Baldy

Baldy! Baldy! Baldy! Wha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Sorry, I can’t help it. My dog’s hair was completely shaved off a couple of weeks ago and he looks funny with all that skin and fuzz showing. From a coat of deep burgundy, he is now down to milky white skin.

Unfortunately, shaving was the only way for him to cope with this year’s summer heat. Prior to the haircut, it was agonizing to see him with his tongue permanently out as he agonizingly lied in a corner. Not even his drinking tons of water or spending the entire day under a sprinkler helped at all; he still continued to suffer.

So before summer officially started this year, we gave him that much needed shave. After getting all that hair chopped off, the relief was instantaneous.

The nice thing about all that ribbing is that it doesn’t affect him negatively anymore; although that was not always the case.

As a puppy, he took pride in his thick coat. Similar to young men everywhere, my dog’s fur defined him by showing off his virility and attractiveness.

So when the vet cut off all his hair for the first time, he lost all his confidence and became despondent for days. Judging from his actions, he probably thought we were punishing him for something he did.

It also didn’t help when I, together with all kids in the neighborhood, teased him about being bald and following it with loud guffaws.

I remember that he would drop his head in shame and would sheepishly slink away from us those first few times. And being cruel kids, it encouraged us to followed him and continue the teasing till we tired. Imagine that talking place summer after summer.

Thankfully, we are not the same naughty kids we once were. Now with the tables turned, it is us who have started to lose hair. Some started as early as their late twenties, while others began to losing their manes in their early forties.

When I started to lose my hair, I too suffered from a loss of confidence just like old Baldy here. I first started applying Aloe Vera on my scalp then I started combing my hair differently to hide the bald spots. But all these actions are proved to be futile as my hair continued to thin out.

Having finally accepted my predicament, I have learned from my dog by trying to take it in positive manner. So when I feel it getting me down, I try to lighten things up by yelling, “Baldy, Baldy Baldy!” at myself in the mirror. Hey, what’s good for the goose is good enough for the gander, eh? Besides, I’ll get over it like Baldy over here.

Well, my dog has actually has gotten used to all the teasing I give him. In fact, he finds it funny now as it puts him in a very playful mood. Perhaps it’s because he knows that his baldness will only last till the end of summer, while I have to deal with mine for the rest of my life from now own.

If there is one thing I have learned from my dog it is: What goes around comes around. Old Baldy here seems to have come full circle by having the last laugh, which would probably explain the extra spring in his step. Oh well, now’s a good a time as any to say, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”

“Come Baldy, time for your walk” Woof! Woof!

But before that, where’s that old baseball cap of mine… no sense in catching a cold as that would just be adding insult to injury, right Baldy? Woof. That’s my boy.