One of my coworkers recently found out he has advanced esophagus cancer. They think it's pretty isolated so he's going through radiation treatments now for it. This man... he's incredible. He's like... Boston-y abrasive when you first meet him, loud, curses a lot but when you get to know him, he's just KIND. And in the awesome way where he doesn't want anyone to know about the incredible things he does so he puts on this tough guy persona. One day at lunch he told me the most touching story about sitting outside his daughters bedroom listening to her play the guitar and how proud he was of her. No one deserves cancer, but it tears me up that he's having to deal with this. I'm inspired by him and this sucks.
Now then. Shaving your head to support someone with cancer. I'd like to take a poll of people who would actually want this done for them if they had cancer. I'd have to guess they would be the following:
1. Teenage girls. Because the way they look is still like top 3 on most important things to them. They don't have children and spouses and perspective yet. And if a teenage girl I loved had cancer and she was horrified about losing her hair, I'd shave mine. No questions asked.
2. A mom or sister. Because there is a love-bond between us and I think if this happened to one of them, I'd pull my own hair out, no need to shave it.
3. POSSIBLY your very best friend. I'm talking like, a sister-friend. Someone who knows your soul.
And I think that's it. I considered putting like, a pledge sister who cherishes her hair and her other pledge sisters shaved their heads in support, because sorority girls have notoriously awesome hair and if one of them lost theirs, I think they all should.
Did you notice how there were no men on this list? No. Because men like pretty women (most of them, no judgement. Actually, no, all men like pretty women. All PEOPLE like pretty women.). And I'm a helluva lot prettier with hair (I assume). They wouldn't want me to shave my head. There are no "adult coworkers" on this list. There are definitely no "adult man coworker that has a great sense of humor, doesn't like to be in the spotlight and isn't a mushy, touchy-feely guy"
So, there's a meeting at lunch today where the women of my office are considering doing a fundraiser and at the end of the fundraiser, all shaving their heads. I'm preparing alternate ideas because I'm almost POSITIVE, the last thing he'd wants is to come in to the office on the days he's feeling up for it to see every woman there with a bald head and sympathetic eyes, reminding him he has cancer. He knows.
I'll support him. I will call him in the evenings when he's stuck in Houston alone and let him give me advice and tell me stories about what his kids are up to (his two favorite things to do). I'll donate my BRAINS out for this man. I'll even organize a clay shoot or chili cook out or whatever if he needs more money than our office can raise. But I'd rather support him in ways he really needs. Cook dinner for his kids. Donate frequent flyer miles or credit card points so his kids can be with him in Houston as often as possible. Make damn well sure their Christmas is perfect in every way. And then stay the heck out of his business.
Also, I'd like to go on record, to my sister and mother and best of friends and especially my COWORKERS. Don't shave your heads for me. I would HATE that.
Below are a list of things he would rather have included in his fundraiser than shaved heads:
He loooooooooves profanity... and hates cancer. This is perfect.
Funny
This might actually make it past the HR person
A bald cap party? I think it's funny but even this might be too annoying to him.
Clay Shoot
Chili Cook Off
Golf Tournament
Raffle
Bake Sale
T-shirt Sales
Bracelet Sales
ANYTHING BUT EVERYONE SHAVING THEIR HEADS... for goodness sake.
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