SECRET LIFE SECRETS REVEALED

Old Look for the New Man

Ben woke up early the on New Years Day, and looked at Sarah as she still lay sleeping against him, and smiled.  She looked so much like her mother, then he looked deeper and saw something that worried him red marks on her arm and face.  He checked and saw the marks were only on one part of her face, and only on one arm.  He wondered where the marks were from and rubbed his face then realized they came from him.  

Ben then slowly got up careful not to wake Sarah, and went to the bathroom and checked his face.  His beard was part of his new life.  It defined a new look and a new change in him that showed he was not the same man he was when he lived in Glenn Valley.  Everyone here was shocked to see it, and it did make him look completely different from who he once was.  But now this look was hurting the one person he loved the most.

He loved his beard, but he didn't always wear it.  Once upon a time it got shaved regularly because Claire hated it.  She would shave his beard every time it looked like it would be growing.  She really loved doing it because she said it connected her to her ancient viking heritage.  

PAST SCENE

Claire: So come on sit down, so we can get prepared. (pulls out a chair, and sheet)

Ben: Why must you do this to me? (sits down nervous)

Claire: Because it's a tradition of my heritage. 

Ben: How is torturing me a tradition of your heritage?

Claire: In our heritage or the village in my family.  The women were the barbers for their husbands.  As you know they were vikings in origin.  When the men would go on raids, or go to war, they would make a vow to their wives, and loves to not betray them.  To check to make sure they would not succumb to desire or temptation the men would never shave or cut their hair.  Those that did, would usually lose their marriage for their betrayal or worse.

Ben: Okay how can getting a haircut and a shave help a woman decide if her husband had cheated.

Claire: Because during the shave she would inspect her lover's hair, and if she found another hair in his head or on his beard that belonged to someone else the razor would gently find it's way to his neck and ........

Ben: So they would die for cheating.

Claire: Loyalty is in high regard in my family, especially from the men. (takes out a straight razor)

Ben: How do you know the women were loyal.

Claire: In my family that is an insult to speak against women. (begins sharpening the razor against a sand belt)

Ben: You know I"m loyal, so why must we do this.

Claire: Well if you are loyal, and you haven't cheated you have nothing to worry about do you? (holds the razor in one hand and a shaving cream bowl with brush in the other)

Ben: Okay, but remember Beowulf is shedding fur, and Baldur's main flows freely in the wind.

Claire: Ben, I'm a veterinarian.  I can tell the difference between human hair, and animal hair.  Stop stalling.

Ben: Fine.  (sits still as Claire drapes the sheet over him and locks it with a clothes pen). 

Claire:  (Gets soap, and lotion and begins to mix them into a thick lather, and places the shave brush into the bowl and stirs it till the soap is thick on it.)  Ready?