Act II. Scene 4 - I bow my head to be cut down.

So this afternoon, I took a break to walk up the hill, and down a rocky, puddled street, to get my hair cut. I waited patiently for my appointment time to come up, as I read year-old car magazines, and listened to my mp3 player softly. I considered it a break from the past week of intense studying of biochemistry of glucose and lipid metabolism, neuroscience, and GI and renal physiology. Not to mention that I was happy to be out of the anatomy lab, and out of the ischioanal fossa.

So when I finally got my chance at the chair, I politely requested my preference, and proceeded to sit quietly as I normally do, listening to the television set switched on and set obliquely above the refrigerator. BBC international went through two cycles speaking about Indian and Pakistani news. A brief aside discussed New Zealand Cricket. Then there was a long-winded discussion about Sudan, Darfur, China, and the Olympics.

Benji, the man with the scissors, asked from behind my head, "Isn't the whole purpose of the Olympics to be free of politics."

I wanted to nod in agreement but remembered the scissors at my scalp. "I totally agree. It's always about money, or politics, or something..." I mouthed with my chin against my chest. "People just don't take the time anymore." It began to rain, and the sound of the drops against the metal-panel roof echoed in the single-roomed shop.

Benji then asked me my take on the American election. I tried to explain how there was still plenty of time, that anything could happen; the whole thing had started way too early. There was some hesitation in my voice.

Silence filled the small 15' x 15' wooden building for a few minutes, except for the fan oscillating in the corner, and the rain both above, and on the short concrete path from the rocky road to the front door. The cage of the fan was rusted from turning back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, for who knows how long in this open-air business. I was content not having a drop of sweat on me. It only took 6 months.

As I was being swung around to slim down my sideburns, Benji switched to FoxNews. "I'm sorry," he said. For a moment I thought he might be apologizing for FoxNews, or for liking them. But it didn't matter, I wasn' watching the tube anymore.

Over the crackly, mono speaker, from the analog 19" CRT, came some hype-filled babble, once again about US politics, and it broke the silence between proprietor and customer.

"There's just a lot of questions that still have to be answered, and I think we have to get to know the candidates a little better - really get to know what they're saying," I said, trying to clarify and/or elaborate on my earlier answer.

In my left ear I heard half-hearted agreement, but it was more as if I spoke too fast or wasn't understood. So I thought I'd pause and listen. It wouldn't take long.

One of the talking heads said the word Clinton, and Benji scoffed under his breath. "After everything, and to have a no-name black man come out of nowhere and do that. You'd think she'd get the idea."

"Yeah," was all I could muster.

"But I bet everyone thinks Clinton was a great president, and made the country great?" The scissor-wielder came back, this time from the right.

I spoke what I thought was true. "A lot of people associate Bill Clinton with a good time in US history, with good economic times. But he wasn't all that good."

"What do you mean?" Benji asked, with genuine concern. He thought I would have instantly agreed that Bill was an almighty man.

I related that despite the economic prosperity, Clinton's presidency was mired by scandals, including Monica (which Benji brought up), mysterious deaths, and a long trail of shady business and personal dealings. I proposed to him, "Perhaps instead of Bill Clinton being such a great president, maybe Bill Clinton was just the president during a good time for the US."

And then I got a history lesson I hadn't been expecting.

"Well his regime was bad for our island." Benji came back.

It took me a second. I hadn't heard a presidency referred to as a regime. But I quickly realized it was the same difference. I asked if he could explain.

He related that it was under the direct influence of President Clinton, during a visit to a WTO meeting, that he personally influenced for the removal of a provision in trade agreements in which Dominica was a preferred provider of bananas to the US. At the time, the Dominican economy was based on bananas, and supported 75% of the population. Instantly, the market was opened up to large-scale (aka big business) producers in Central America, the international price of bananas plummeted, and with it went Dominica's economy. This was less than 10 years ago. Since, there has been an emigration of nearly 10% of the population of Dominica, simply because the economy, though improving, is apparently still playing catch-up.

"So, yes, we don't look too high to that regime." Benji said again, in a serious tone, but still managing to smile.

As I turned to look at my hair in the mirror, the lower profile made my widened eyes look even bigger.

I continue to be amazed at this world - so powerful to rise up storms, and tear down civilzations, yet made to feel so small by the actions of man.