Friday

Day 3: The Little Things

My father gave me a can of shave cream last weekend while he was here. There are a few things I've learned directly from him and some I've copied. I taught myself how to shave the proper way by watching him for many years. Without going into all the boring details, it is a laborious, but rewarding activity that produces the perfect shave 9 times out of 10 (this isn't scientific by any means).

Since the baby was born I got out of the habit of shaving like this. I began to buy shaving cream in the aerosol can from Target and everywhere else and even put up a mirror in the shower to quicken the experience in order to get in and out the bathroom as quickly as possible. Never mind the fact that I was walking out of the house at 9 in the morning with a 5 o'clock shadow or racing stripes of hair on my cheeks, under my chin or by my neck. It became a chore, like everything else in my life.

Two days ago, I looked at the can of shaving cream sitting on my kitchen counter (where I left it when my father gave it to me) and took it into the bathroom, I found my shaving brush, pre-shave oil, aftershave, etc., etc., etc. and gave myself a nice, good old fashioned shave. My skin burned when I was done, but it was perfect, like they used to be when I gave a damn about myself. I've taken the time to shave this way every day since and I appear different to myself --- fresh faced and not haggard.