The bald headed girl

Kanchana's white scarf aroused my anger towards her careless mother. I can remember last year, my first day at this school, she was wearing a black scarf. In the morning assembly when I saw a scarfed head among bear heads;

“Are there Muslims in this school?” I asked my neighbor.

“Not only Muslims, Tamils are also here. This is a good example for ethnic unity” She said.

“Only one Muslim girl?” I exclaimed.

“No, many.”

“Don’t they cover their heads?”

“Here they don’t cover their heads. Maybe because most of them are mixed. Tamil Muslims or Sinhala Muslims. Do you mean that girl wearing a black scarf? She’s not Muslim. She’s Sinhalese. Her hair is shaved bald. That’s why she’s wearing a scarf.”

“Bald?” I was astonished. How can a girl come to school with a bald head!

“Yes.  Lazy mother! It’s easier for her to shave once a year than clean every day. When eggs and lice cover the head, she shaves.” She explained.

I was sorry for the girl. What an unlucky girl she was, to have such a careless mother! I remembered how my mother looked after my long thick hair when I was a child.

This year she is wearing a white scarf.

“Why did you let your mother shave your head? You’re old enough to keep your hair clean. Aren’t you?” I asked when she came for the lesson. Her normal playful mood vanished and she remained silent, digging the floor with her big toe.

“Bath and comb your hair regularly. Keep your hair clean and healthy. Don’t let your mother cut your hair. It looks ugly.” I advised.

 “It’s not my mum madam.” She broke the silence.

“Then who does it?” I asked

“My aunt.”

“Does your mum allow her?”

“I don’t have a mother madam. I’ve never seen her.”

Oh my God! Was it a dead person I had accused?

“Ok, don’t let your aunt shave your hair. You look after your hair.”

I sent her to the seat and started the lesson. But her words echoed in my mind. “I don’t have a mother madam. I’ve never seen her.” ”I’ve never seen her.” “I’ve never seen her.” “I’ve never seen her.”

Then, last year, my neighbor in the morning assembly, why did she accuse her mother? “Lazy mother!”  It puzzled me.

“What do you know about Kanchana?” During my free time I went to her class teacher and asked.

“The naughtiest girl in the class! Behaves like a boy.” She replied

“I know that. I meant about her private life. family and parents?”

“That’s the reason to be naughty. Her mother has gone with another man when she was a baby. Her father has taken another woman. She is ill treated by her step-mother.”