To Dye or Not To Dye
"Wow! Great moves, Pradeep!" exclaimed our new acquaintance after watching my short dance. "You have a flexible body! Because of your young age, you can pull off those moves." my agonized acquaintance analyzed my performance. "I am your age, Adam," I proudly announced, further astonishing him. He stared at my paltry hair in despair after I compared my age with his. Yes, I did a good paint job, I thought, as a restrained quaint smile pervaded my freshly painted facial hair! This renewed my confidence, and I was never confused about whether to dye or not to dye.
Well,
days passed—I mean, months went by—and I went for my job interview. As I
explained the reason for my move—my daughter getting married and the other
daughter in her Master's—we felt free to explore our ambitions. The interviewer
was amazed at my actual age and adored my dexterous dye job!
As
months went by, I mean years passed by, to dye or not to wasn't even a
question! We went to Snoqualmie Falls near Seattle. As the guidance was given
by a Ms, we were apparently misguided to the top of the falls! The walk to the
bottom of the falls was steep and arduous. We saw several young, athletic men
and women panting and walking up the falls! As believers of our perceived age,
we both walked down to the amazing falls! That's where our confidence had an
amazing fall! Walking up the steep, deep inside, we felt our actual age may
overcome our perceived one. However, my painted face had a picture-perfect
smile, masking my true age! To our astonishment, a middle-aged couple
spotted us and unabashedly asked, "Uncle,
why don't you wait here? I will get my car to take you to the upper parking
lot. It will be too much to walk at your age". My wife readily agreed, as
she was aware of my actual age! I immediately grabbed my phone and took a
selfie! Actually, I remembered to dye! I did not miss any strands as well! Who
is he then? A radiologist looking through me to diagnose my bone age? My wife
insisted, and my twisted ego resisted, but her insistence persisted, and she
enlisted the new aspiring radiologist's assistance. I finally consoled
myself that my wife didn't dye her hair so he could predict my age.
As
hours passed, it was time to head to the airport. We took a connecting train,
and it was packed! I moved forward to look for any vacant seats. There were
none. As I was turning back to wade through the crowd towards my wife, a
middle-aged man in his fifties with flawless grey hair offered to me with the
blackest hair, "Uncle, do you want a seat?" I considered asking him
to take a selfie and compare it with mine. Who has black hair? Now the question
is, to dye or not to dye? It may be time to change the brand, as I introspected
and went ahead and changed it.
As
days passed, It was time to see the biggest blockbuster-Kalki 2898 AD. After
all, it was made by my close friend's son! With my wife waiting in the car, I
rushed to purchase the first day's first show tickets. The middle-aged lady at
the counter said, "For you, the price is $20 a ticket". I assumed she
was giving me a discount based on my imposing mustache. Upon inquiry, she
revealed that it was a senior citizen discount. A grand brand or no brand, is
it time to disband? I had to take out my ID to prove my young age and disprove
her terrible and deplorable assumption. However, I pretended I was purchasing
alcohol and hence, I was proving I was above 21!
Well,
to dye or not to dye-is that even question?
