In no particular order…
Joey Flores
1. That we got our hair this way by putting eggs, honey, wax or some other product in our hair that would obviously be a disgusting mess that day, let alone years later. Certainly some people do use products to get their dreads started, but they’re not food products that are going to go bad, and I didn’t have to use a single product in my hair.
2. That people with dreads, or dreads themselves, stink. Dreads don’t stink. Dreads are just hair. They alone do not stink. Hardcore hippies stink. People who sleep on couches, don’t shower enough, and otherwise get their dreads dirty without washing them stink.
3. That we don’t wash our hair, or can’t. I wash my hair. It’s a longer process than I care to admit, and I don’t do it everyday. I wash my hair just like anybody else, except there is a lot more wringing soap in, and wringing soap out. The washing mostly sucks because, fully wet, my hair probably weighs 10-15 lbs. But what really sucks is drying it. It takes me over an hour to dry my hair and, if I don’t do it well enough, it will ultimately smell like mildew later.
4. That everyone who has dreads is, or should be, Rastafarian. Certainly that’s one reason people grow dreads, but I grew my dreads because I hated my hair styles before, like the way dreads look, and now they’re a unique part of my identity. Sadly, I get Rastas who think I shouldn’t have dreads. One rode by me on a bike once and yelled, “You ain’t no fucking Rasta, man!”
5. That everyone who has dreads likes, or should like, reggae. I like reggae, but not nearly as much as I like metalcore, funk, 80’s and 90’s rock, and psytrance. Once on Venice Boardwalk a guy tried to sell me his reggae CD. When I told him I wasn’t interested he barked at me: “You should cut them fucking dreads off!”
6. That we have some deadline or goal for our dreads that, when reached, will allow us to cut them off. “When are you going to cut them?” Truth is, I don’t know, but after 11 years they’re kind of like appendages. I have a favorite dread, and the idea of cutting any of them is quite different than getting a few inches trimmed off of a regular hairstyle.
7. That it’s okay to tug on my hair, or feel it without my permission. Frankly, though, I don’t mind this. It’s a good conversation starter and most people do it kindly, not to be rude or anything. Others might, though.
8. That we are going to remember everybody the way they remember us. Unfortunately, remembering every guy with a standard haircut is just not going to happen, but damn near everybody who meets me remembers me, and it makes me feel terrible when they come up to me somewhere and say hello, when for the life of me I can’t remember who they are. I know that happens to everybody sometimes, but it happens to me all the damn time.
9. That dreads are a lot of work. I don’t find them to be so. I get them touched up every so often by having someone crochet the loose hairs in. Most of the hair just grows into the dreadlocks. I think a lot of people think you have to keep twisting them constantly. Others might, but I haven’t had to do that.
Edit: 9b! Damn, I totally forgot this one! That we always have weed! And sell it! I have people stop in cars when I’m walking down the street who ask me where to get weed. Or, people who just assume I smoke all day every day. People also get a weird look on their face when they offer me a hit off a joint and I don’t take them up on it, like I’m a cop or something. No clue what’s going through their head.
10. That I’m going to save you when you are locked in some really tall tower. Please, fool. I barely know you!
***permission to use this article pending******
Joey Flores 1. That we got our hair this way by putting eggs, honey, wax or some other product in our hair that would obviously be a disgusting mess that day, let alone years later. Certainly some people do use products to get their dreads started, but they’re not food products that are going to go bad, and I didn’t have to use a single product in my hair.
2. That people with dreads, or dreads themselves, stink. Dreads don’t stink. Dreads are just hair. They alone do not stink. Hardcore hippies stink. People who sleep on couches, don’t shower enough, and otherwise get their dreads dirty without washing them stink.
3. That we don’t wash our hair, or can’t. I wash my hair. It’s a longer process than I care to admit, and I don’t do it everyday. I wash my hair just like anybody else, except there is a lot more wringing soap in, and wringing soap out. The washing mostly sucks because, fully wet, my hair probably weighs 10-15 lbs. But what really sucks is drying it. It takes me over an hour to dry my hair and, if I don’t do it well enough, it will ultimately smell like mildew later.
4. That everyone who has dreads is, or should be, Rastafarian. Certainly that’s one reason people grow dreads, but I grew my dreads because I hated my hair styles before, like the way dreads look, and now they’re a unique part of my identity. Sadly, I get Rastas who think I shouldn’t have dreads. One rode by me on a bike once and yelled, “You ain’t no fucking Rasta, man!”
5. That everyone who has dreads likes, or should like, reggae. I like reggae, but not nearly as much as I like metalcore, funk, 80’s and 90’s rock, and psytrance. Once on Venice Boardwalk a guy tried to sell me his reggae CD. When I told him I wasn’t interested he barked at me: “You should cut them fucking dreads off!”
6. That we have some deadline or goal for our dreads that, when reached, will allow us to cut them off. “When are you going to cut them?” Truth is, I don’t know, but after 11 years they’re kind of like appendages. I have a favorite dread, and the idea of cutting any of them is quite different than getting a few inches trimmed off of a regular hairstyle.
7. That it’s okay to tug on my hair, or feel it without my permission. Frankly, though, I don’t mind this. It’s a good conversation starter and most people do it kindly, not to be rude or anything. Others might, though.
8. That we are going to remember everybody the way they remember us. Unfortunately, remembering every guy with a standard haircut is just not going to happen, but damn near everybody who meets me remembers me, and it makes me feel terrible when they come up to me somewhere and say hello, when for the life of me I can’t remember who they are. I know that happens to everybody sometimes, but it happens to me all the damn time.
9. That dreads are a lot of work. I don’t find them to be so. I get them touched up every so often by having someone crochet the loose hairs in. Most of the hair just grows into the dreadlocks. I think a lot of people think you have to keep twisting them constantly. Others might, but I haven’t had to do that.
Edit: 9b! Damn, I totally forgot this one! That we always have weed! And sell it! I have people stop in cars when I’m walking down the street who ask me where to get weed. Or, people who just assume I smoke all day every day. People also get a weird look on their face when they offer me a hit off a joint and I don’t take them up on it, like I’m a cop or something. No clue what’s going through their head.
10. That I’m going to save you when you are locked in some really tall tower. Please, fool. I barely know you!
***permission to use this article pending******
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