Hair Country

Last Thursday, I finally made up my mind to cut my hair. I have had long hair most all my life, and it has always been my shining glory. I never wanted to look like most older ladies who have that ugly helmet hair shaped doo comprised of little curls, tightly to their head. My mother wore one and each night she would wrap her doo in a hair net before she went to bed. Then in the morning, she would take a lift comb and fluff out the hair. Once a week, she went to the beauty parlor and had it all redone. For me, the very thought of not being able to comb my hair for a week made my scalp itch!

At the age of 67, however, after clipping my hair back for all those years, I am left with a bald spot on the crown of my head. I understand Geishas have the same problem as they age. So off I went to the best barber in Raymond. His name is James Lewis and I trusted him to give me the best haircut he could possibly do. He cut half my hair off and as much as I hated the idea of having less hair, it was for the best. I can now cover my bald spot.

Now, let me tell you about our town barber. You either like James Lewis or you don’t, and at the age of 75, he comes out with the most outrageous comments I have ever heard. Sometimes I have to burst into laughter. The first time I entered his shop, I was shocked by what I saw. I don’t think he has ever cleaned his place of business. There is such a melee of junk, signs, newspaper articles, stuffed animals, rocks, deer antlers, antique barber chairs in descending stages of ill repair, that it takes a while to take it all in. Mr. Lewis, himself, is usually covered with a blizzard of hair. He has a good business and that’s where you meet all kinds of townspeople in Raymond. I always enjoy going there. He works Wednesdays through Saturday only, and you can tell he’s in because he hangs out his towel. Everybody in Raymond goes there for a haircut and news of the community. Before I left, I came home with two booklets entitled “History of Cooper’s Well”, and “Raymond, A History from 1821-1876.”

So now I am adjusting to my new hair length. I guess I should be grateful that I still have any hair since some of my relatives are almost bald. But it was a big step for me, this haircut. Everything changes.