The mile markers on a highway in Idaho are
often used to designate a person’s location.
They provide a structure among the otherwise chaotic movements of
mountains, valleys, and rivers that make up Idaho land. Often, mile markers are used to mentally mark
fishing holes along the river, the turnoffs to campgrounds, placements of various
trailheads, and other like locations.
As with an Idaho highway, life itself
offers little mile markers. These mile
markers can be used by a person to judge their own progression as they negotiate
the winding curves and changing courses of life. The first tooth for a baby, the first home
for a couple, the first child for a parent, and so on. I experienced one of these mile markers of
life rather unexpectedly a few years ago.
It happened when I stopped by a local beauty
shop to get my haircut after class. The
hair dresser was kind, as most people who work for tips are, and we made pleasant
conversation while she worked. This mile
marker of life, this signal that I had passed into a new phase of development
and maturity, happened while getting my sideburns trimmed.
After the typical scrape down the cheek and
light but precise trim next to the ear, the buzz of the clippers stalled and innocently
hovered over my right lobe. With two quick
strikes the stylist attacked. In panic
at being stripped of its furry coverings my right ear lobe shriveled behind
itself and took shelter from the toothy monster that had accosted it. With a
face of violation, shock, and honest confusion at what had just happened, I looked
helplessly up at the politely smiling stylist.
No words were spoken. She knew I knew, and I knew I knew, that ear
hair trimming was now an official part of my haircut; making my lobes fair game
to all who specialize in the cutting of human hair. I sat sad and deflated through the rest of my
haircut. I didn’t even flinch when the
same treatment was given to the left lobe.
I was utterly and completely defeated.
And do you know the worst part? I
realized then that I was one step closer another of life’s little mile markers - multi-colored
eyebrows.
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