prose, coming right up

[novapsyche]

I've been saying I needed a haircut.

My dad, after I'd initially asked him about it two weeks ago, consented to cutting my hair this evening.

I relaxed as he used the clippers. I've always trusted my dad when it comes to my hair. I commonly get compliments on my haircuts, especially from the people at work. I've mentioned this several times to my dad; he just shakes his head.

Tonight was the first time he and I had spent any good amount of time in each other's company in the last two weeks.

Here I was, head down, feeling the clippers shear off swaths of hair. There were no words between us, just the occasional drift of dead, black kink. As he circled me and tilted my head this way and that, I mouthed the words, "I trust you."

He took out the scissors to do some spot trimming. I straightened up; we were almost done. He picked up the clippers again.

He made a run, then mumbled something. I asked him what he said, and he said, "I messed your hair up."

"What do you mean?"

"I thought I had the guard on that thing."

I felt the spot with my hand. "So it's close. You'll just have to fix it."

My dad widened his eyes. "Well, all right. I mean, if I cut it, it's going to be short. There might be another way to save your haircut."

"I don't mind it short. I've had it short before." I looked at him. "How short is short?"

"Like bald!" I just tittered and shook my head. "I don't know what you're laughing about," he said.

"It's just that sometimes you make mistakes and that's okay. Hair grows back. But wait. What other thing did you have in mind?"

"A hat."

I swiveled in my chair. "No, I've never been a hat person. Just go ahead and cut it." My dad said, "Okay," as though he were going against his better judgment. He took the clippers close to my head.

By then the metal was warm. I endeavored to sit still. I closed my calm eyes.

When he was done, I thanked him for cutting my hair. He said "Okay," just in that same way.

As I cleaned up the area, sweeping the floor and dumping the detritus, I happened to catch a glimpse of myself in a windowpane. Yeah! That's short. I laughed some more.

I shouldn't need another haircut until early September, I'm thinking.

Comments

[jennkitty.livejournal.com]

i liked the first version better, i think.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

*smile*

This second draft is for anyone's consumption.

The first one did have more to chew on.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

The original draft had more tension in it because of the part that you took out.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

*nod* Yes, I realize.