I Couldn't Wait

I can’t wait to get away from home. Growing up at home wasn’t a pleasant experience. I had two sisters older than me, and one brother, younger. It didn’t take long to notice that my oldest sister was the ‘apple of Dad’s eye.’ She could do or say anything and she could get away with it. The same is true of my younger brother. For example, I helped my father earn extra money for the family, and my brother got a new bike. I never had a bike, not even a used one. I wanted to go and be with my friends, I always was given some chore to do around the farm. My brother was allowed to go anywhere, any time and I was told to take up the slack.

One thing I did eventually come to like about my parents, especially my father, was their insistence of me getting good grades. I loved to learn and read so I maintained a straight “A” average throughout high school. On the other hand, my brother barely made it to high school. Actually, I think my younger brother was the smartest of us four. He was a freshman when I was a senior.

I had asked my parents if I could get my hair cut short like the other boys in my class and they told me they didn’t have the money to let me get my hair cut every week or two which is what I would have to do to keep the style looking great! As a result, my hair was extremely long. My hair is light brown with a moderate curl in it. When I had my senior picture taken, my hair was longer than most of the girls in our class. My mother encouraged dad’s attitude towards my hair. She loved the thick, long, curly hair of mine. Oh! Yes! You guessed it. My brother wanted really short hair and he was given money every week to keep it looking really sharp. I asked my father one day why I couldn’t get mine cut like my brother and he said, “It’s not up for discussion.” If I wanted something, there was never money for it. If my brother wanted the same thing, he got it.

My youngest sister and I were in the same boat. She and I felt like we didn ’t belong to the family except to do the work. As she would put it, ‘we are always being dumped on.’

During my senior year, I received a scholarship to further my education. I couldn’t wait to get to college. I would be free of what I came to feel as a slave. The day came when I left for college. I took what cloths I had and was on my way. As soon as I got to college, I immediately found several jobs. I knew money would be tight, but I would make it. My parents never gave me a dime towards my education. When my brother wanted to drop out of high school, my parents insisted he finish. When he did, he received a new car. Talk about being hurt. I knew then, I wasn’t thought of as their son.

I was able to find a lovely lady who rented rooms to college students. She was so nice to me. She was like a mother. One day I was sitting sewing on a button and she knocked on my open door and asked to come in. She wanted to know if everything was satisfactory and if I needed anything. I told her she had thought of everything. I appreciated her asking. She wanted to know what I was doing and I told her a button had come off of one of my shirts and I was sewing it back on. She said, “Dave, I will be glad to do things like that for you. I need something to keep me busy. I thanked her. My rent was low since I made an agreement with her, I would do jobs around her home that she couldn’t do in exchange for lower rent. I wasn’t afraid of work.

My first act after I received my first paycheck was to visit the barber. I had gotten to college several months early to get settled and to find jobs. I had saved up some money by doing odd jobs for people around home. Dad didn’t want me to take any money for helping them out, but they insisted and I didn’t tell him. As I was walking and looking, I noticed the price of haircuts was quite high, but then I hadn’t been in a barbershop in years. Eventually I found a shop off of the beaten path. It was a one-chair shop and the barber looked like he was in is late 40s. I liked his haircut - he had shaved his head. It looked fantastic with such a shine and tan on it.

I walked in and he welcomed me. He asked me to have a seat. He introduced himself as Jim. I said, “My name is Dave. I am glad to meet you.” He put the cape on me and then said, “I don’t want to be rude, but I have to ask you why you have such long hair. Before I could answer, he continued, “You look just like a girl. A real man wouldn’t allow himself to go around looking like that.” I wasn’t insulted at all. What he was saying was what I had felt all the time I was growing up. I liked what I was hearing. He didn’t know what I have been through growing up. Finally, I noticed a picture of him in a Marine uniform hanging on the wall and then I notice lots of items related to the Marines.

I commented on them and he got off my case of long hair and was off on his exploits as a Marine. Finally he came back to my hair. I told him of my growing up and not allowed to cut my hair. He said, “Now that is downright cruel. I can sure do something about that right now. What will it be?” Without any thought, I said, “JUST LIKE YOURS.” Jim asked me something I thought strange at the time. He wanted to know if he could take some pictures as BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER and I asked him why and he said, “I like to keep a record of some of the most outstanding cuts I do. Yours is going to be one of them.” I told him I didn’t mind as long as they were not passed around. He got his digital camera out and took some pictures. As he was taking pictures, he kept saying, “This is some head of hair.”

As he picked up a pair of scissors, he said, “Now! Are you ready.” I asked Jim if I could watch him cut my hair. I told him I thought it would be great fun. Jim said, “Sure! You are going to like what you see.” With that he turned the chair facing the mirror and sectioned off some of the hair and sliced it off. That first cut sure did feel good to me. He held up the hair and then handed it to me. He said, “Here hold this up so I can take a picture.” When he took the picture, he took the lock of hair back and dropped it. It was great fun watching it drop to the floor. The more he cut off, the happier I was and the happier he appeared to be. In about 5 minutes, most of my long hair was gone. The only part he hadn’t cut was the back. When he cut that clump of hair off, he put a strong rubber band on it and laid it on the counter. More pictures. I said, “Jim! I don’t look so good, are you sure you want to take pictures of this?” Jim said, “These will help tell the story.”

All of a sudden Jim picked up a pair of huge clippers. When he snapped them on, they came to life and made a really masculine sound. I could tell they were powerful because as he plowed through the hair I had remaining on my head, the tone didn’t change one bit. One pass from my forehead to my crown and another picture was taken. The feel of the clippers against my head was really something. In a few minutes Jim had gone over my head several times with the clippers.

As he was putting the clippers away, I reached up and felt my head. It was amazing. It felt like rough sandpaper. I could see the stubs. More pictures with one of my rubbing my head. Jim said, “Feels great doesn’t it?” I looked at him and nodded my head. I was amazed how much I noticed happening around me with my almost bald head. I was brought back to reality when I heard Jim say, “Dave! Do you want me to leave it like this?” I looked up at him and said, “No Way! I want it just like yours.” Jim laughed and said, I knew you were my kind of guy. So here we go!” He placed some warm lather on my head and more pictures. Then Jim placed a very wet, hot towel around my head! While I was sitting there, Jim began sweeping up the hair. He wanted to know if I wanted to save it and I said, “No Sir! I don’t want to see that hair any more.

After he finished sweeping, he removed the towel and put new, hot lather on my head and Jim said, “Dave! Here we go!” He took a Mach 3 TURBO razor and ran it back across the top of my head. He made two more passes and then, more pictures. I was having lots of fun watching the entire process that I didn’t realize when Jim finished, I had been in the chair almost an hour. Boy! Talk about feeling great. My head shone so and the feeling was AWESOME!

Yep! You guessed it, more pictures. I don’t know how many pictures Jim took, but I knew it was at last a dozen. I got up and was ready to pay Jim, when he said, “Dave! Put that money away. I don’t want anything for this cut. You don’t know how much pleasure you gave me today by letting me turn you into a young man. You truly look sensational BALD! I hope you like it and like it well enough to keep it.” I wanted to give him a tip, but he refused that also. I thanked Jim and left. Just as I hit the street, I could feel the sun’s rays hitting my head. It felt so good. I knew I wanted to spend as much time out of doors as I could to get a tan on my white head.

When I got back to my room, my landlord, Dot, saw me and said, “My goodness Dave, What a change. I love it. Did you do that for me?” I laughed as she rubbed my smooth head and I said, “YEP! I thought you would like it.” She rubbed it again and said, “KEEP IT SMOOTH! You sure do look handsome, masculine, and so sexy.” I grinned and thanked her.

My work progressed nicely. My two employers both gave me very positive encouragement for shaving my head. One said I would look smashing once I got some color up there.

I spent as much time out of doors after that day at Jim’s. I made sure I didn’t get a sunburn. In a week or two I had a pretty good tan on the head. One day I was out walking. I came upon a house on a side street that had such beautiful flowers in the yard. The yard was really spectacular. I stopped and looked. I couldn’t get over how beautiful it looked. Just as I was about to walk on, I heard a familiar voice. It was Jim. He wanted to know if I liked the yard and I said, “It’s beautiful. Who lives here?” Jim smiled and said, “This is my home. I’m glad you like it. Would you like to see the back?” I accepted his invitation and it was as beautiful out back with the huge rose garden, etc.

I looked at Jim and said, “Why aren’t you working today?” He smiled and said, “I took the day off. I do that from time to time. I have to keep my home looking good. Besides Wednesdays are slow days. I have my regulars and they know my schedule. By the way, you sure do look sharp with that bald head and that tan.” I thanked him and then he said, “Oh! Do you have a minute?” I told him I did and he invited me into his home. It was just as beautiful inside. I said, “Your wife sure does a super job of decorating you home and keeping it so neat.” Jim laughed and said, “My wife is gone. She left me 8 years for another man. I was about to say how sorry to hear that, when he continued. That man is my Lord, my Savior, and my Redeemer. I sure do miss her. The yard, flowers, and inside were her pride and joy and I am not about to let her down.”

Jim took me to their beautiful glassed in sun porch and offered me a seat. He left me for a minute and he returned with a photo album. I thought he was going to show me pictures of his wife, but I was completely surprised. He handed it to me and said, “This is yours. I thought maybe you would like to look at it from time to time.” I opened the album and there were the pictures Jim had taken that fateful day. I couldn’t believe how I looked with that disgusting hair. At the end of the album there was this big lock of hair, my hair. The pictures were excellent. I thanked Jim and said, “I’ m getting tired of shaving my head. Maybe I will let it grow back in. Jim said, “Dave. Any time you get tired of shaving your head, drop by my shop and let me practice….no charge.” I thanked him and said I might just do that, but I would insist on paying him for it.

I left with the album and that evening, I sat down and looked through the pictures again. I was surprised that I hadn’t seen it before, but Jim had placed a little comment with each picture. I had to laugh at some of them. That gave me an idea. I went to the college library and sat down at the computer and typed up some comments of my own for each picture. I printed them and took them home. That evening, I put my comments in with each picture. I didn’t look at Jim’s comments as I typed up mine. I found it most interesting when I put my comments in and how similar mine were to Jim’ s.

Wednesdays were my days off also. I thought I would drop around Jim’s place and see if I could help him do anything outside. Yep! I found Jim trimming some bushes as I approached. I told Jim I was there to help him. I loved working out of doors. I did the cleaning up and weeding as Jim continued to clip. It didn’t seem long, but it began to get dark. I finished up my work and told Jim I needed to get back to my room. I thanked him for letting me help him. He looked at me and said, “You don’t know how much I appreciate you helping me. It usually takes me several days to get it all done. I told Jim I would be back next Wednesday to help out - cut grass, etc. I loved the exercise, the out of doors, and of course another chance to get some more sun on my head.

My classes were about to begin. I couldn’t wait to get started. I made it a point to save time for my two jobs, and Wednesdays for Jim.

One afternoon I realized I had been so busy with my college assignments, that I had forgotten to shave. I could tell by the feel but you couldn’t tell just from looking. I walked down town to Jim’s shop and he was there sitting. I asked him if he had time to give me a shave. He jumped from the chair and said, “I thought maybe you didn’t like the way I shaved you since you hadn’t been back.” It wasn’t long before he was washing my stubs and then placed lots of hot lather on my head and face. He put a hot, moist towel on my head while he shaved my face. In no time, he had me shining. It felt so good for him to do it. I told him I get lazy from time to time. Jim said, how about getting lazy more often. I sure do miss seeing you except on Wednesday. I laughed and I said, “I have my studies and if I don’ t do well, I won’t get my scholarship renewed.” I went to pay Jim and he refused, but this time I was the stronger of us two. I said, “Jim! I appreciate your work and I insist on paying. I have the money set aside for it.”

Jim thanked me and said, “Do you have a budget for everything?” I said, “Yes sir! I have to. I get no help from my parents so I watch my budget very closely. The first thing comes my tithing. I can’t forget that. You see my budget reminds me of my priorities.” Jim said, “Good boy! I sure wished I had a son like you.”

As I was leaving, I said, “Jim. I have a young man living in the same house with hair almost as long as what I had. Do you suppose you could turn him around if I brought him to you?” Now I knew his answer but I wanted to see the look on his face when I said it. Jim said, “Bring him right in and I will make him into a man before he knows what hit him.” That evening I was sitting in my room studying and Sam stuck his head in and said, “Dave! I need to ask you something.” I invited him in and he told me he was thinking of going a little shorter with his hair and wanted to know who cut my hair. I asked him if he would like for me to show him where the place is and introduce him to Jim. I told him that Jim charged a lot less than the other barbers. I didn’t mention to Sam that Jim was an ex-Marine and he liked to go short. I knew pretty much how Sam was going to look once Jim got hold of him. Sam said he could go that following afternoon if I could. I was free so the next day, off we went.

As usual, Jim was sitting in the chair looking out the window. When he saw us coming, he got up and was smiling. I didn’t know if it was because he was glad to see me, or seeing that long hair on Sam. I knew it was both. I introduced Sam to Jim and I sat down. The discussion began between the two of them and before I knew it, Sam asked me for my opinion. Jim had suggested a cut like mine. Sam wasn’t sure. He said, “If I got my head shaved, my parents would kill me.” I told him I didn’t want to see him get killed, but that the head shave was the most exciting haircut going. Sam said, “You didn’t tell me what haircut to get.” I looked up at Sam and said, “Jim shave it all off.”

Jim was delighted and he looked at Sam. Sam looked at Jim and said, “Well! Dave said “shave it” so shave it, it will be.” Jim took the same steps as he did with me with the picture taking. It wasn’t long before Sam was shining. He reached up to his head and felt it. He couldn’t keep form rubbing it. Sam did look terrific. When we arrived back to our rooms, Sam said, “Dave! Thanks! This is wild. My parents are going to love this once I get a tan on my head.” When Thanksgiving rolled around, Sam went home for the holiday. I stayed at college and worked extra hours to help with the budget. My landlady stopped by and asked if I was going anywhere for the holiday. I told her I wanted to remain if it was all right with her. She said, “I wished you would go home for the holiday. I don’t mind you staying here. I will be away for several days. I will leave a phone number where I can be reached. I will be at my sisters.” When Sam returned, I said, “Well! I see you are still alive.” He laughed and said, “My parents couldn ’t believe I had cut my hair. They both thought it was a little extreme but they liked it a lot better than the long hair.”

I thought about going home for Christmas, but then I remembered the hurt I felt when I thought of Christmases past. I knew how it would be so I didn’t go. I remained in my room, but I did go shopping for a presents for Jim and Dot. I wrapped them and delivered them. It wasn’t much, but then I didn’t have much money. The next time I stopped by Jim’s for a shave, he thanked me for the present. He had the plaque hanging on the wall in his shop.

I continued my education, never going home. What hurt me the most is that no one except for my younger sister communicated with me. She had gotten out of the house and got married. She went to school and got her nursing degree and was a full-time nurse. She hadn’t gone home since she left either. I finished my undergraduate degree and was offered another scholarship to continue on for my Masters. I gladly accepted and eventually finished my PhD. I still visit Jim on a weekly basis to help him in the yard and to get a shave. I am now employed at the University as a full-time professor in Chemistry.

One day I received word that Jim was ill and in the hospital. I went to see him and to assure him he would get well. I asked him if I could do anything for him. He said, “I can’t think of anything. I just would like to get out of here so I could go home and work in my yard.” Then it dawned on me. No one was taking care of his pride and joy - his lawn and flowers. When I left Jim, I called several of my fellow professors and told them of the situation. They all said they would come and help and before I knew it, I had even their wives there helping. The wives took care of the inside of Jim’s home. It sparkled when they finished. We guys went at it and before the end of the day, the lawn was cut and raked, bushes trimmed, flowers weeded. All that remained was the big rose garden. I wanted to do that myself. The next day I visited Jim and he told me that he was being released the next day. I told him I would be there to get him. When I left, I went to his house and made sure his refrigerator was stocked as well as bread, etc. I also made sure that I had gotten his rose garden back in shape. When I was bringing him home, he commented on the fact that he wouldn’t be able to do any yard work for several days and that the place would be a mess. When we drove in his driveway, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

He said, “How?” I told him of my professor friends and they had come to help me. When he got inside, he couldn’t believe the inside. He said, “I don’t believe this. This place was in bad shape when I left since I didn’t feel like doing anything.” I told him of the professor’s wives come to our aide. I could tell he was pleased and then he said, “Thank you Dave. Would you do me one more favor? I would like the names and addresses of the professors and their wives so I can send them a Thank You note. I told him that wasn’t necessary, but he insisted. The next day when I came to check on him, I gave him their names and addresses. Jim looked 100% better. He said he felt like his old self. It turned out he had some kind of infection and they wanted to keep him in the hospital to make sure that had it killed.

It wasn’t long before Jim was back to normal and doing his usual daily chores around his home and shop. I still remember the first time I laid eyes on his bald head and how wonderful it looked. It still shines today as does mine. I can’t imagine having hair on my head after these many years without it.