Fresh Cut for a Fresh New Year

It had been a very rough few weeks. A week and a half before Christmas, I'd broken up with Kim, my girlfriend. We'd been dating since last spring and living together since summer. I'd slowly come to realize how much she'd been controlling my life. We never spent any time with my friends, only hers. All my stuff was in storage and we used her things. We'd spent Thanksgiving with her family, yet she refused to even think about seeing mine at Christmas. That was the wake up call. I knew I couldn't spend the rest of my life isolated from all those important to me that she didn't want to see.

I had moved out as soon as I could find a place to move into. Now here it was New Year's Eve, and my big plans involved unpacking the stuff that had been in storage for six months. Yes, I was in a funk. And a bit embarrassed to call any of my friends since I'd all but abandoned them for the last few months.

"You're better off without her," I told myself for the millionth time that day. Granted, I knew this. But man did it hurt. This had been my first truly serious relationship, at least on my end.

I finished unpacking a bunch of DVD's and reached for a new box. Right on top was something that stopped me cold. My set of hair clippers. I loved keeping my hair buzzed, but Kim had made an off handed comment after our first month about preferring longer hair, so I'd grown it out for her. I looked in the mirror, and suddenly couldn't stand the sight of all that hair on my head. Granted, it was a businessman's cut, still very sharp. But it was the principle of the thing.

I was tempted to head to the bathroom and take care of it myself, but that wasn't enough for me. I reached for the phone. He answered on the second ring.

"Hi Steve. It's Matt."

"Matt? It's been a long time. How are you?"

"Kim and I broke up."

"Sorry to hear that."

I sighed. "I am, but I'm not. Listen, I realize it's New Year's Eve, but I'm in desperate need of a haircut, and you were the first person I thought up. You up for one?"

I could hear the grin over the phone line. "You bet! Actually, I'm having the gang over for a party in a couple hours, but if you wanted to come over now…."

"I'm on my way." I grabbed the clippers and was on my way out the door.

Steve and I had met in college, and became good friends as we spent time cutting each other's hair. We both liked the short, easy to cut style, and my clippers were a much cheaper alternative. We'd discovered other shared interests, and spent a lot of time together as a result. He'd been the last of my friends I'd let slip away, but there just hadn't been the time to see him.

It was 15 minutes later I pulled into his apartment complex. It felt so good, like coming home. The door opened as soon as I knocked on it. Steve engulfed me in a giant bear hug. "It's great to see you again!"

"Must breathe…." I panted back. One of Steve's hobbies was body building, and a bear hug from him was often a painful experience. I often thought it was his way of punishing someone he was mad at, but feared the pain of revealing his sinister plots.

He released me and pulled the door opened wider. "Come in."

"It is great to see you again," I told him as I stepped across the threshold. "Sorry I let the time get away from me."

Steve took one look at my hair. "That's not the only thing you let get away from you. Have a seat, and let's clean up this mop."

I surrendered the clippers and obediently walked into the bathroom, where a chair and spare sheet were already waiting for me. "Just the usual, please."

We talked as he made short work of my hair. I smiled more and more as I saw my old shelf immerge. It's amazing what a couple inches of hair can do to you. Before I knew it, Steve had my hair back down to a #2, with a #1 on the sides.

"Now my turn."

Honestly, Steve looked like he'd just had a cut last week. But, for old time's sake, I didn't argue. Switching places with him, I plowed right in, giving him the same cut as mine without even asking. Once we were done, we vacuumed the bathroom, finishing with plenty of time to spare before the party started.

I had noticed something. With every pass of the clippers, I felt like a new man. I was free. By the time I'd done with Steve's hair, my whole outlook had changed. Heck, my heart had learned what my head already knew, I was much better off without Kim. Who would have known a haircut could be so liberating?

My friends were surprised to see me when they arrived for the party. But hanging out with them again was exactly what I needed. Before I left, I'd promised that my next girlfriend would not drive a wedge between them and me. Or between me and my short hair.