For El

In my minds eye I can see you sitting in the front desk just to my left as I looked at the classroom.  I’m not going to lie, your face had a permanent -credulous look each day in Philosophy.  You didn’t speak much but your face was telling.  One day we were talking about Truth and Authenticity, Sartre, I think.  And you raised your hand and coldly said something like this:  “Ms. Newson, you talk about authenticity, but you dye and straiten your hair.”  And I did.  I used to ‘highlight’ my hair and straighten it frequently. 

Your one sentence changed me.  I thought about what you said all the way home that day.  I came to the conclusion you were right.  I may not have liked what you said or how you said it, but you were right El.  I’m glad you and I became friendlier as the semester went on and you began to trust me.  I am also grateful for your comment.  Thanks to you, I stopped coloring my hair, and straighten it only occasionally.  But you spoke the truth, and I listened.  Thank you El.