"You don't actually. Have you ever heard of a 'bald-wig'? You must have seen them on "Kung Fu", though you probably didn`t know what your seeing. It's a sort of very tight fitting swimming cap made to look like a totally bald head. You just fit it over your head, tuck all the hair under and glue down the edges. With careful make-up the audience will never know the difference. Now can we drop it. Help me pace out the stage. The sooner you get the feel of it the better." Completely relieved Kirk jumped to it, though a gremlin in his brain kept something disturbing astir. As the school year drew to a close, the rehearsals progressed. It was a brain boiling time for Kirk; finals exams; tennis; learning to be the King of Siam - and the songs; girlfriend Debbie Lingate and/or co-star Jennifer Courtland; and hair! From the first moment news broke through the school corridor notice boards, all his friends, and all his not-friends, had been baiting him about having his head shaved. His stock reply was "The bald fact is that Siamese kings had hair. Come see the show and see". He must have said it a thousand times. He never mentioned his plan, even to his family. Relieved though he was that Hal and he, between them, had agreed he could wear a bald-wig, he was not comfortable with the idea. He hated himself that he was compromising for his first major role. As some warped sort of accommodation to himself kept the plastered-down, pigtail look for a couple of weeks, which no one really seemed to like, until he had his first fitting for the bald-wig at "Hair For Stage". The trouble was that his hair was so thick, even flattened and turned up, that even the tightest bald-wig made him look like an outer space alien. The wig maker assured him that it would be acceptable on stage, but a better fitting could be made if he had his hair cut shorter, which was exactly what he did not want to do. She even offered to do it for him. But ..... even worse than having a haircut was looking like the King of the Martians rather than the King of Siam. So if the gelled down look didn't help his pursuit of an acceptable theatrical image, it was back to the long curly style. Wash out the mousse blow dry and style. But the problem wasn't solved even for fitting a bald-wig. He had to have a haircut whether he liked it or not. Anyway a haircut had to be better than a head shave. And besides it was time for a haircut. After school. After rehearsal. Today Errol closed a bit later. Rehearsal finished, and instead of standing around talking with the rest of the cast, especially Jennifer Courtland, as he usually did, he grabbed his helmet and jumped on his Vespa. Before he could stew about the matter for longer, he rode straight to Errol's BarberShop. Being just on closing time he was the last customer. "G'day Kirk. Last client for the day. Put the 'closed' sign on the door will you? OK. Hop up here", greeted Errol. "Hi Errol. Glad there's no one else here. We've got to sort out a few problems". "Most guys should have problems like your hair. Bit long I suppose. But that`s what you come to me for. What's it to be? Just clean up the edges? Hear you landed the lead role on the school musical", began Errol's opening gambit, as he picked up scissors and comb to shape the lads hair, straightening out the inch diameter curls to their full length of over twelve inches, even though his hair looked only about four inches when the curls sprang back to their natural shape. The style suited Kirk perfectly even if it was probably too long.. "Let's comb this out and see what we can do. This is some nice hair". "Yeah! The show's the problem. I'm playing the lead in the King and I". "Oh! well. That's different". Errol placed back the comb and scissors on the bench and picked up the clippers. "It's all off I suppose. Shaved smooth. That it?" Errol approached Kirk's hair with the buzzing machine. "No! Errol stop! Get away with those clippers." But Errol didn't move the clippers and further away, just a hair's breath from Kirk's hair; no closer, but no further away. "What do you mean 'No!' The king's got to be bald." "Not this king. I'm going to wear a bald-wig". "Shame. I would have enjoyed shaving your head. Just kidding. So what's it to be"? Errol switched off the clippers. "I'm not sure Mr Barber. I think I might like to shave my head. The idea of being totally bald sort of has something going for it. Trouble is I can't be bald and have hair at the same time. Hair wins out. Maybe next summer I'll have it shaved, then I can stay bald for a couple of months, Shave it every day. That'd be something else." "Now's a good a time as any". Errol switched on the buzzing clippers and moved them closer to Kirk's head. "Get away Errol. Turn those clippers off", insisted Kirk. "Not this time. What we've got to do is make it fit under the bald-wig. Do you know what they are?" Kirk ran his fingers through his lengthy tresses. "You're the stylist, So what's your style for me? Without cutting it bald? It really don't want it cut much at all Errol" "Sure I know what a bald-wig is. Nothing like the real thing. You forget I do freebee barbering for the school plays. So, fit under the cap? Tell you what. It's a bit radical -". "Not too radical Errol -". "How would you feel about a number 8 all over? That's pretty short, but it would suit you, and your hair, and feel comfortable under the bald-wig. Sure you don't want me to shave you while you're here?" "No I don't!. Shit Errol ał#8 is only an inch long isn't it? That's short as hell. Has it got to be that short?" pleaded Kirk. "Well no. It hasn't got to be, but why don't you try it anyway. I won't taper the neck or sides. Well just leave it the same length everywhere. I will look good on you. Guaranteed". Errol advised his customer.   "Suppose I had a new style anyway. That's why I tried the flat gelled thing. Yeah! If you reckon it'll look OK. Hit it with the #8. No hold on. That's for next time. Just cut it about half the length it is now, same all over. That should fit all right for the bald-wig". "Guess you're right. Hey let's compromise. How about we leave just four inches all over. That'll be a new style". "OK. You're the barber, Mr Barber. That'll be cool. A bit cooler than it is now anyway with this hot weather. Sure. That's about eight inches off. You sure that's not too short. I didn't bargain on a radical cut. OK Errol. Yeah OK. Four inches all over." Kirk agreed. Errol cut the hair only with scissors, no razor-cut, no thinners. The loose curls sprang back into place so that Kirk could have been a model for an ancient Greek Adonis statue. It was a very careful, very special cut, as always. The barberee almost had a panic when he saw, and felt the hank sheared at the first cut. But it couldn't be put back as barbers were fond of saying. So what could he do but sit there and enjoy it. And he did. Errol lifted each lock to it's full length and carefully snipped it off to the agreed measure. Shorn ringlets littered the cape and the floor. Besides he was enjoying the barbering, feeling a litle freedom and coolness around his ears and neck. Kirk was glad he had taken his courage in hand, well in Errol's hands, and decided to have this cut. He had been wearing the longer version for over two years, and it was time for a change. What Kirk had been growing carefully for two years was now cast off. Fifteen minutes later all the cutting was finished, orphanec blond curls everywhere.The new style was almost ready and was already looking very acceptable to the lad. Loose cuttings were blown away with the hair dryer. The trimmed haircut was styled into place with a liberal spray of old fashioned bay-rum and a circular long blunt toothed brush.`It looked excellent`, was the opinion of both Kirk and Errol, as the lad stepped out of the chair. "I was a bit worried. But what can I say. That's cool!" approved Kirk. "For now. What if the bald-wig still won`t fit to look good Kirk? What then?" "Give us a break Errol. It's taken long enough to get this far. I can't spend all my time being freaked out about my hair. Maybe I should shave it all off after all so there'ld be nothing more to worry about". He examined the new cut in the big salon mirror. "Right you are. Back in the chair. I'll mix up a fresh mug of shaving cream and strop the razor", advised Errol the barber with a half joking smirk. "I gotta' get outta' here. Enough is enough. Bye Errol. See you in a couple of months". Kirk waved to his hairdressing friend, carefully placed his helmet on his new much shorter haircut and closed the door behind him.   The bald-wig fitted. So that problem was solved to everyone's satisfaction. And the new style was a hit, especially with girlfriend Debbie Lingate and co-star Jennifer Courtland. Kirk was having the best time. He felt good about the exams. Rehearsals were winding up and the show was looking real good. He enjoyed a couple of minor dates with Jennifer, but decided to stick with Debbie. There was no agro at home. He managed to find enough time to win the state junior tennis singles. And he had been approached by an influential student group to stand as school president next year. After the show and a couple of weeks surfing he, and all the family, with Debbie were off for a month in Europe.They were golden days. At the end of the second last week of rehearsal Hal (the director) Dauphine announced to the assembled cast, crew and orchestra that they would be giving a preview performance for the childrens' hospital on the following Sunday afternoon. Then the nerves really began to flutter ..... a full-on performance, even with limited sets, a full week early. There was a mad panic for last minute costume fittings and make-up checks. By this time Kirk's bald-wig fitted and looked as real as such devices ever can. Everyone seemed satisfied. Despite the fact that Kirk had told Barber Errol he would return in a couple of months, he had actually gone back for a trim-up only the day before. By mutual agreement another inch had been removed. Still Kirk's blond curls looked good. The next cut in a few weeks, immediately before leaving for Europe, might, just might, be a # 8 one inch all over that Errol had suggested in the first place. They joked again about being barbered bald, but it was still a joke as far as Kirk was concerned, even though he was wondering what he would really look like with his curls actually shaved off smooth. The bald-wig had whetted his curiosity; but only his curiosity. Trouble was, all of the haircuts he had sported over the last month he really liked, from long to medium short. But totally hairless was another matter all together. The back stage crew arrived at the hospital early on Sunday morning to set-up and deliver the wardrobe, band stands, make-up and all the many bits and pieced and odds and ends that make up a theatrical show. The staff common room and cafeteria had been allocated as the theatre, while meals were still being served to nurses, doctors and aides. Even though the cast were scheduled for a later call, most arrived in the morning as well. It was all part of the 'life upon the wicked stage' as far as they were concerned. So the 'theatre' was bedlam all day before the performance. Curtain time at 2.45pm. Kirk was in his opening costume and make-up, including bald-wig for the first time in public, a full hour and a half before the overture. Not for the first time Kirk felt that somehow he was cheating. Anthony Jordon, who was playing the prime minister Kralaholm had his haircut in the old Siamese style, extremely short back and sides, with the back shorn almost up to the crown, but still full on top. Jerry Mundle, the Crown Prince had his haircut into the traditional royal top-knot, with the back and sides completely shaved. And Kirk still had all his hair, even though it didn't look like it on stage. One concession he had made though, as a pact with Anthony and Jerry is that they did shave their chests and legs.