Jo: You missed a spot.
Sasha who has been pulling on a shower cap stops and glares at Jo. Jo chuckles.
Jo: What’s the essay on?
Sasha: A challenge in my life that I’ve had to overcome (pause) and no I can’t write about having you as a roommate.
Jo snaps her fingers.
Jo: Dam!
They chuckle. Sasha looks uncomfortable because of her hair but tries to hide it
Sasha: Have you started on those yet? Or is it written on your foot so you can not remember later?
Jo: Hey, it’s a good system. Just has a few glitches.
Sasha: Like when you barely come out of the room or change your clothes all weekend cause you’re impersonating a bear during hibernation?
Jo: You know it Boo Boo
Sasha: Well Yogi?
Jo: I’m not going to.
Sasha: Not write it on your foot…Not apply for university?
Jo shushes her and they both turn to look at the door.
Jo: Yeah so?
Sasha: Can’t your mom afford it?
Jo: Why has that got to be the reason?
Sasha: Well, sorry its just. Is your mom okay with that? You not getting a proper education.
Jo: Proper education. Yoh don’t let Juffrou hear that, or she’s spent the last 5 years wasting her time.
Sasha: You need a degree.
Jo: Why?
Sasha: Cause that’s what you do. You matriculate. You study at university. You get a job –
Jo: Do you actually wanna study?
Sasha: What kind of question is that? No one wants to study you just do.
Jo: Doesn’t that seem kinda stupid
Sasha: Stupid is not studying at all
Jo: I’m gonna work. Katie and I were talking and-
Sasha: (scoffs) Katie
Jo: You know just cause she doesn’t look and act like you and the rest of the Garnier Campaign on the second floor doesn’t mean she’s stupid
Sasha: I didn’t say that. I just don’t think she makes and effort.
Jo: Hmm but Tanya does
Sasha: Why don’t you like Tanya?
Jo: Why don’t you like Katie?
Dorm Mother: 3C! Sasha. Jo. It’s lights out! Ek praat nie weer nie. Julle meisiekinders hoër nie! Dis nou die laste keer.
Sasha begins to grown uncomfortable and fans her head
Jo: Sasha take that stuff off man
Sasha: No! It needs to sit for a few more minutes.
Jo: In a few more minutes you may not have any hair left. Or any skin on your scalp
Sasha: Los my.
She starts texting.
Jo: What are you doing?
Sasha: I’m asking Tanya if this is normal.
They sit for a short time while Sasha’s pain increases.
Jo: Maybe if we turn the fan on?
Sasha: Juffrou will hear it. If she comes in here and sees what I’m doing dan sal ek in die moelikheid wees.
Sasha’s cell beeps. She looks and her eyes grow wide.
Jo: What?
Sasha: Tanya. She says she doesn’t know she’s never tried it before.
Jo: Wat! But she gave it to you.
Sasha: Jo, dis seer. Eina
Jo: Go wash it off.
Sasha: It’s lights out. The showers are closed and if I go to the toilet to wash it in the sink Juffrou will see me and I’ll get in trouble. And Tanya too.
Jo: Jes like it. If you say Tanya’s name one more time-
Sasha gets up and begins to sob while fanning her head. Jo grabs her coke bottle and makes Sasha bend her head over the laundry basket.
Sasha: What are you doing?
Jo: A challenge I’ve had to overcome!
Jo washes out the product of Sasha’s hair.
Sasha: Jo its cold. No!
Jo: Quiet
Sasha: Jo, it must sit for a few more minutes.
Jo: Dark and lovely se foot man.
Once she has gotten out most of the product Sasha wraps her head in the towel and weeps
Sasha: She said it was experimental-
Jo: Yoh, serves you right for being Tanya’s guineapig.
Sasha: Her mom owns a hair salon. It’s normally super expensive.
Jo: And at what cost? You got me in here rescuing you from the hairdo from hell!
Sasha shushes her
Jo: Don’t you shush me. Let Juffrou come in here. You deserve it. Flip, Tanya should be locked up for illegal distribution of chemical waste. But I’m the stupid one. I hope your proper education at university teaches you to get some better friends. Yirre!
Sasha: I’m sorry ok.
Jo: No, not okay. You can look down your nose at me and people like Katie cause we don’t bend over backwards to look like-
Sasha: There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have your hair look a certain way.
Jo: Yeah, ok fine. But not because some pophole on the second floor says so.
Jo starts laughing and Sasha stares at her in disbelief. Jo pats Sasha on the shoulder and stops laughing when she sees how miserable she is.
Jo: Let me ask you this. Why do you want to straighten your hair?
Sasha: Because
Jo: Because why?
Sasha: Because- I dunno. Sometimes I like it. Its more manageable . Other times, I just wanna fit in. Is it really so bad to want to be like other people.
Jo: When you go to extreme lengths like this …
END
