Bad hair month

Couple of Saturdays ago, I put an end to all my bad hair days. I figured the only way to do it was to take it all off. Haha but no. Considering the trauma that TT Durai has put us through, it just isn't easy getting people to donate money to charity anymore. I thought to myself also: if not now, when? If not me, then who? So I stopped the decision making process and walked up the stage at Wisma Atria and had my head shaved to raise funds for the Children's Cancer Foundation.

So far, I've had all kinds of responses to my bald head.

The first of which was a big smile from my friend, who was a volunteer with the CCF, as I stepped off the stage where they held the Hair for Hope event. It was the kind of smile that said, "I'm proud of you, dude" without having to say anything. I glue that image on the backside of my eyelids, because I don't get that a lot.

The second came from the mirror in the toilet where I headed to anxiously. The guy in it looked at me slack-jawed and whispered, oh my God, what have you done... what. have. you. done.

I went on to photograph a church event of my friend's. It was easy to forget that I had no hair until she covered her mouth in wide-eyed incredulity. It was later after the shoot that my friend told me that her friends told me I looked much better now, simply because she'd told them that I'd had my my hair shorn off to raise awareness for the children with cancer. (On the other hand, the last time they met me, I was the 'sleazebag' who was doing the hip thrust and roll with my friend at Bar None.)

The next few of my friends got me down. It wasn't their responses, but the lack of which that had me groaning inside. Oh, they said, and continued discussing what was going to be for dinner. No worry, it'll grow back soon. A clever PR stunt, they called it. Are you trying to impress chicks? After a while, I was too embarrassed to take my donation card out.

I smsed my ex how much she would donate if I shaved off all my hair. She replied 10? maybe 20? 50max. depends on the charity. i think i will fetch more if i shaved instead... It is a signature of hers, to always take my topic, hijack it and make it all about her.

My mom said something to the effect of: aiyoh, why you cut your hair like that? You are doing good lah, but you're still single you know... You look like a sam seng what girl will want you?

My dad said nothing.

I spent a Sunday rolling around in bed agonizing over how my colleagues would react but it was all for nothing because that Monday morning, they grabbed my donation card and started passing it around. My boss and the mothers in my company were astonishingly generous. They gave so much I almost wanted to stop them.

Now, almost 4 weeks later, I look less and less like a dirty old monk. I've raised $934 for the children, and that makes me very happy indeed.