Did Superman Ever Have This Moment?

  I have a sort-of a spit curl. I didn’t when I was younger, but I have one now. Somewhere in my mid-30’s, my hair developed a touch more wave and curl. Right over my forehead, I have a lock that likes to cascade forward,  forming a C just over the bridge of my nose. Sort of a Superman thing, or so I’m told by those who love me. The photo here shows an example of what I’m talking about. We were at the beach that day, the salt air made the curl lazy, but  incessant.

[UPDATE:  some classmates from grade School and high school have lovingly pointed out that I have always had that curl. I stand corrected.]

Some days, the spit curl effect is less pronounced. Today, for example, only a few stray, persistent hairs are stubborn enough to fall down and make the curl. They’re probably not noticeable to others, but I can see them. Oh boy, can I see them. 

As anyone who’s been on the inside of a head where the hair falls over the forehead already knows: the hair is visible in your peripheral vision. Not a big deal. I don’t mind that at all.

Except today. Today I do mind.

Because today, the stubborn spit curl hair has suddenly turned GRAY.

It wasn’t gray BEFORE. Today it is (really? WHEN did it change? The whole hair? When?). Not the whole lock; I don’t have this big Jay Leno style color change at my widow’s peak. Instead, it’s  just the straggling few that refuse to get out of the way.  They sit there, glowing white in my field of vision, daring me to pay attention to them and making me immediately go cross-eyed as soon as I try to focus on them. Sweep them up and away with my hand? They’re back within 30 seconds. Distracting me again.

They taunt me – their grayness shouting ‘NEENER NEENER NEENER!” at me. Always there; always in front of me. Reminding me what my real age is. I rather like my real age. People have historically been surprised by how much older I am than they thought I was. But that may change with all that gray coming on…

I know (see earlier posts to the blog) that gray hair is caused by a build up of Hydrogen Peroxide in the body. Scientific fact. But I don’t have to LIKE it, do I? No. I don’t. Superman wouldn’t have liked gray in his spit curl, either. Not one bit.