Hairy Story

Stories concerning my hair seems never ends.

I was buying some fish. While waiting for the fishmonger to clean them there was an old man staring at me. Then the following takes place,

"Where're you from?"

"Malaysia."

"Are you a muslim?"

"Alhamdulillah."

"You see, keeping your hair long for a man is wrong in Islam. Why are you keeping it long anyway?"

(Shrugging my shoulder or maybe said the following) "In my country it's normal, everybody does it."

Then he said something to his friend beside who is a lot older than him. That white-headed man stared at me for a while and said,

"No, this is Islam. He kept his hair (long) here (pointing his head) but also kept hair here (pointingt his chin). Our people dont keep their hair (long) here (pointing his head) but dont keep their hair here (pointing his chin).  This is Islam (again pointing his head and chin)."

The younger old man looked at me and shook his head probably saying in his mind, "Oh...gitu."

That's what you call 'Saved by the beard'.

*       *       *

In Egypt, the longer your hair means the richer you are or the higher your status are. They wont meet my problem because when their hair is long, they dont look like a girl but rather like a clown or Alleycats.

Nowadays, when I ride the Metro, everyone will avoid me or try not to stumble over me. The women will notice my beard and avoid me. The men thought that I am a lady and avoid me.