by Ratt
It had been a week since this new tradition had begun, and already Mark's hand was trained to grip the razor and shave in straight, steady motions, first with the grain, then against after a second lathering. He never once trembled or cried or drew blood. With this trained hand, he took the last bit of lather from behind his ear, taking with it the last wisps of auburn hair which had grown in overnight. He splashed his head with cold water, sending a pleasant chill down his spine, then stopped to admire his work in the mirror. He softly ran his palm back across his skull. Good god! There was nothing else like it! Nothing else so smooth like marble yet warm like flesh, the color of everything divine and delicious, and with a scintillating shine. In the loss of superficial vanity, a new vanity had arisen. Mark liked it a lot.
But there was time to admire himself later. The first step in redeeming his character, was to pick up Dave at the airport. Of course, Dave didn't know that Mark had shaved his head. Maybe Mark could convince him to do the same! Oh, this was going to be a charming reunion! Mark got dressed and pulled a sock-like hat over his head, the soft acrylic fibers tingling against his bare skin.
It was already that sort of day when things just go right: traffic was virtually nil, Dave's flight was right on time, and Mark didn't beep on the way through the metal detector, despite the metal in his ear. He instantly recognized Dave's tall figure exiting the plane. Dave deposited his luggage at Mark's feet before greeting his roommate with a hug. Dave was wearing a floppy canvas fisherman's hat with the brim folded away from his eyes.
"You're awfully happy for having just come from a funeral," said Mark as they wandered toward the baggage claim.
"Well, I've got some really great news. I've made a big change in my life."
"So have I," said Mark. "But you go first."
"All right," said Dave. "My first night in Denver, I felt really helpless. I kept wishing I could have done something more for Mom, you know? She always gave so much for us. So the morning before the funeral, I decided to make a sacrifice in her honor." He smiled a bit. "Remember how she always urged me to ger a haircut?" He paused, removing his hat. Mark gasped.
Dave's long, honey-blonde hair had been chopped off, so he now wore a beautiful short flattop. Mark trembled a bit.
"Nice," he said timidly. "Can I touch?" Dave nodded.
Mark ran his finger over the top of his friend's head, careful not to appear too eager. The hair was three or four different lengths, but it was all beautifully blended and tapered to create a strong yet elegant look. It was nearly half an inch at the front, gradually getting shorter towards the back, following the angle of his skull. The back and sides were trimmed so close that only a faint gold-colored dust appeared on Dave's white scalp. To think his hair was some 18 inches long when he left!
"Well, don't keep me in suspense! What's your fantasic news?" said Dave, eyeing the strange hat on Mark's head.
"Oh, it's nothing spectacular like yours," Mark said sheepishly. "But after you left, I was feeling like such an ass. So I got up my courage, and I did this." He pulled off his hat, his bald head glistening under the fluorescent lights. Dave grinned.
"Amazing!" he said. "We both had the same idea. Has Sharon seen?"
"Yeah," said Mark. "She hates it. But it doesn't bother me. There are other girls." He glanced around the room, where clusters of women of all ages stood with their eyes focused on the two beautiful men. "Yes, I'm sure I'll find someone who'll just love running her hands over my head. To hell with bitches like Sharon!"
Dave laughed, playfully rubbing Mark's perfect head. "Maybe we can send her your ponytail in the mail!" He paused. "You're going to keep it bald, aren't you?"
"Only if you keep yours shorn. Is that a deal?"
Dave nodded. "And we won't need these silly things anymore," he said, pointing to the hats. "God, this is great! We've done everything together since we were kids, and now we're beginning new lives together."
Mark smiled, saying nothing. He admired his reflection in the polished black floor.
Copyright (c) 2000 by Ratt. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission from the author.