marching to the beat of a different drum

i rode the bus on my way to work today. and as is my usual wont, i chose a window seat somewhere at the back (it’s less crowded there).

it took me some time to realize that the couple sitting in front of me were arguing. as arguments go, it was rather mild and innocuous (they were arguing where to head next: her sister’s house or his pal’s).

i could only see the back of their heads, and for a moment i thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. the guy (who was in his middle 20s i think) had thick dreadlocks that spilled over his shoulders. from a certain angle they looked like big, fat worms strapped to his head. you couldn’t help but look at them because he kept on wagging his head while talking.

don’t get me wrong. i have nothing about dreadlocks, or guys who wear their hair long. anybody can sport them for all i care, but as i was getting off the bus i noticed incipient signs of a receding hairline (i could see his face by this time) on the guy — which leads me to wonder if he had consciously adopted this hairstyle to compensate for an approaching state of baldness. heheheh.

that quick glance also made me realize that the girl wasn’t as prim and proper as i had imagined. she was a veritable poster child for that ‘new age’ look. she had this huge, dangling earrings (which reminded me of dreamcatchers) that reached to her shoulders, and wore a wispy chain-like anklet and a pair of gladiator sandals (her nails were brightly colored, too!). to top it all, she had this humongous beaded handbag that looked like a cross between a woven basket and a boxy pouch.

i guess creating and maintaining your own style does have its perks. for one thing, it makes you stand out in a crowd. it also proclaims you as a person of courage and strong conviction, with some disregard for conventions. and if you can find that significant other who thinks like you do — well then have fun marching to your own beat!