I inherited curly hair from my mom but had only a small window of time to enjoy it. By the time I was two years old my parents took me for my first haircut. It was a important milestone for them as evidenced by a special photo labeled “First Haircut”.

The 1950s

I was taken for haircuts on a regular basis during my entire childhood. It was the standard crew cut with a bit of “whiffle wax” applied in the front. I was envious of James Dean types with straight hair and duck tail haircuts. I wanted a motorcycle jacket. I even had an aluminum comb in spite of no hair to comb. I really wasn’t the coolest cat on the planet.

1960s

Finally during the 1960s I had a chance to let my freak flag fly. But only till 1968. I channeled Bob Dylan for a while.

Boot Camp 1968

It all came to an end in 1968 in Navy Boot Camp in Great Lakes. I sent this postcard to my sister.

The stock photo that was printed on the postcard didn’t capture the moment. Hair was important in the 1960s and the Navy made sure we didn’t have any. I wrote about it to my sister on July 4, 1968.

After the Navy

After I was discharged I was able to pursue hair growth with a passion. It was the 1970s so anything was acceptable.

Pandemic Hair

I have the Poltrack gene for a widows peak hairline. Over the years I became less curly and more scraggly. The Pandemic shutdown made it worse since I didn’t visit a barber. I opted to cut my own hair and was terrible at it.

Was I Boris Johnson or Bernie Sanders?

Throwback to 1948

My hair is thinning, I like hats, why not just take it all off? I bought myself one of the those baldie electric shavers Beside I like that song by Christine Lavin and the Four Bitchin Babes.