THE LAST TIME I SHAVED MY HEAD
It was December of 1997 and I was home for Christmas break in my freshman year at University of Nevada. I had faired better than expected in my schooling, despite accepting the extra daunting responsibility of pledging the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, and the other implications associated with living on your own for the first time in your life. It was good to be home. Awaiting me when I returned to school would be my initiation week, affectionately referred to as hell.
After an evening of creating many obstacles for sound decision making, a friend of mine had an idea that we relieve ourselves of the burden of our hair. It sounded like a great idea to me! For some reason I thought that my impeding initiation would be much easier with less drag. Maybe the time would go quicker?
Naturally.. he knew right where his clippers were. Had we been sober it might have been one of those things that we really wanted to do, but couldn’t find the rarely used clippers. But.. Eureka!! As fate would have it, they were in the first place we looked.
It escapes my now how it was determined that I would go first. I don’t remember any straw drawing, or paper scissors rock playing or evens or odds thrown, however, I was the guy. Unbeknownst to me, the clippers we were using had two settings, short.. and really short. My two cohorts had decided that they would use the really short setting on me first to decide if that’s how they wanted their own hair.
If you had to associate my very bald head with another object.. it would most likely be a shoebox. This was pointed out to me by friend’s mother, once she had recovered from the laughing spasm she went into when she discovered what we had done.
“How come your guys looks different than mine” I inquired?
Again had they been sober, maybe this inquiry would not have been their breaking point. They both lost their composure and their collusion revealed itself.
They explained to me through fits of laughter and broken English about the short and really short settings, and how I was their test run.
I’m pretty sure I reacted in a violent outburst, because that is your most appropriate response to embarrassment when you are an 18 year old male.
That was the last time I shaved my head. And despite the emotional scarring that ensued from that experience, I’m going to do it again.
Cancer has touched everyone’s lives in one way or the other. We all need to battle it together. Some people on the front lines, who have the disease, Scientists and medical researchers in labs, health care providers to administer care, families and loved ones with physical and moral support.. Because of various reasons and blessings, the best way I can help fight this disease is to shave my head, and collect money from people leading up to that day. So if the best way for you to fight it is to give me money towards my hair.. you can do so in a variety of ways!
Your gift will give hope to infants, children, teens and young adults fighting childhood cancers. So when I ask for your support, I'm really asking you to support these kids. Thank you!
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