Boys.

For years Slipshod has made noise about shaving his head during the summer. During the first 7 of our 8 years living in San Jose, we did not have air conditioning in our house and it got sooooooooo miserably hot. We closed the windows in the morning when it was still cool and opened them again after the sun went down, but there was only so much we could do to actually get our house to cool down. Those were the years when he talked the most about shaving his head.

The first time he mentioned it I thought he was joking. He has, after all, had long hair since before he was out of high school. All his friends who had ponytails have gotten theirs cut off in favor of a more groomed look. Slipshod, however, still has the ponytail, I think more out of laziness than anything else.

I have told him that if he decides to get his hair cut he must give me two weeks' notice so I can get used to the idea. The only frame of reference I have for what that might look like is his senior photo from high school (which was taken at the beginning of the year, you know how they do that, and which apparently bears no resemblance to how he looked at the end of that year). Getting his head shaved is something entirely different. His head is HUGE. I have often told him that with a shaved head I think he would look like Bull from Night Court.

Also important to this somewhat rambling tale is the fact that at EVERY opportunity, Slipshod feels it is his duty to give me crap. About whatever. Anything or nothing - it doesn't matter. He pokes, he prods, he cajoles. All in good fun, of course, but sometimes he pokes me in my insecurities and then just smiles to make me squirm because I'm wondering if he's serious or just giving me shit. Of course, he's always just giving me shit. It definitely is one of the ways in which he can bring me back to reality when I'm getting unrealistic, and it is usually funny. But sometimes he NEVER lets me hear the end of things.

Like the time way back when Toy Story was in theaters. He was having what we called a "geek party" - usually referred to as a LAN party, I believe, where people converge on one house with their computers, hook up to a server, and play usually very gory computer games for extended hours together.

I was doing something up in another town where I used to live. I knew that his party would be going into the wee hours of the morning so I called to ask if he would be too upset if I went to see Toy Story in the theater with friends, but without him. He encouraged me to go do that so he could keep playing games with his friends and I could do something fun with my friends rather than being at home griping about how they were too loud for me to sleep at 3am.

To this day, despite the fact that he encouraged me to go see that movie with friends, he gives me ALL KINDS of crap, in his best hurt-sounding voice, about "that time you went to see Toy Story without me."

Obviously he keeps poking at me about thinks like that because I react. But I told him in the past that I would not shave his head because he would probably never let me hear the end of it. It would be Sampson & Delilah jokes for eternity.

Well, anyway, Slipshod is going to go visit his dad in Mexico soon, and apparently it's rather hot and muggy down there right now. He is once again making noise about shaving his head. Correction - he is once again ASKING ME TO SHAVE HIS HEAD.

I think he's actually serious this time. He is about to have extended leave from work, so what better time to try out a crazy haircut he's always wanted to do? This morning we talked about it. I told him that if he really truly wants me to shave his head he will have to sign a written contract not to give me crap about it. He said, "why?" I said, "yeah, I guess I could just not take your crap." He said, "yes."

So, wish me luck. I do not think he will look good with a shaved head, but shouldn't we all be able to try one or two of our crazy ideas once in a while? I do think the girls will freak out a bit when they see him with only half an inch of hair - especially Sweet Pea. But, she was worried about me after my last haircut too, and she warmed up to me again within an hour. hee hee!

We'll see how it goes. At least him having a shaved head should stop our shower drain from plugging quite so often.

Believe me, I will post pictures of this insanity when it occurs. Should be within the next week.