It’s hard having gray hair. People think I’m old.

However, they expressed themselves the week I tried to dye it back to the natural color I had in my high school graduation photo.

Natural brown with auburn highlights should have been easy. I went to the store and purchased a box upon which the model wore the same darned shade. I had a reference — the same graduation photo.

What the box didn’t say was one color element might overwhelm the others.

I got all necessary tools together and went into the bathroom, grateful I was home alone.

Someone reminded me later what happened next was instant karma.

I washed my hair and dried it, then followed instructions on the box. I felt like a mad chemist.

Bye, bye, gray streaks.

I was overjoyed.

About 45 minutes later, I was underwhelmed. I had hair that would make Lucille Ball weep with envy. Lucy envy red, with one streak running down my neck.

What I didn’t want was the red hair. I rushed down to the store, box in hand and hair glaringly visible.

I received a box of stuff to remove the dye, then bought an application of dark auburn.

All the red was taken out and the new shade worked. Clorox removed the streak down my neck.

When the natural grey took over, I let it stand.

As I sorted through junior high and high school photos of the grandkids last week, I could only hope the green hair is natural, along with purple, half and half and rainbow.

I told them the story of Lucy red.

“Who?”

“Is that someone from ‘Toy Story?’’”

“Nah, it’s Harry Potter.”

“This is Grandma we’re looking at. Dad says it’s Miss Kitty from ‘Gunsmoke.’”

Sometimes, the changing times bring with them knowledge.

They amply relate to gray hair. There’s someone with that shade in every movie they watch. The question is, “Why?”

I threatened to do maroon and white for Homecoming.

The problem was the pandemic and missing school events.

There’s still time. We have one more year at Alamosa High School.

Maroon and white are part of me. I bleed maroon and turn white when someone comes along with a needle.

Everyone does. Moose Nation.

We have pavers in the school yard. We are generations of Maroons and I found out my mom attended AHS for a while.

I don’t think Lucille Ball did, so bright red won’t work.

What’s not on the head that makes a difference, what’s inside counts more.

Let’s hope Mother Nature cooperates.