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13 September, 2018

Drain Spotting

The first signs that it was happening was with my mustache. This was about twelve or so years ago now. Gray flecks began showing up in it. No, it wasn't dandruff or cookie crumbs. Honest to goodness gray. From there it kind of gradually took over the whole 'stache.

Then, it migrated to the beard gray areas (not flecks now, mind you) began taking over. And, eventually, one morning, I woke up and looked in the mirror. Son of a bitch,. The whole damned thing had not only turned gray, but white! I swear, overnight.

Then for a good long while, things more or less stabilized. I did begin to notice that there was more hair collecting in the shower drain in the mornings. But, since the dogs variously took turns napping in the shower (nice and cool in there), I assumed that was the source of the hair.

Somewhere in the damp and dark recesses of the back of my mind, I suspected the truth. But, it was still easier to blame it on the doggies, and Dianna. I was sure she was losing hair. That had to be it.

That is, until this morning. Dianna and I had appointments for haircuts with Lourdes at her salon, Hairways, here in Corozal. Lourdes had been up in the States for several months, visiting her daughter, who is a computer tech in the US Air Force, stationed in Missouri. So, it had been three or four months since she had seen me, much less cut my hair.

I was first in the chair to 'get my ears lowered,' as we used to say in the military. The conversation was the usual, getting caught up on local events, what might be happening with hurricane Florence and the Carolinas, and our own potential with Tropical Storm Isaac. Just normal stuff until Lourdes dropped this one on me.

She Asked me if my hair was getting thinner. I took it manfully and was able to respond that, yes, I thought it had been getting a little thinner. She agreed and said it seemed quite a bit thinner on the crown. I said I had noticed more hair in the shower drain, but assumed it was Dianna's, which brought an exclamation from Dianna.

Oh, no! I finally was forced to admit to myself that, yes indeed, it was. Getting thinner. Lourdes eased the pain somewhat by saying she saw some new gray sprouts springing up in place of the old brown hairs. Nice of her.

So, besides, achy joints, and graying of the mustache and beard (not to mention chest hairs and some others), thinning on top is now part of the new reality.

Well, there you have it. I'm finally having to admit that that gray-haired old fart staring back at me from the mirror, isn't just an image, it's me. It's probably all going down the drain eventually, one strand at a time.

4 comments:

Ziggy said...

That last paragraph is pure poetry! - Bette Davis couldn’t have said it any better.

Winjama said...

Hi Ziggy,
Thanks for the nice comment. That's a first!
Cheers,
Dave

Jon. Anderson said...

What!!?!? No photos?

Hope all's well in Paradise, Bro. Dave!

- jon. anderson
olywa

Winjama said...

Bro. Jon,

Long time since I've heard from you. It is good to hear from you.
Well, as I frequently say here, 'It ain't perfect, but it's paradise!'
We are still having fun, so that's something in itself. Stuff continues to break, so that always keeps me busy and entertained. Just yesterday, I noticed my solar pool heater motor quit, so I've got to trouble-shoot that today.
How's things up your way? You and Marty still chasing birds and other wildlife around? Have you retired?
BTW, I've semi-adopted your mustache regimen - I'm growing a respectable handlebar mustache. No trace of my upper lip. I love it!
Anyway, thanks for your comment. It's good to hear from you again.
Fraternally, and Cheers,
Dave