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When "Public" Hair Is Missing 3-17-2001
North Miami Beach, FL March 17,
2001 Aaron H.
Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then, Opinions pro or con are welcome.
WHEN YOUR "PUBLIC" HAIR
IS MISSING
Some things are difficult to talk about. It is usually best to come right
out with it and forget the possibility of embarrassment or how others might
take it. But, you must approach it just right.
Now, down to the case of "public" hair. Carol and I work out (do
exercises) in a hot pool at a local hospital under the care of a physical
therapist. There are usually between six to ten of us in the first class in
the morning and we are a gregarious lot. Most suffer from arthritis or are
recovering from accidents or debilitating physical conditions. The hot
water helps a lot.
This particular pool has chemicals added to keep down the algae, mildew and
harmful bacteria. The addition is not like the chlorine most experience in
their household water supply. It is pretty powerful stuff and I have
noticed that my body hair has vanished although it continues to grow and it
sometimes is prickly as after shaving - but I do not practice shaving
anywhere else than my facial hair. Ladies, I understand, shave legs and
other publicly exposed body hair. They have not complained about loss of
hair nor have they seemed to notice it.
The three men who find themselves together in this class have compared notes
and two hairy individuals (myself included) have discovered the fact that
constant dunking in the pool has divested the once hairy chests and
shoulders. I have acquired smooth arms and legs too although the hair is
always growing and the sharp ends sometimes itch.
One of the facts about this phenomenon is that it is accompanied by
chemically induced itching that even the women complain about it. But, now
we come to the subject of this essay - "public" hair.
When you think about it, the hair on our heads is the most public hair we
have and women's topknots have been referred to as their "crowning glory".
Many men have a pattern of baldness that is familiar. There is also the
often seen mistake of trying to hide "public" hair loss by the Rudy Giuliani
method or the obvious rugs of the Sam Donaldson type. There is a female
pattern of baldness, too, but that is readily taken care of by the accepted
correction of wearing pretty and very satisfactory wigs - even for ladies
with a lot of their own hair.
We are all experienced with witnessing the sad by-effects of radiation or
chemical treatment of cancer patients. They lose their hair completely.
Why this is so, I do not know. What I do know, however, is that the
chemicals in the pool where we exercise erases hair wonderfully.
One of the men in the pool with me when comparing notes exclaimed, "even my
public hair is gone!" And, this is true. But, he misspoke. He meant his
pubic hair. This is not embarrassing because it is usually unseen and not
"public". But after a good laugh, the notion of public hair and hair unseen
is one that tickles me greatly.
Carol's Evaluation:10 out of 10.
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