?So what did she say?? Sarah asked.

?What they always say.? Ken sneered, ?Big changes will take place in the near future. It doesn?t matter what kind of psychic you see, they always give the same general answers.?

?I?m sorry it was such a let down.? Sarah said, taking his hand in hers.

A whiff of fresh bread and cinnamon swirled around them.

?That smells good, should we get some?? Sarah asked.

Ken looked around the Midway, trying to locate where the wonderful aroma came from. He quickly spotted the funnel cake stand and guided Sarah that direction.

He looked down at his fianc?, admiring her slender body. He was very pleased to see her wearing a pink tank-top and those tight little shorts he liked so well. His eyes scanned over her body, from her small sandaled feet, up her tanned legs to her lips, in the shape of a pink little bow. He watched as her large blue eyes, took in everything on the midway, the people, the merchant stands and the bright colors that almost accosted their eyes.

Planning to go on the rides, later, she braided her long dark hair, letting it sway back and forth across the small of her back. Ken placed his hand on the small of her back so that the wispy ends of her hair brushed across his hand and wrist as it swayed.

Ken purchased a funnel cake for them to split as well as a drink to wash it down. He turned around to watch Sarah staring at the rides, fascinated, by the lights, colors, and sounds. He could see her eyes light up when ever she heard the terrified screams from that direction.

?Here you are.? He interrupted her thoughts.

Sarah tore off a piece of the cake and savored the sweet cinnamon taste.

?Shall we head for the rides?? She asked eagerly.

?Sure, we have all day. We can do what ever you would like.? Ken replied.

The two walked hand in hand down the midway, stopping here and there to watch demonstrations of the latest kitchen gadget or admire a craftsman?s wears.

Sarah stiffened as she heard a peculiar buzzing sound coming from the stall next door. She looked over to watch as a young woman sitting in a chair giggled while an older woman shaved her head. The young woman?s long blonde locks fell into the waiting hands of a young man, who gingerly gathered the long wisps of hair and placed them carefully in a plastic bag.

Sarah pried her eyes from the incredible, unexpected sight to look at the pictures and signs that covered the walls of the pavilion. Pictures of young girls with no hair, sick from cancer and chemo were shown side by side with pictures of them with hair, or receiving a wig, made especially for them. A large sign above the entrance to the pavilion read ?Locks of Love.?

?What are you so interested in?? Ken asked.

Sarah was awaken from her stupor. ?Not much. Just watching that young woman ruin her looks.?

?Some people will do anything for what they believe in.? Ken commented.

?Would you like to donate your hair to a sick girl going through chemo?? a woman asked.

?Me? I don?t think so.? Sarah smiled back.

?You don?t have to have your head shaved.? The woman pressed, ?We only need ten inches. You have almost three times that. We could cut ten inches from your hair and hardly anyone would know the difference. I had mine cut this morning.?

Sarah looked closer at the woman talking to her. She was in her forties and was sporting a chin length bob. It suited her face well enough.

?I donate every year.? The woman continued. ?I wish they had this charity back when I underwent my chemo. You really don?t realize how nasty children can be to a sick child, with no hair, until you?ve gone through it.?

?Do you have a card?? Ken asked.

?Yes, we do. Here you are.? The woman smiled.

?Thank you,? Ken smiled. ?We will think about it.?

Ken nudged Sarah away from the stall.

?Thank you, I didn?t know how to say no to her.? Sarah said.

?If you ask for a card and tell them you?ll think about it or will be in touch, you can usually get away without a commitment.? Ken explained.

?Lets see how you look.? A woman off to the side said. ?Turn around.?

Sarah looked to see the young girl who just shaved her head, turn for her mother, who looked like she too just gave up her hair. The young woman, giggled as she ran her fingers through her blonde stubble.

?That was such a rush.? She informed her mom.

?Don?t you feel better now?? her mother asked.

?Yes, you were right. I feel much better.?

?So which ride are we going on first?? Ken asked.

Sarah was again brought back to her present location.

?uh, I don?t know, lets try that one.? She pointed at a ride nearby.

?Lets do it then.? Ken said guiding her away from the midway to the ticket stand.

They bought their tickets and rode a few rides, the rush of adrenaline was intoxicating as they spun, bobbed and circled.

?Can we do that?? Sarah asked, pointing at what looked to be a bench pulled back between to poles like a sling shot and released.

The two young men strapped to the bench screamed as it rocketed skyward.

?Are you sure that is something you can handle?? Ken asked.

?Yea, come on, I?m an adrenaline junkie.? Sarah prodded.

Before she knew it, Sarah and Ken were standing in line, waiting to be rocketed through the air by a large rubber band.

The young hair donor and her mother were being strapped into the sling shot.

Sarah watched and smiled as they screamed. The bungee cord slackened and rebounded giving them another scream. The two were soon be pulled back to the loading platform.

?What a rush.? The mother said, excited.

?Yea it was, but donating my hair was a much more intense rush.? The shaved young woman said.

Sarah thought about the past bungee jumps she had done and the rush she felt, and tried to compare that to the shaving of ones head. She just couldn?t quite compare the two having never had her hair cut shorter than shoulder length.

?Next!? the ride operator called.

Ken helped Sarah up the steps to the platform and the waiting bungee bench. Sarah let the operators, strap her in, while her mind wandered back to the Locks of Love booth. She had to admit it seemed like a worth while cause. She pulled her long braid from behind her and clutched it in her hand as the bungee cords were drawn tight.

Ken watched as the cords were drawn tight, their hearts starting to flutter, then the cords seemed to stretch. Just when the cords seemed they would snap, the bench was released. The two screamed practically in unison as they shot up into the air. For a moment, Ken was afraid the cords had come loose and that they were going to fly out of the fair and fall painfully to the ground. He was almost relieved when he felt the cords reach their maximum and snap them backwards, causing the bench to spin at the same time. The bench was snapped back and forth a few more times, before it was lowered to the platform.

?That was great!? Ken exclaimed.

?It was pretty cool.? Sarah agreed, exhilarated, and refreshed by endorphins.

?How can we beat that?? Ken asked.

?I?m not sure.? Sarah said, lets go look around the craft pavilions.? She suggested.

The couple walked back among the rides towards the pavilions. As they approached, Sarah?s eyes were again drawn to the Locks of Love booth. She watched in amazement as yet another woman was having her hair cut. Sarah stroked her thick braid and looked back at the booth.

?Ken, I want to try something.? She stated.

?What is it, honey?? Ken asked.

?I have decided to get this cut and donate it to that charity.? She said pointing to the booth.

?Are you sure?? Ken asked.

?Yes, I have been thinking about it since we left and decided to do it.?
?It?s your hair. I?ll miss it, but it will grow back.? Ken said.

Sarah took his hand and practically dragged him to the booth.

?I want to do it.? Sarah blurted out, before she could change her mind.

?I?m glad to see you return, the older lady with the bob greeted, ?Your lovely hair will make a little girl very happy. I will need you to fill out this form though.? She instructed handing her a clipboard and pen. ?You can have a seat right there.? She pointed to a couple of chairs just inside the pavilion.

Ken watched as a young girl of about thirteen get her mid-back length hair cut to above the ears in a cute Dorothy Hamil.

Sarah finished the paperwork and handed the clipboard back to the woman.

?Okay, your done.? The stylist replied, holding up a mirror for the young girl.

?Wow. That is short.? She commented.

?It looks very cute.? Ken encouraged.

?Really?? She asked, surprised and welcoming Ken?s approval.

?Yes, it makes you look older, and shows off that beautiful face of yours.? Ken confirmed.

?Next.? The hairstylist called.

Sarah stood up.

Ken could see the color drain from her face as she approached the chair.

?Thank you for coming by and donating to a wonderful cause.? The stylist greeted, ?I?m Julie.?

?Hello.?

?So, how much are you going to donate?? Julie asked.

?I don?t know.? She looked to Ken for help.

?Why are you looking at me? I like your long hair.? Ken answered her plea.

Seeing Sarah?s disappointment and nervousness tore at Ken?s heart.

?If you are going to do it, go all the way.? Ken said.

?You want me to shave my head?? She exclaimed.

?No. But it you are going to donate to a charity, give till it hurts.?

Julie sensing the frustration and tension pulled out a scrapbook.

?Here are some pictures if some haircuts I can do for you today.? She handed the book to Sarah. ?Take a moment or two and decide on what you would like to do.?

Sarah took the book and started pouring over the pictures.

Finally she decided on three different cuts, which she showed to Julie.

Julie helped her narrow the prospects down to the final cut.

?With your beautiful eyes, this cut will look so good, that you won?t want to grow it out again.? Julie commented.

?Okay, lets do it.? Sarah said, her heart starting to race.

Julie picked up her large sheers. Holding up Sarah?s long, thick braid, She placed the sheers close to Sarah?s head.

?Are you ready?? Julie asked.

Sarah closed her eyes, and gritted her teeth. ?Do it now before I change my mind.?

Before Sarah finished her sentence, Julie started to cut into the rope like strands.

Sarah held her breath as she felt the tension on her hair, her heart raced faster than any of the bungee jumps she had done. The rush was like none other she had experienced. She let out her breath and started to take short quick breaths, as the adrenaline coursed through her veins.

On the fifth stoke, Julie severed the thick braid from Sarah?s scalp forever.

Sarah sighed a deep sigh and tried to get her breathing under control.

?How are you doing?? Julie asked. ?you aren?t going to pass out on me are you??

?I?m fine. I think.? Sarah assured.

Her whole head felt different, weird. A great weight was lifted off her shoulders, figuratively and physically. She swung her head to see Ken, her loose hairs whipped around, covering her face.

?Well?..?

Ken shrugged, ?It?s different, I?ll have to wait until it?s done.?

Julie combed through Sarah?s multi length hair, before sectioning it off and pinning it in little knots across her head.

Sarah nearly jumped out of the chair when she heard the clippers pop to life. Her heart which had slowed, was now beating a thousand times a second. Julie gently nudged Sarah?s head forward and ran the cold clippers up her nape. Sarah couldn?t contain the shivers that ran down her spine from such and alien experience. The adrenaline she felt earlier was only an appetizer compared to the dose she was receiving now. The cold steel had warmed now, and felt hot to her unveiled neck. The roar of their munching deafened out all of the sounds of the fair going on around her.

Julie guided Sarah?s head to one side and then the other as she passed, just over her ears.

Julie turned off the clippers. There was a split second of silence as the clippers were returned to their drawer, followed by the return of the screams, music and sounds of the fair.

One section at a time, Julie released the remaining ?long? hair and cut them to the agreed upon length.

Sarah?s rush of adrenaline subsided for a moment, as Julie made fast work of her hair.

She looked out over the crowd enjoying the fair, most paying no attention to her. She wanted to scream she wanted everyone to know, to care that she was giving her pride and joy to sick children. She was voluntarily cutting her hair, changing her appearance.

But she knew no one would really care. No one but a young girl stricken with a horrible disease. A disease in which the cure would violate her body, steal her hair from her, and rob her of her health. In some ways the cure seemed more cruel than the disease.

She thought of a little girl with no hair, no eyebrows, yellow, pale skin, sitting in a hospital room asking ?why me??. She thought of a little girl receiving a visit from a woman with a special box. A box whose contents would give her hope when she looked in the mirror. A little girl?s smile as she opened the box to find a mask. A mask to help her feel a little bit normal, to feel like she might be able to pass as a regular person, without people looking at her with sorry eyes.

?Are you okay?? Julie asked, bring Sarah back to the pavilion.

?Yes,? She replied wiping tears from her eyes.

?I know it is short, but it looks great on you.? Julie tried to comfort.

?It?s not that. I was just thinking about the girls who might receive this gift.? Sarah explained.

?Here.? Julie handed her a box of Kleenex. ?We keep a lot of this in stock. Well that should do it. Just let me run a comb through it and you can be on your way.?

Sarah was shocked that Julie had finished already. Julie finished brushing Sarah?s hair and handed her a mirror.

Sarah?s heart seemed to miss a beat, then quickened as she slowly brought the mirror up to eye level. She was shocked to see herself in the mirror, her ears bared for the first time since she was a little girl. Her eyes, she couldn?t believe how big and how blue they looked. She slowly lifted her fingers to the shaved sides, then to her nape. She quivered at her own touch as her fingers caressed her shorn nape. The short hairs, didn?t feel raspy like she had expected, but like a fur pelt, silky and soft. A large smile crept across her face.

?Thank you, Julie.? She said getting out of the chair, ?It looks wonderful.?

?No. Thank you, Sarah. It is women like you that made my daughter smile when she most needed it. Women like you made her feel somewhat whole before she passed away. Thank you.? Julie smiled, tears glistening in her eyes.

Sarah, reached out and hugged the grieving mother.

?I?m so sorry.? Sarah whispered.

?It is alright. She is done suffering and in a better place now.? Julie said pulling away. ?Here is a ?Locks of Love? button, and a ?Cut it for Love, Locks of Love? bumper sticker.?

Sarah received the gifts and met up with Ken.

?How does it look?? She asked.

?I think it will look great on the girl who receives it.? Ken smiled.

Sarah smiled back at her fianc?.

?You know that girl was right.?

?Oh?? Ken asked.

?The girl in front of us at the bungee bench??

?Yes,? Ken pursued.

?What a rush.? Sarah smiled.

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