The Brave Few - April 17, 2006

My Hair Challenge - Fat Man Losing

I am a writer that wants to change the world, not in one free fall swoop, but through many small insignificant ones.

For two years I have let my hair down, literally. Can you believe a 46 year old, fat man, let his hair grow . . . The stories I could tell. Anyway, I did it for Love, that is, Locks of Love. Usually, I mentioned that when my many persecutors, flock in and start circling above . . . And then shortly I have them cowering in a corner. And I’m sorry to say I used that ace in the hole far, far too many times.

Anyway, I am Vice President of my local Kiwanis Club and I needed a project for my term . . . Well I decided to sponsor the local Food Pantry for a year . . . At the time I knew it would be hard to keep our members interests, an average Kiwanian’s attention span is in the range of a Pico-second. But I’m a writer and I like to dream big. In the first months, I had the Christmas Rush to help me with their generosity. But afterwards everyone seemed to crawl in a cave to hibernate as if they were old Faithful, or as I like to think of them, newly born fawns. Anyway my weakly pleas and sad stories did little to motivate their charity, although through their tears, I did capture one or two a week. I even used their good natured good will for leverage against the rest . . . Maybe I should have been ashamed, but I’m not.

And one night it came to me . . . Why not challenge them to my most hair brained idea ever.

“Guys,” I said. “You bring in $2000 in green backs or food items and I’ll cut my hair.”

And to sweeten the deal, I told them I would have it snipped at their meeting. I knew they were salivating at thought of seeing me before them.

Well they did . . . It was nip and tuck, but finally they came in with the cash. And I did . . . Last Wednesday in all my glory, I got my hair braided and sniped.

My hair I should explain was at least fourteen inches of raveled strands of powered gray. Girls, I know your pain, it was a maintenance nightmare. I hated it and always wore it in a pony tail. But I never let any of them know that.

And that meeting was the best meeting I think I ever attended. Just maybe sometimes we need to let our hair down. Pardon my pun. And you know, the pictures are over the top, but I guess I’ll do almost anything for a cause.

So my locks are on their way to Locks of Love, so some little helpless thing won’t feel the pain of ridicule from losing her hair during chemo . . . And let me tell you for that reason, I would gladly accept that challenge again.

sincerely
Dan Hanosh
Fat Man Losing

tags: Dan Hanosh
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