Yes, that is Hiram with hair, me with big glasses and Allen with the shaved head. The picture recently appeared in the May issues of Facets, a women’s magazine put out by the Ames Tribune. For those of you who don’t get the Trib and would like to read the article, please be patient. The new issue hasn’t been posted online yet, but I’ll update the link as soon as it is available.
The article caused a small buzz at the Mary Greeley Cath lab where Hiram works. Once his co-workers quit commenting about how much hair he once had, they shared stories of children they knew, children who endured hospitalization and surgery, too.
I’m pleased to know that Allen’s story gives people, many of them strangers, an opportunity to talk about and process the pain they experienced with their children or as children themselves. Their responses make all the comments about how young we looked in 1982 bearable. They cancels out my previous poor taste in eye wear and eases Hiram’s interest in Rogaine.
But I’m itching to shave Allen bald when we visit him at the monastery next week. He’s got such a sweet face under his beard and long hair. Maybe Hiram should frisk me for razor blades before we leave for West Virginia.
Better safe than sorry.
