Where do you get that hair?

Hair color is just hair color, right?
Well, if you've a specific color that seems to define you, it's not.
(you don't know how tempted I was to type "it snot". The 12 year-old in me lives on!)

If you haven't seen me before, I'm a redhead.
It's not orange-in-your-face, but it's a multi-colored variation with gold, orange, red, and brown. It looks like varying shades of copper, pretty much.


The question I'm asked most frequently (aside from, "how are you?") is,
"where did you get that hair?" 

Instead of giving my family tree and history, sometimes I'm tempted to come up with a more creative response.

Both of my parents have dark hair and eyes, so I suppose this is a good question for someone to ask.

When I first learned to communicate, I was trained (by my funny dad) to respond to the above question with,

"It's from the mailman." 

little kenzie

While three-year-old Kenzie didn't grasp the meaning behind those words, I/she enjoyed the reaction from grown-ups. Shock, laughter, and raised eyebrows were all things to be expected.

...then my parents would set the record straight, telling people that I had two great-grandfathers with red hair, and other relatives with the red hair.
{The recessive gene for red hair is actually a "mutation". Weird, huh? Who would have thought my hair would be considered a mutation? 
 I'm a mutant! Where are my superpowers? Where are the x-men?}

While I don't have superpowers or anything (that I know of), having red hair has some drawbacks. You don't believe me?
Here is my list of why I dislike being a redhead (in no real order, literally):

17) It's the first thing anyone notices about me. Not a bad thing...I suppose.

42) I can't get away with wearing tomato red. I can but it's not my best color. It makes me sad that my favorite college team's colors are red, white, and black.

6.845) Dying my hair would be a disaster.
"but you don't have to dye your hair, that's the beauty of it." 
"People want that color." 
"If you dye your hair, part of me will die."
I have heard such phrases countless times. Almost to the point of not really hearing them anymore.
Maybe it's just the rebel in me that wants to do something drastic. I know I would regret it immediately, and I know that auburn is just the best color for me.
I also know a few people who said that they would hate me if I were to do such a thing. Love should be spread, so...no dye.

1/3) People don't usually think this about me, especially after they've met me, but there's this dumb misconception that redheads have "a fiery temper". I'm pretty laid back, and it takes a lot to actually make me mad.

2) It makes me more prone to allergies.
TRUE STORY.
I have fair freckled skin and red hair. It seems silly that something superficial would dictate how my immune system works, but it does.
I have a crazy immune system.
It detests this springy time of year, while the rest of my body loves it.
My immune system is also convinced that pretty much every animal with fur and dander is a potential threat.
It also can't handle wheat protein...*sigh*

Interesting story: When my mom was pregnant with me, my maternal grandfather told her she would have a redheaded baby. Coincidence? Who knows?

But for most of my babyhood, I was bald (there were those wispy baby hairs, but those don't really count). I didn't start getting hair hair until I was into my toddler years. Even then, it was slow coming. But come it did, and it was indeed red.

I really don't mind the red hair. It's almost like a symbol of my individuality and unwillingness to "go with the crowd".


{I'm having writer's block. I'm feeling lazy. Please excuse this mess of a post.}
...
Also, I was told to write about squirrels.
Um, squirrels are good for target practice.
They're also like rats with poofy tails...at least the annoying ones who throw unripe pecans from my dad's pecan trees are HORRID.

it's just an evil, ugly little thing.