The "His Hair Was Lost...But Love Was Gained" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a weekly article that appears in my local newspaper.  Article is titled "I Know A Story" and is a story told by readers of our daily newspaper.  Today's story was titled "His hair was lost, but love was gained."  I began reading the story and before long began to see myself within the lines of the 600 word story.  Seems that Chuck's father had gone bald early in life so it wasn't surprising when Chuck's hairline was almost lost beginning in his senior year at Manheim Township High School where I too graduated.  Chuck wrote that he graduated from high school in 1957 and left for Penn State the following spring.  As a college freshman he showed a noticeable change in his hairline.  In the fall of his freshman year, when he visited fraternities, occasionally someone would ask if he was a veteran, due to his receding hairline.  He had not yet turned 18 as of that time.  During his sophomore year he was stuffing tissues into chicken wire on a Homecoming float when a gal named Linda asked if he was a graduate student, due to his receding hairline.  The following year, while attending a Christian Association overnight retreat at a cabin in the hills outside the campus, Linda and another gal started a mock sword fight with some kitchen tools.  Backing up, Linda tripped on a rough floorboard just as he was passing behind her.  Linda fell into his arms!  About two weeks later he finally asked her out.  About a month passed before they became "pinned".  By then, his forehead continued to grow taller!  When Linda took a photo home, here mother blurted, "But Linda, he's bald!"  During the summer of his junior year he worked in Endicott, New York.  Alternate weekends he would drive home to Lancaster or visit Linda in New Jersey.  His plans included graduate school and in the spring of his senior year he won a graduate fellowship that included living expenses.  So, he and Linda took the plunge and got married.  All along, his hair continued to disappear.  Today, a few wisps at most grace the top of his head and the heads of his two sons.  His grandsons, both in college, may break the hair pattern he says proudly.  But, both he and his wife both agree that hair is absolutely trivial compared to great catches made back in 1959.  As for yours truly, I, too had little hair during my high school years and college years.  But, it was the trend, luckily!  Short hair or even shaved heads began to appear during my college years.  Made having little hair not a problem.  When I met my wife she made no mention of it to me.  I guess she just assumed that I had it cut real short all the time.  Little did she know that I very seldom went to the barber.  Today, I shave my face and head twice a week.  Takes me all but five minutes or less.  I get at least 3 months worth of  shaving from one razor blade.  I often wonder what I might have looked like had I not began losing my hair at a  young age.  I too suspect that Chuck often wondered the same.  Well, Chuck...if you are reading this story...be prepared for little upkeep on your head and face the rest of your life.  Your hair won't suddenly begin to grow once again... I can assure you.  Your lovely wife will get to see the same man she married during your college years.  And, not only that...you will save so much by not having to get haircuts, buy razor blades, shaving cream and combs for the rest of your life.  One of the best things about having very little hair!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.