Haircut

It was that and nothing more, I thought, but I was wrong…

Many years ago I realized an undeniable truth of my existence, my hair grew and it was always going to be like that, you know, growing.

My mother dragged me out of my room, and when I say that she dragged me, well, I am being as truthful as possible. She seemed to enjoy that atrocious torture. Making a little lad go for a haircut has to be labeled as a crime, don’t you think? But, maybe, just maybe… she knew something I did not.

Every third day of every second month after the last haircut was done she appeared as a ghost haunting me, taking me as her copilot to what was of course a traumatic experience. I could see those kids from around the block playing in the streets, that little pink and gorgeous ice cream truck making them all happy, and even good old Mr. Nolan telling amusing stories to those who walked without a clear destination, they were all happy, they were all outside and I… I was going for a haircut.

As I approached “Stylish” as it was called, I started to feel as if my soul wanted to escape, I knew that something was terribly wrong about that place, I could hear those little babies crying and yelling and punching everyone in their path. Being completely honest with you, my dear reader, I even desired to be five years old again, you know, to be able to join them, “the weird punching and kicking crowd” as I liked to call them.

The people who worked there told my mother something that disturbed her a lot; she seemed shocked and sad… I of course thought of something magical, maybe I was going to be able to dodge that curse, at least just for that day even though I would have had to go there the very next day of course. Then a big colored woman came towards me and with a huge smile and an even bigger kiss she introduced herself.

Her name was Julia, I remember it clearly. She sat right next to me and looked me in the eye like no one had ever looked me before. She told me that haircuts were part of my life and whether I liked my hair long or short I was going to have to go for a haircut every now and then. I did not quite understand that mature speech, it was way too complex for me to digest, at least at that short age, but I closed my eyes and delivered my soul to that razor blade.

Very interesting, don´t you think?  You close your eyes and trust a person who’s moving a sharp razor around your skull, you are literally giving that human being the option of ending your miserable life in one soft move. I find it very creepy, it is almost as if you entered another dimension, another space within another time.

I loved Julia and she loved me, that day a very beautiful friendship was born, as she said, I went for a haircut every third day of every second month after the last haircut was done. 

We spoke about almost every single thing that was contained in our little universes. We broke and rebuilt every concept, ever single idea and paradigm. There  was something about Julia that I admired, she held my life between her hands, as if she was some kind of a blacksmith forging a sword throughout the years, she cared for me and she saw me rise from the shadows of ignorance, she was a teacher, a friend.

I still remember the very last time I spoke with her. She was weak but still had that huge smile in her face. And she told me something that broke my heart in a million pieces. She said that her task was done, that I was ready to walk without her by my side and I did not understand it; just like that old speech about responsibility, she was way ahead of me.

Then she took her little yellow bag, gave me one last huge hug and looked me in the eye, just like that day, the day we met. She said everything without saying a word, and so, Julia started walking towards the bright light, stood under the silver gateway to the world and left forever.

Today I sit in the same chair as always, still having my haircut, my white hair is weak but the memories I hold with me are young and vibrant, I can still hear her and now I am proud of being the new guide to my grandchildren, and let them discover the true importance of a haircut.  

It was that and nothing more, I thought, but I was wrong, it was one of the most spectacular things that I have ever learned in my life, a cycle, an adventure…

A haircut.