Friday, October 5, 2007

Kathy's Hair, Part 1


It's funny what the cutting off of hair can symbolize, especially for women.

BFF and soul mate, Kathy, had felt abandoned when I had gone back out on another cruise ship job, years ago, shortly after when I had just come home from a previous
gig. Her now-husband was attending graduate school, out of state, at that time.

Kathy was romanced briefly by Dude Man, that year, when both her now-husband and I were gone. Dude Man even trimmed her hair, turning her long tresses into a cute, playful bob. It was impressive work for a heterosexual man with no formal cosmetology training. I even met Dude Man, and he did not set my gaydar beeping off the slightest bit.

Shortly after being given a new do by Dude Man, however, Kathy moved out of state to be with her now-husband while he finished graduate school. In the winter, I received photos of her with an even shorter haircut. She had gotten a very boyish style, much like Demi Moore's in the movie "Ghost."

After that winter, when I saw Kathy in person, she explained that she had felt she had to cut her again, as a way of "cutting Dude Man off," and out of her life, in order to leave him behind for good.

Kathy's hair has not ever been that short, again, since that time, more than a dozen years ago.

5 comments:

golfwidow said...

I have heard more than once that cutting of dreadlocks (both my friend Ska-t and guitarist Lenny Kravitz swore by it) has freed the wearer's mind and well-being.

I myself cut my waist-length hair when I broke up with my ex-fiancé and, while it was obviously a smart move in terms of making myself feel better, I've never been able to achieve that hair length again.

Peter Varvel said...

Are you saying that you know Roxie Roker's son? Cool!
I can understand the cutting of hair being a type of baptism, a spiritual renewal.
You have to sacrifice your former ability to grow hair that long, when gaining super hero sexual powers.

And we need to photoshop in some lasers shooting out of Buttercup's mosquito bites, now.

Lion's Cub said...

and he did not set my gaydar beeping off the slightest bit.

That made me laugh out loud!

My experience is a little bit different: After my kids were born I started to let my bangs grow out. About two years ago, with my hair finally all one length I got it trimmed and shaped into a nice, new, long style.

And that was when things started to unravel in my marriage.

Hmmm.

golfwidow said...

I don't know Kravitz. He spoke of cutting his dreadlocks in an interview. But he said the same thing Scott did - that he didn't realize how much they were weighing him down psychologically until they were gone.

There's something mystical (and completely the opposite of the whole Samson and Delilah thing) about that.

Peter Varvel said...

Lion's Den, thanks for visiting!
So, what's the follow up? Any significant hair cutting since the unravelling of marriage?