Taxi is not the place for you to touch up

The afternoon sun was so hot that I thought sitting by the window of the commuter taxi plying the Kampala-Wakiso route, would have the natural blowing wind cool my body. How wrong I was! Not that the wind did not blow, no. In fact it did with sooth only that it was badly contaminated.

Next to me was a woman who thought she would do in the taxi what ought to be done from home; combing her hair. So as the wind blew, her hair filled my face. She lacked the courtesy to say “Sorry” and behaved as though everything was normal.

I wondered whether in her deepest of self, combing hair while in a taxi was right. Yet she is not the only one. Many women do; from combing hair to applying powder on their faces. I believe if a woman must look beautiful, and every woman should, then they ought to do their beauty works ahead of time, in front of their dressing mirrors, at home.

I would care less if she was in her private vehicle, but even then, she ought to be alone in that car. The thing is, you need to be mindful of those around you.

Scovia Natamba, a student at Makerere University, agrees. “It’s nagging to see a woman literally dressing up while in the taxi; hair blowing into people’s eyes and powder on their shirts or blouses.”

Idah Lugya, an IT specialist, however, says, sometimes it is inevitable. “At times, you are jumping from a boda boda straight into a taxi and you cannot get anywhere to makeup yet the hair has been disorganised by the wind.

In which case, the only option you would have would be to take a quick look at yourself in a mirror, bend down a bit and comb briefly,” she argues.

Susie William Tendo, a social worker, says the solution lies in managing time well so you do your makeup ahead of time before leaving home. And to those who use boda bodas for transport at some point during the day, Tendo advises. “First step aside, do your hair and get into the taxi.”