Haircuts? I’ve never liked them. Being organized enough to schedule a chunk of time to sit around losing hair? What a bother! Then, sitting still for that chunk? What a waste! So why, oh why, do I now crave one. Haircut? If only!

I expect it has to do with wanting what’s out of reach. As an antique, I wouldn’t feel safe sharing air with someone I don’t know for long enough to create something, anything, attractive out of the mess on my head. So it’s been a year since anyone but me has cut my hair. And that’s a problem.

The first time I cut it this past year was easy. It was May. We were in sunny, growing-ever-hotter Southern California wanting to get home to Maine. In our pop-up camper with no shower. The pandemic was raging in parts of the country we needed to traverse. My solution? Shave my head so I wouldn’t have to worry about keeping hair clean. Well, I didn’t shave it, but pretty close, chopping my mop down to an inconsequential fuzz. As I said, easy. And it worked: I was able to wash my head with a washcloth over our camper’s tiny sink. It didn’t even look too awful, especially as it started to grow out, my “do” of choice being a pixie only slightly longer than my husband’s barber shop special.

But all good things must end, and after a couple of months, ever-growing bangs started to annoy. Chop, chop, and away they went! This happened several times. Each time, the resulting do looked worse. It’s a good thing my husband and I have been married for long enough that his eyesight isn’t what it once was. Even so, I notice he’s spending more time sitting next to me on the sofa than sprawling in his favorite chair – which would leave him facing me. Now, I don’t mind being cozy, but I wish the reason were different!

Soon, we are getting our second dose of COVID-19 vaccine. I can hardly wait! Not because I long to eat out or be able to shop at leisure. Not even so we can hug our grandchildren again – they’re in Oregon, which makes hugging difficult. No, it’s because, though not willing to die for a haircut, I am so dying to get one!