The Intimate Aspects of Hair

Big Ernie "Ern" McCracken, sported the most famous Comb Over of all time
Gadabout has been cutting his own hair for the past year. I have been doing this not to save a buck, I starting cutting it myself because it isn’t very hard to do so when you don’t have much crop on top. Like so many other men in their late forties and early fifties, plenty of our once vibrant appearances take a nose dive, and loosing hair is one of them.

It all started five years ago when the “peninsula” on top started to separate itself from the “mainland” and the beginnings of an island took shape. This insidious turn of events was alarming to Gadabout, so I fought back with creative combing techniques to buy time in an attempt to keep a youthful flair. A close “friend” at the time had been biting her tongue long enough and in an explosion of trenchant wisdom she informed me that I had a “comb-over.” Ouch, that hurt! But she was right, so I shamefully allowed her to march me over to the local barbershop where she directed a “buzz cut.” It was the right thing to do, and I thought it looked pretty good afterwards. This marked the beginning of Part II in Gadabout’s life.

Well, I started getting tired of waiting in line for 15 minutes and then paying $13 bucks a pop for sitting 5 short minutes in the barber’s chair. Getting a buzz cut is similar to changing oil in a car. I can change the oil in my car in less time than it takes to drive to Jiffy Lube, and I do it for a lot less cash. Last year I bought an electric razor kit with all the attachments (made in China) for less than $30, and started cutting my own hair. Yeah, it was rocky at first, but we are talking about a buzz cut here—how hard can it be?

There is one difficulty with cutting your own hair, and that is trimming the neck line. If you try to do it in front of a mirror using a second handheld mirror, all movements are opposite. Left is right, and right is left. It is easier for someone else to handle this delicate task, and for this simple reason is why men continue to use barbers!

But this is where intimacy comes into play. You see, if you have your “special friend” finish the job of shaving the back of your neck it brings both people together in a wonderful and gentle way. Allowing someone else cut your hair or shave your neck uniquely connects both individuals; similar to caring for another when they are sick or injured. The simple gesture of bringing two aspirins and a glass of water to friend in bed is an act of kindness, and both parties feel the connectedness.

This is one topic that is ripe for the psychology journals and marriage counselors. Take stock in your relationship and hairline, and if they both need a makeover, Gadabout has pointed the way.

I wonder how "The Donald" is doing these days?