So my dear friend Beth Ann has conquered cancer! She like Columbus, took the long way. It was a year ago last month that she started down the yellow brick road back to the land of the living. She is cancer free and done with drugs. Really done with drugs. Like doesn‘t even want to pop Advil.
I on the other hand, have embraced the short “do” so much I have not gone back to long tresses. Now I understand why men are always waiting impatiently. May I just say, it is not the clothes or the shoes, nor the make-up. It is the damn hair-do!
- Up or down?
- Blow-dry or air dry?
- Headband or clips?
- Behind the ears or in front?
- Color or more color (no woman over 50 wants to be fifty shades of any kind of grey)
- Yada-Yada.
When I first went bald, I felt like an Asian Lady Boy—or a Buddhist monk who should be clothed in saffron and burgundy. I could have chanted Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo or whatever…and gave out chrysanthemum leis and no one would have questioned my faith or gender.
Often, people would let me cut to the front of the line as if I might expire before reaching the register. (I was never sure if they thought I had cancer or it was a Pay It Forward act, in any case, I confess I did use the “C” card). Or they would cut me off—afraid to look at me. As if I would contaminate them with a glance. I always accepted the cuts and made sure to run my cart into theirs if they ignored me.
Not really.
But it was an amazing social experiement to be bald. Thank you Beth. I never would have known the freedom and sheer adrenaline to shave one‘s head was similar to natural childbirth. Less pain but lots o‘ adrenaline.
You wore it all with grace and dignity. The baldness and the illness. I am so glad to share more karaoke and laughs with you! Planning for the future is not something to take for granted so planning is back on. I especially love your pixie cut. Very youthful.
Here‘s looking at you kid! God bless you and you ARE blessed.
j
P.S. You too, Julia!!