Perfection

After a recent workout at the gym I retreated to the locker room to change. I noticed a teenage girl pacing around as I entered my changing stall but didn't think too much about it. I set about changing out of my sweaty clothes when the 'Pacer' yells out, "Felicia, are you almost done yet?" A girl in the stall next to mine, Felicia I assume, replies, "No, I am trying to fix my hair. I want it to look perfect." I look in the mirror at my hair. I want my hair to look perfect too. I move a couple of sweaty strands around. I am not quite sure how to make perfect hair.

A few more minutes go by and I can tell that 'Pacer' is now also toe tapping. "Felicia, what the heck are you doing now? Are you still messing with your hair?" Felicia huffs. "I have my bangs looking just right and now I am working on the back. Here, come look." I try to peek through the crack of my stall door but can't see anything. Toe-tapping Pacer exclaims, "Oh my god, Felicia, your hair looks sooooo good. I love what you've done to the back of it. How did you do that?"
I stand on my tippy toes, straining to see over the top of my door. I have to see this perfect hair-do. I am not quite tall enough.

I run the brush quickly through my hair. I rush to get into my clothes so I can get out of my stall before Felicia leaves. I have got to see her perfect hair. Oh great, I just put my sweater on backwards. I whip it off my head and mess up my perfect hair. I run my fingers through it - guess I will go for the natural look today - as I do every day. I shove my feet into my shoes. I bet she did a fancy braid or maybe a fun ponytail. I am envious even though I haven't seen it yet.

Felicia and the Pacer are now gushing over her hair in the main locker room. I try to be nonchalant as I walk by them but I have to stop and stare at Felicia's hair, at the perfect hair- which took her over 20 minutes to create. Toe tapping Pacer is still oohing and aahhing over Felicia's hair. Felicia's hair is straight in the back. That's it. There are even a fair amount of split ends. She has brushed it straight. Her bangs are straight. No fancy curls, braids or up dos.
I smile and resist the urge to tell Felicia that she is lucky to have a friend like 'Pacer', a friend who understands what it means to be perfect.