Harvey was happy to have some time to rest in his dorm before tonight's meeting. He set down his book bag and leaped into his bed, though oddly he felt a barrier between his head and the pillow. It was the turban. Since he was alone, he felt he could finally take it off without offending another student. He carefully untied the turban cloth and patka. In that moment everything felt unfamiliar. After a few seconds he began to reflect on his day with another perspective. What the hell happened!? He went to two classes wearing a turban he didn't even remember putting on, then Gurpreet and another Punjabi student we're talking to him about it. His only saving grace was they acted like it was normal. Harvey was sure other students would think it's weird that a white man is wearing a turban.
Harvey's thoughts shifted to tonight. Gurpreet mentioned he wanted to see Harvey wear a turban to the rest of the meetings. As if he'd do that. The patka was his minimum requirement and that was all he was gonna wear. The problem was Gurpreet probably told other people about it, so he expected to be asked some unwanted questions about his turban tonight. Thinking about clothes, Harvey decided to start getting ready.
Harvey grabbed his phone and looked at himself in the selfie camera. His scruff was getting close to the beginnings of a beard, and with his big hairbun he looked like a hipster. He didn't have time to get a haircut, but he could at least shave himself. He opened a drawer of hair supplies where he kept a large bag of disposible rasors, but it was gone. Had he already run out? Harvey sighed and brushed his hair with a wooden comb. He seemed to remember his comb being plastic, but that was the least of his worries right now. He had to accept that he couldn't do anything about his hair right now, all that was left was to change.
Harvey's preparation was interrupted by a few knocks of his door. He opened it to see his friend Randy outside with a concerned frown.
"Can I come in?" Randy asked. He decided out in athletic gear, his short curly black hair poofing above his sweatband. He must have just come from the soccer field.
"Sure, is everything okay?" They both lived in the same building, so it wasn't so surprising that he showed up at at Harvey's dorm. Still, Harvey wondered why Randall seemed uneasy.
"Me? I was gonna ask you the same question" Randy walked inside and sat on Harvey's bed.
"Yeah, I'm fine" Harvey raised an eyebrow, "why?"
"Well..." Randy grabbed the turban cloth on Harvey's bed "I saw you wearing this big cloth on your head at school today. And listen, I know all the frats do some kind of hazing, but if they're making you do something this embarrassing in public, I bet the stuff behind closed doors is way worse".
Harvey breathed a sigh of relief. Randy just misunderstood, "I didn't join a frat, it's just a turban I'm wearing for a student org".
"So the organization is hazing you?"
"No, remember that culture class I told you I'm taking? I have to join a cultural org for it. Im in a Sikh org and Sikhs wear turbans, so the professor is making me wear one to the meetings".
"Oh, that's a little weird. Is he allowed to do that?"
"I don't know, but it's suppose to be an easy A, man. I I don't think it's worth arguing with him and making him hate me for the semester".
"Fair" Randy looked down at the turban cloth he was holding, "so if you just need to wear it to meetings, why were you wearing it on campus all day?" Harvey flushed red, which make Randy burst out in laughter, "Oh my God! You like wearing it, don't you!?"
"I do not!" Harvey snatched the turban cloth and put in back in his warbrobe with his many other turban cloths and patkas.
"Wow, for someone who doesn't like them, you sure have a lot! That's like, a color for every occasion" Randy grinned.
"Okay, very funny. You know I'm okay so don't you have somewhere you need to be?"
"Aww, don't be like that Bro. I thought we could hang out tonight"
"I cant, I was actually in the middle of getting ready for another meeting"
"Bummer, need a friend to go with you?"
"Why, so you can make fun of me for having to wear a turban?"
"Come on, I was kidding! I'll be there for moral support, I'll be on my best behavior".
Harvey smiled. Randy could take a joke too far, but he was a genuinely kind friend "I'm only going because I have to, I wouldn't want you to waste your evening on this"
"I don't mind, it could be fun. But it's up to you Harv"