a small apartment in Alex. Subsequently, he quit his band because he had to get a 'real job' to balance his academics and his domestic living. Cynthia had dropped out of school, living with her fiance as she balanced her domestic living by getting two jobs: at one of the bakeries in Alex that was at least enough to put food on the table and at night, she would mop hospital floors.