The Hair Cut and 'Photo Shoot'

Hence I was down at LaSalle College to settle the school fees. Brought my mother along. She was rather freaked out when she got into the campus because it was such a heavily-designed place. Plus a large part of the building still had supporting beams and there were A LOT OF construction workers.

After settling the school fees thing, the receptionist very casually said, "Then you'll need to go for your photo-taking also,"

Jolted, I asked, "For the student pass is it? When? Like now?" My heart raced.

"Yes, later lor,"

I stared at her wide-eyed, incredulous. I WAS FUCKING WEARING A CAP!

"Today's not really a good time leh. How 'bout tomorrow?"

"No, today is the last day. Tomorrow is for the international students only. Nevermind lah, you just have to take off your cap only what,"

JUST HAVE TO TAKE OFF MY CAP?!

(nervous laughter) "Er, you see, the reason I wear a cap is so that I won't have to style my hair! I cannot do the photo today!"

I even choked on my words. I was freaking out.

"Oh, like bad hair day?!" (turns to colleague, laughs)

It was a laugh that implied, "What the fuck? Bad hair day? Guys CAN'T have bad hair days!"

"Yeah, bad hair day..." (laughs along)

"Okay, I really cannot do the photo now. How 'bout I come back again? I could go for a hair cut or something. What time do you all close?"

"We close at 5.00PM actually,"

"Okay, I'll get my hair cut then,"



I called up It's Hairy to make an appointment at 3.00PM. Reached Far East Plaza at 3.10PM. Then I specifically told Noreen my hairstylist that I had a photo-taking session, so I needed a hair cut. But then I forgot to tell her that I needed to be back at LaSalle by 5.00PM, because she was so meticulous when she was cutting my hair.

I'm quite particular about my hair cut. I'm kinda paranoid that she would thin my hair too much. She thinned it a total of 3 times, being very meticulous and subtle each time. She would ask me what I thought of the degree of thinning after each time.

And then it was 4.20PM. I took a cab down to LaSalle.

The poor taxi driver had no idea where LaSalle was. I just told him Sim Lim Square. Then he asked me to help him check the Street Directory for him. I found the map in a jiffy and showed it to him.

But then he still wasn't too clear of the directions. Ended up I alighted at Burlington Square. There was this woman who wanted to board the taxi. She was quite young, but so KAN CHIONG FOR WHAT?! Cannot wait for me to get off first meh? She was standing so close the door as though someone was gonna steal it from her.

It's a popular belief that the self portraits on student cards do not serve justice to the students. Today, actually every time I have to take an ID shot, I refute that belief.

I also specifically told the receptionist that I want the photo on my card to look good, because it's 'all about packaging'.

So when it was my turn to take the photo, I made sure my hair was in place, and made sure I smiled nicely. I asked the guy, "Is my hair okay?" He said, "Yes, it's great,"

A couple of shots in, he told me to remove my glasses. Gasp! He said my glasses kinda shrouds the eyes and that interferes with the ID photo regulations.

So for the first time, I took a proper photo without my spectacles. I smiled and the guy got so excited, he said, "That's a good one, hold it there, don't move."

"Okay, we got it."

"So can I see it?" I was very kan chiong.

"Can, but even if you don't like also cannot change already,"

I thought it kinda looked okay lah. We'll see how the card turns out eventually.