Initially, I struggled to differentiate between Kelly and Hayley, the identical twin hairdressers who visited for home appointments. However, my wife provided a useful memory aid: Kelly is in charge of cuts, while Hayley focuses on highlights. This simple trick helped me identify them easily.
That memory aid is no longer necessary; since my wife opted to embrace her grey hair, we’ve been exclusively seeing Kelly. She arrived promptly at 11 AM, and I was already seated in the chair, my hair damp with a towel draped over my shoulders. Kelly was preoccupied with her phone while my wife sat across from me at the table.
“We haven’t seen her in such a long time,” my wife replied.
“So, what’s the plan for today?” Kelly asked, turning her attention to me.
Amidst the noise of the clippers, I could only catch pieces of the ongoing discussion, which revolved around hair thinning, its various causes, and potential solutions. The overarching message seemed to suggest that this issue is no longer inevitable. Meanwhile, my hair was steadily accumulating in my lap.
The clippers suddenly halted.
As the clippers restarted, Kelly began trimming my beard. For several minutes, I couldn’t hear any dialogue. Eventually, Kelly removed the towel and brushed my neck. I stood up.
My son then came downstairs to take my place. He had recently had his hair cut but was eager to take advantage of a free trim.
The rest of my morning was spent in my office, gazing at my faint reflection on the computer screen and occasionally touching my head. I’ve been fortunate; my hairline has receded so gradually that I’ve hardly noticed. As long as I avoid harsh lighting and unflattering photos, I still hardly pay attention. I like to think of this as acceptance, yet it dawns on me that acceptance and avoidance are not quite the same. While this strategy has served me well for many years, it cannot last indefinitely.
Ultimately, acceptance becomes the only path forward. Perhaps it’s time for me to embrace acceptance more fully.
Suddenly, my computer chimed, indicating a new email from an unfamiliar company. The subject line read: “Your hair journey starts now!”
