Playing With Scissors

A long time ago, or so it seems, near the beginning of the virus-caused shutdowns, someone posted, "We are three weeks away from knowing everyone's real hair color." I laughed, thinking of a friend who three months ago had decided to stop coloring her hair and go with its natural gray. Talk about great timing! I don't color my hair. But I do have one of those short cuts that needs to be trimmed every four weeks, six at the very most. As of today, it's been nine weeks since my last haircut. And I'd had my stylist leave it a little longer that time, so it's ten or eleven weeks longer than ideal. Three weeks ago I got out my hair scissors and stood in the bathroom, looking at the overgrown mess in mirror. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. Now I've had a lot of haircuts in my life and I've paid attention to how it's done. I know how to cut bangs. The trouble is, I don't have bangs. I have hair that falls forward as the day goes on. I stared for a couple of minutes and lifted a few sections of hair, then put the scissors in the cabinet and walked away. I've done the exact same thing every two or three days since. Basically, it's a failure of nerve. Suppose the parts I cut don't blend in with the rest? Suppose, while trying to get it to blend in, I go too far and create a total disaster. I mean, it could always look worse, right? The thing is, it doesn't look awful, particularly if I've just brushed it. But I'm not fond of hair products, and I've never found one that "held" without making my hair stiff. It bothers me most when I'm out walking. Lately it's been anywhere from breezy to full out windy, and I end up looking like a cartoon version of an English sheepdog. Scarves and hats have their own issues, especially in the wind. A few days ago I heard that hair salons were going to be allowed to reopen. I was ecstatic. Briefly. It's only for essential workers. I'm not complaining, it makes perfect sense. But I don't think I've ever had a happiness bubble form and burst quite so quickly. If you see a body with a swirling mop of hair where a head should be, walking around an empty parking lot ... wave! If I see you, I'll wave back.