Years ago, I was performing a solo concert in Virginia Beach. Well, I was one of a few featured soloists for this event, so it wasn't just me, but I was playing several solos.
I was due for a haircut, so I went to the barber down the road. I wanted to look nice and sharp for the big performance.
In the past, I've just said to the person cutting my hair, "Give me the
#2."
And it would always work out just fine.
Until it didn't.
The gal took the shears and, well, did a #2 on the top of my head.
I mean, she took off everything but maybe a centimeter of hair.
First pass on the top of my hair, I gasped. "What have you done?!" I asked in sheer horror.
She was petrified. "I just did what you told me to do..."
She
showed me the #2 size thing you put on the clippers.
I guess the word "Oops" is the one word you don't want to hear at the barbershop.
The poor girl was just doing what I told her to do.
Although in the past, I think the #2 would be applied only to the sides, then they would use scissors for the top to make it look all spiffy.
Perhaps the gal should have made sure I knew what I was getting. "You do realize
you're basically going to look bald, right?" would have been a welcome warning before going to town on my hair.
Well, I did the gig in my suit and tie... and cue ball head. It was slightly awkward, but at the end of the day, Brahms is dead, and he doesn't care about the hair of the person playing his violin solo on the cornet.
But every now and then I'll see the top of my head, maybe in a security camera or something, and I help but notice I'm guilty
of the massive combover syndrome.
Maybe I'm trying to hide something by growing my hair out.
Maybe that young gal at Cost Cutters (I did tip her, it's not like she didn't do her job) ended up doing me a favor.
Maybe it's time to embrace the hair loss and begin working within the constraints Nature has bestowed upon me.
Sometimes I feel like I'm doing the same thing with my life in general. But I've
chosen a career path that leaves me rather exposed in many ways.
Best to just learn to live with my shortcomings and trust people will love me anyway.