Thursday, January 20, 2005

Bar Code

A colleague once asked me what people call “bar code” in America. “Bar code,” I said. Turned out she was not asking about the bar codes on products for scanning, but “bar code” on people’s head.

I had a prime vantage point of one on the train to work this morning. The guy seated in front me had a shiny bald head. Over his pate, he had meticulously combed over from one side a thin layer of hair, gelled and separated into thin strands. All the strands were perfectly parallel with uneven spaces in between: bar code! And you thought the Japanese have no sense of humor.

2 comments:

brownbreadicecream said...

I hate bar codes. Oh god I hate them. I guess I haven't yet personally experienced the pain of going bald, but to cling so desperately to the pitiful remnants...

Don't the people who do this realize how awful it looks? I say, if I ever get to that point, I'll just shave everything off.

Additionally, I think some men can even look attractive without hair.

Unknown said...

I'm usually with you on the bar code thing, but you should've seen this guy's. He's obviously put SOOOOO much work into it. I couldn't take my eyes off of it, kind of a morbid fascination.