Mr. Crosby notwithstanding, I have ceased to entangle the entire area...
It was not a considered decision to begin with. About four and a half years ago
I didn't have the scratch for my regular appointment, so I cancelled it. On top
of that it was a sixty-mile round trip, which was an additional expense I no longer
wanted to assume. It wasn't a problem when I could afford it all, because when
you find someone who not only doesn't make your head look bad, but in fact does a
credible job of making it look good, you probably should stick with them. But it
was a luxury I could no longer maintain. I thought I would resume after a few months,
however inertia took over and I let it go.
It took about two years to reach the point where I was clearly past that awkward,
messy, in-between stage. Inertia continued to rule and for over two years I let
it be. But apart from being a largely unintentional situation, the overall timing
just wasn't right. I've gotten tired of cleaning up after it, and to a lesser extent,
taking care of it. Perhaps most significantly, there isn't anyone in my life now
to appreciate it. That's a shame in itself, as my natural, wavy curls are quite
enviable. ("Wasted on a man," my mother says.) Being called "an old hippie" by
some kid (i.e., anybody under about thirty-five) at an Ultimate tournament the
other weekend did not factor into my decision.
So today, after the first generic choice was too busy, I ended up at the local
Supercuts. The woman did a very satisfactory job. Right now I'm experiencing the
phantom ponytail phenomena, which I expect will persist for a few days. It reached
about halfway down my back, or almost fifteen inches.