"You look like a man."

25 July 2008
Torino, Italy

For those of you who also tend to compile Soundtracks For Life (I know my dad is one of those people), nota bene: Marvin's Gaye's "Heard It Through the Grapevine" is the perfect tempo for strutting home along sunny city streets with big sunglasses, a new haircut, slim waistline and empty wallet. I would know. I just did it!

Mood was crushed, however, when the housekeeper Giovanna looked up from her work in the kitchen and gasped, "No! Why (in Italian) have you cut all your hair?" I laughed and said, "Preferisco cosi. I prefer it this way," to which she replied, "Sembra uno uomo. You look like a man." And I laughed again, only slightly and secretly offended. I don't care, I like it, and an elderly woman in Fabio's salon told me that I had the face for it. "Sara belissima cortissimi. It will be beautiful short." Thank you, I told her, thank you a thousand times. She's the only one who said it would be a good cut; everyone I live with has warned me against it. My parents say that the Italian men will have preferred me with long hair. But who's doing it for the Italian men? Not me. All it took was the one little old lady, a stranger, to make me feel good about what I've wanted all along. Pictures are coming soon...