After the final dreadlock had been removed, I was left with a scalp featuring many hairs of varying lengths. The overall effect was reminiscent of hairstyles seen in the decade of my birth, and could be described using the name of a certain species of fish.
The summer heat was still intense, so after a couple of days, I was more than ready to be rid of this headfish.
The removal of the final remaining hairs took place on a Sunday evening at a family barbecue in the garden of Shinya's brother's house.
Since Ji had not been allowed to cut off any dreadlocks, despite having made great and heroic efforts towards the cause, and since the electric hair clippers we were those that he used to shave his own head, it was appropriate that he would start and conclude the final cut.
To start off the ceremony, I proffered the clippers to him and said, "I have a favour to ask..."
Ji knew exactly what I wanted, and seized the clippers with great relish.
I had forgotten how good it felt to have one's head shaved.
Members of Shinya's family and my other peach farm colleagues took turns to shave my scalp.
After it was all over, my head felt very light, and I knew that having short hair would take a while to get used to.
Throughout that evening and for the next few days, I could feel the turbulence of the air as it flowed around my head. As I walk forward, the air flows from the front and eddies caught and cooled the back in a centralized stream. Conversely, whenever I stop moving, I can feel the heat of the day or evening permeating my head. So it seems that the hair is good insulation for the brain.
The following day, I got sunburnt on my scalp for the first (and not the last) time. I also found that hitting my head on doorframes had become at least twice as painful, now that I had no cushioning.
So,
What happened to the remaining hair that was cut off on this momentous occasion?
i don't know... what happened?
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