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| Seeing RedI was about 4-years-old when I began to notice that something was amiss.It seemed that wherever I went people were obliged to make a fuss over my hair.?Without fail complete strangers would approach me and ask, "What color is your hair?"?I found this odd as it was obvious that those inquiring could see every bit as well as me.?After a while I began answering the inevitable question with, "purple."Also strange was the plethora of nicknames people insisted on calling me:?red, big red, red-knob, copper top, carrot top, Alfred, Opie, Howdy Doody.?I've heard them all.?On top of being singled out, asked stupid questions and called names, every now and again someone would ask to rub my head for luck.?I know how Buddha must have felt.?But it wasn't all bad, as the cashier at the grocery store my mother shopped at was a fellow ginger and would always give me candy.When I entered puberty it was no longer just the hair on my head that drew unwanted attention, but that on the rest of my body.?Hence the poorly concealed smirks during gym class and the term "fire crotch."?I mean, what other color would my pubes be??To my relief none of my classmates ever asked to rub my?groin for luck.? |
| To my relief none of my classmates ever asked to rub my?groin for luck.?Fortunately, the attention my hair has received has been relatively harmless, but the same cannot be said of that given to redheads of times past.?During the Middle Ages red hair was thought to be a mark of the devil, and consequently thousands of redheads were burned at the stake.?And in ancient Egypt redheads were buried alive in ritual sacrifice to ensure a bountiful season's harvest.??Small wonder then that?redheads tend to be suspicious of others.In fact, throughout history red hair has been associated with witchery, vampirism, werewolves and pixies.?Redheads were/are also believed to possess fiery tempers and to be without scruples.?Jonathan Swift wrote in, Gulliver's Travels, that, "the red-haired of both sexes are more libidinous and mischievous than the rest, whom yet they much exceed in strength and activity."?This from a man who was in the habit of wearing a whig.Even today superstitions regarding red hair abound.?In Corsica those passing a redhead on the street are advised to spit and spin around.?And in Liverpool, persons meeting a redhead prior to a journey are likely to cancel their trip (such an encounter is considered a bad omen).?That's okay; I didn't really want anyone sitting next to me anyway.But I suppose having red hair isn't all bad, as some of the things said about redheads are true.?We are passionate, intelligent and creative.And, yes, we're highly over-sexed. |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 17 July 2008 )
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