Go Up, Thou Bald Head

Last night, May 15, 2010, was perhaps the most barren night of my life. It started when I woke up late and I didn’t have time to shave both my face and my head before church. I shaved just my face. I went the day thinking I looked devilishly dashing—like Handsome Rob in The Italian Job—but, after taking a closer look, I realized I couldn’t have been more wrong. It’s not my lot to be handsome like Rob; it’s my lot to be bald like Elisha and have children mock me. Just last Wednesday, my sweet little cousin put a coon-skinned hat on my head and laughed: “Now you have hair!” That started all the other kids laughing. Dear God: where were the hungry she bears(1) when I needed them? But this isn’t about my bad day Wednesday; this is about my bad night last night. I went to get ready for bed and I looked in the mirror. I craned my neck to view the back of my skull but to no avail. I needed two mirrors. I went into the bedroom and pulled the dressing mirror off the wall for a better look. But it wasn’t any better. Instead of shining with beautiful golden-brown locks, my head shined translucent like butter-fried shrimp. For nearly an hour, I tried to get a better angle. But the more I looked the less I saw. In my mourning, I say to my departed friends: you are numbered among God and you are numbered among me. In the dawn of the Millennium, you and I will meet again to be reunited for eternity. Until that marvelous morning: go your way unto all the earth, from “dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return(2)”.

1 2 Kings 2:23-25
2 Genesis 3:19