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Hair Transplant I Didn't Expect - Part 1
🕑 Added 2023-02-27 13:10:46 +0000 UTCThis week's short story.
Chapter 1 - Life's Been Good To Me, So Far.
The man in the mirror mimicked my expressions, but he wasn't the youthful college student that I still projected in my own mind. 36 years old and I was looking more like I remembered my father each day. Running my fingers gently through the nothing that used to be a mass of thick curly dark locks, I had to laugh at Mother Nature's warped sense of humor.
I began losing my hair when I was 24 and had become accustomed to the jokes and had, in fact, created a slew of comebacks like "God only made a few perfect heads, he covered the rest with hair." I decided long ago that I was never going to wear a toupee, supply the general populous with late-night humor material, or try a chemical that would make me a slave to a pharmaceutical company for the rest of my life. I guess I had become "comfortable" with my baldness.
To be honest, I probably placed a bit more emphasis on building my business because of it, but at a conscience level I was truly at ease with being the owner of a "Perfect Dome". I hadn't given my situation much thought until last year's New Year's Eve.
I was between many casual girlfriends, most of whom were looking to settle down and start their families. I wasn't really sure that I would ever get married, so slowly but surely my female friends left in search of something else, something more than I was willing to give. Besides, for the last 8 years, my business had me on the road for three weeks or more each month and I loved traveling the globe on someone else's tab.
I was one of the few lucky ones that foresaw the bursting bubble in the late nineties and I had accumulated a very comfortable nest egg before the bottom fell out. It was the challenge of growing a new business that got me up each morning without the need for an alarm clock. But recently, something had changed in my perception of the world. I was determined to correct the girlfriend/relationship situation before the onset of a new year and try to find out what this "life" thing is all about.
Six months late,
I've always enjoyed New Year's Eve and I dressed to the nines in my finest tux. Typically, over the last few years I have celebrated it in some exotic locales. It was somehow comforting to be home this year even though I would be flying into the New Year solo. I checked myself in the mirror and positioned myself in my best spy pose; "Bond... James Bond." I imagined Sean Connery playing Bond, but with his present-day naked pate.
I straightened my bowtie and put a final polish on my shoes before heading downtown. I arrived at Skyview Club, atop the Ritz around 8 O'clock and began the mingling process. I saw a lot of familiar faces in the crowd, including clients, industry "big-wigs" and a few of the rich and famous. Something that I've learned over time is there are some people that, no matter how much wealth they obtain, will never achieve "class". A case in point was Julia, surrounded by wanna-bees, having had obviously too much to drink, spouting in a very loud voice about her political views and how "we were robbed again". Entertainers never learn.
The party was typically nothing more than a way to "network" and pick up new business contacts, but in the past I'd noticed that there were always a few single strays, so I reassured myself of my pledge and sipped on my Scotch and took in the sights. Most of the couples consisted of one power player and one unhappy companion who had seen the game too many times before. There were a few Power Couples, but they were rarely seen together as they both used the time to schmooze the right people. I was very comfortable watching the show from the sidelines. I had to admit to myself that the idea of finding a meaningful relationship in this sea of notoriety might have been overly ambitious.
Around 10 o'clock a most gorgeous apparition approached me.
Our eyes had locked for a moment and she seemed to float toward me from across the room. She was a petite, olive-skinned, raven-haired young woman dressed in a sparkly blue off-the-shoulder "sausage" dress, hiding nothing of her perfect figure. Her hair was piled atop her head exposing a delicate neck. The dress was split along the side of her hip, exposing an eyeful of the gossamer-covered thigh. Try as I might to not gawk, my eyes locked onto her nylon-encased legs to begin a scan of the feminine curve of her calves and her delicate ankles. She was perched on a pair of pumps that matched her dress with stiletto heels that brought her skyward to just below my eye level.
She sauntered directly toward me and extended her hand. "Happy New Year, I'm Marti and I couldn't help but notice that you're a leg man."
I took her hand in mine, a bit taken aback, and stammered "err, I mean yes, you caught me. You provided me with a vision that has brought my year to a perfect end."
With that, she smiled and half-turned toward me and, placing her hand on her sparkling bottom "Nobody has ever accused me of having a "perfect end", but thank you very much."
We shared a brief laugh before my brain slipped back into gear and allowed me to scramble back to safe ground.
" My name is Robert Hafler, president of the Hafler Media Group."
Marti smiled a perfect smile; " I know who you are Mr. Hafler. I am Marti... Marti Ross and I've been trying to work up the courage to talk to you since you arrived."
In an instant, my mind bounced into business mode, a place that I promised myself I would not visit tonight. She obviously was flirting as a tact to talk about getting me to listen to a demo tape or some "win-win" business venture that needed financing.
" I'm sorry Ms. Ross, but I have promised myself that tonight was to be a "no business" occasion, but feel free to call me when I return to my office on the third." I pulled out my business card and thrust it toward her.
"No, No" She gently pushed my hand aside placing her hand on top of mine with a gentle caress. "This has nothing to do with business. When you entered the room I was drawn to you. As sad as it may sound, I'm here all alone in this sea of people and I was wondering if you would help me welcome in the new year."
I blushed with embarrassment and offered her my apologies; "Please call me Bob".
She looked me in the eyes and said in a most sultry voice; " Bob, I must apologize to you. I know how it is to be hounded night and day by people who want to use your power and wealth to benefit themselves. Not that I want to talk shop, but I own Genesis Hair Labs, so I am sure that you know of me even though we've never met before."
I certainly did know of the company. The Genesis Hair Labs along with their subsidiary the Genesis Hair Club was THE most successful Hair replacement business in North America with revenues of $1.8 billion last year. The CEO was, according to Business Weekly, Martin Ross, a somewhat reclusive, but authoritative executive who made no public appearances. I had to admit to myself that this beautiful woman who stood before me did not match my mental picture of an ultra-powerful corporate CEO. (Mental note for the New Year: eliminate biases concerning gender roles in the business place).
"I thought Genesis was owned by a man... based on the commercials. "
She gave me a little knowing smirk; " I'm not just the owner, I'm a member." She broke into a broad smile; "I wanted to build a real business and that tagline seems better delivered by a man, so Martin Ross was born and one lucky Screen Actors Guild member has earned a lifetime gig. And let me assure you that he finds it far more lucrative than, let's say, the Maytag repairman"
I understood exactly what she was talking about. Marketing and advertising had earned me my first small fortune and I could not visualize men lining up to have their hair repopulated by a company owned by a beautiful woman. Be it right or wrong the stereotypes in advertising are so deeply ingrained in our society that millions of dollars are spent to re-enforce the myths. A gorgeous woman like Marti, based on her looks alone, would be found in the advertising of, lingerie, hand tools, and domestic beer.
I lightened the mood a bit; "I would certainly be attracted to your, excuse the term, services knowing that you were at the helm of Genesis."
Marti cocked her hip and gave me a harsh but playful look; "I will excuse YOUR term this time," She placed her hand on my head and ran her delicate fingers through my remaining hair; "...and perhaps I can do something to expedite your membership." She had pulled herself close and I could smell the alluring fragrance of her perfume "but tonight is New Year's Eve and we are here at a most splendid party."
I could feel her warm breath as the word "party" left her lips. Seemingly without self-control, I put my hand around the back of her neck and pulled her the remaining distance from me. Our lips met and I was lost in the embrace. There was no one else in the room for what seemed like an eternity. I was still floating as she spoke " That, my dear Robert, is but a sampling of what the new year may have in store for us.
It took another few moments and a sip or two of scotch before I was able to compose myself. Marti provided simple chit-chat while I returned to reality. We danced and talked until just before midnight when she ran off into a crowd of people. My heart seemed to break in an instant and just as thoughts that this had been some kind of dream entered my mind, she returned with some goofy-looking New Year's Eve paraphernalia and a bottle of Louis Roederer 1996 CRISTAL Champagne. "Here put this on. I'd almost forgotten that I brought this." She handed me the bottle and held out two flutes as the crowd began to chant; "10, 9, 8..." I hurriedly removed the cage from the bottle top and gently rotated the bottle about the cork. "3, 2, 1" POP! I poured the bubbly into our glasses just in time "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Marti and I sipped from our glasses, pulled each other close and once again we kissed. As before our surrounding melted around me. There was no business, no loud noise. The moment had drawn me in and I was focused on nothing but Marti. I felt the texture of the coating on her soft lips, the curve of her slender waist under my hand, and the warmth of her body as we held each other close.
When reality imposed itself upon me I realized that most of the other partygoers were making their way toward the door. It was 2 am and I felt like I had just experienced my first kiss. I felt drunk, but not from alcohol. Marti looked at me and began to put on her coat; "Well Bob, I guess I need to be going. Thank you for a wonderful time." I didn't know what was happening. I moved to assist her with her wrap. My male brain told me that the evening was young and that I should take her back to my place, but her gaze told me that sharing breakfast with her was not going to be an option. Sensing my confusion Marti brushed the side of my face with her fingers "I'm sorry Bob, but to use stale verbiage "I'm not that kind of girl.
To be accurate I am a bit old-fashioned and we did just meet." I fought to kick my wit into gear " But we met last year..." She smiled and half-laughed; "Nice try, but we will be taking our cold showers independently this morning." She paused as if studying my sad "lost puppy-dog" expression. "I do know a little café a few blocks away... If you'd like to join me for a cup of coffee, my treat." It took all of a nanosecond for my response; " Yes, I would love to spend whatever time together we can, I don't want tonight to end, but I insist on buying the second round."
While we walked to the café we talked about our businesses, hobbies, and interests. It seems that Marti had her undergrad in biology and a master's in genetic engineering. She had two years of medical school but said that the doctor's lifestyle was not for her. She had worked for Glaxo as a VP of product development before leaving to start her own company; "The men in my family have all been victims of pre-mature hair loss, for as long as I can remember.
During the prep for my master's, I ran across a little-known study concerning baldness and stress-based health complications. It was an obscure paper written by an E. Charles Manning studied at Columbia in 1972 and it was seemingly shunned by the science community. Two months after I received my degree, my father, outwardly in excellent health, suffered from a fatal stroke while at work. The doctors could not explain what had precipitated the attack and wrote it off as being a stress-related occurrence." I noticed her eyes well up with tears as she paused to take a sip of her coffee.
I was still amazed at how this night was proceeding. I felt as if Marti and I had known each other forever and I felt her pain as she described her father's passing. She gently put her cup back on its saucer and continued; " I entered Medical School thinking that I could figure it all out, but the coursework was mundane and I just didn't have the passion needed. It was then that I remembered the paper about stress and baldness.
I read the paper over again and found no real faults in the hypothesis. In a nutshell, it related that in today's society, beautiful people were thrust upon us as the norm any deviation from that norm could cause a sub-conscience stress level that remained undetectable, but potentially devastating to the mechanics of the male body. The statistical data was what I assume invalidated the paper. The sample was a mere 1000 individuals with no unusual stress-causing conditions in their lives, 500 who maintained their hair until death, and 500 who spent 20 or more years with a hair loss condition. The results, while statistically invalid were somewhat compelling.
I expanded the study informally and was able to, through the Internet, obtain a sample size of over 240,000 cases for both groups. The computer power and connectivity available in 1972 would have made obtaining this sample size next to impossible, but the processing of the data would have been truly impossible. Even now with multiple processing, the data took 6 months to sort and quantify. But, do you know what? The original stats from the Manning paper held up. There is a definite correlation between hair loss and longevity. To the tune of an average 20 years life span."
This woman captivated me. She was extremely intelligent, stunningly beautiful, and truly "down to earth". Was I falling for her.
She continued; " I presented my finding to the board at Glaxo hoping that they would open the processing pipeline, but they indicated that Pfizer owned the hair-growth market and that the literally billions of research dollars could not be capitalized in any financial model. I guess I was still a bit naïve about business, but up until that moment, I thought that we were trying to save and improve the quality of human lives. I stressed that this was not a vanity issue and that there were real health concerns, but they emphatically denied my request for funding. It all became crystal clear that the all-mighty dollar ruled. I resigned at month's end."
I reached across the table and took her hand in mine. It was as if a mild electrical current flowed from her to me.
"Now the hair replacement business is funding my Genetic and Biomechanical research. I'm hoping that soon the topicals and single-strand transplants will be totally unnecessary."
She gave my hand a brief squeeze and then glanced at her watch and looked a bit shocked. "Bob, I'm so sorry that I rambled on like that. I get so carried away. I hope I wasn't too boring. It's almost 4:30 and this girl needs her beauty sleep. She stood up and leaned toward me kissing me goodnight. Not as much the passionate kiss of earlier, but more of the "thank you and good night type". Before I could pay the check she was out the door hailing an approaching cab. I dropped a twenty on the counter and ran after her only to catch one last glimpse of her slender ankle withdrawing into the car. I tried to approach the retreating car but all I got was a lung full of the cab's exhaust.
Chapter 2: Happy New Year!
I had spent January 1st and 2nd trying to locate Marti. Genesis was closed for the Holidays and their automated directory had no listing for Marti. There was no listing in the phone book and information had neither Marti nor Martin Ross existed in their database. I figured that I should just be glad that I had an enjoyable New Year's
I arrived at the office on the 3rd and jumped right back into work. I opened my email and I had 5 new emails. I scanned the senders and immediately opened the one from CEO@genesis_labs.com with the subject: Happy New Year.
To: bhafler@haflermedia.com
Sender: CEO@genesis_labs.com
Subject: Happy New Year
Bob,
Please let me apologize for the nature in which we parted company the other night. I think the champagne and the long hours caused me to shut down. In truth, I really think that I was afraid. I was terrified that you might ask me to come back to your place and that I would be unable to say no. Can you forgive me?
I realized that there was no way for you to contact me, so using the email address on your business card. I'm so glad that I remembered it.
If you are available for a lunch meeting, I will be at the Park Tavern at noon. I have already arranged for a car to pick you up, it will be waiting out front at 11:45. I'm planning on a long lunch.
Hope to make amends,
M. Ross.
I called out to my admin; "Dot, please cancel any appointments from 11:30 on. I have a very important meeting with a most important person." Dot just grinned " yes sir, consider it done. Translation... Robert's got a girlfriend." I walked out to her desk and glared at Dot. She shrunk under my gaze as I prepared my retort. "OK, Ms. Simmons let me make it perfectly clear that my private affairs are my business, not yours..."
I allowed a sly smile to appear on my face. "... And if you promise not to tell there's a day at the spa with your name on it." "So what's her name?" I fell into my best 007, replete with the accent "Why Miss Moneypenny, a gentleman must always be discreet." She knew the routine "Well James when I meet a gentleman I'll be sure not to inquire." We smiled at each other and broke into laughter. She was the first to catch her breath. "I will hold you to that spa deal." I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a burgundy envelope that contained her prize. I handed it to her and her eyes seemed to sparkle a bit. "Consider this just a very small token for all that you do around here. They are expecting you in 15 minutes. Take the rest of the day. You better get going. Oh yeah, there are reservations for you and your hubby at Cyros for 8pm. Have a great day."
Dot was virtually in tears. We have known each other for 12 years and I will be the first to admit that if not for her I would not be where I am today. Occasionally I like to surprise her with a little extra and she never seems to expect them or take them for granted. She stood and started collecting her things "Thank you, Bob. Someday you're going to make some woman very happy." She blew me a little kiss and she was literally skipping toward the elevator.
At 11 o'clock I found that my schedule was wide open so I grabbed my jacket, locked my office door, and headed toward the elevator. I pressed the down button and was greeted immediately by a welcome "ding". As I got in the car I thought that good things were headed my way. The elevator stopped at 10 and Melissa from accounting came aboard.
She and I had dated about a year ago and we still remained friendly. "Hey Bob, only working a half day today?" "I have a very important offsite meeting with a new client." She smiled at me and said; "O.K., who is she?" Was I really that transparent? "Don't you remember that you used those exact words when we would sneak out of the office when we were dating? You really need a new line." I blushed and threw my hands in front of me; "You caught me, Mel. Slap on the cuffs and take me to jail." "Bob, let me remind you that we are not dating anymore, so no handcuffs for you young man." We both smiled knowing smiles as the elevator stopped at 5. She exited the elevator and as the doors closed turned back toward me, blowing me a kiss "Have fun, Bob."
By the time I arrived at the Park Tavern, I possessed the standard "wooing" tools, a bouquet of flowers, and my razor-sharp wit. As I entered the hostess approached me. "Good day Mr. Hafler. Ms. Ross has already arrived. May I show you to your table?" I nodded in the affirmative and followed the hostess to a very secluded table toward the back of the restaurant.
There she was. I remember how I felt a few nights ago and this time I was approaching without feeling my steps. Marti rose as she saw me approach. She was stunning. Her hair was let down and framed her lovely face that was simply "perfect".
She stepped toward me and gave me a sweet kiss. "I am so glad you decided to come today. I was afraid that you might think that I was a did the way I ran away the other night." I summoned my most reassuring voice "Marti, I have done little else but think about you and our night together. I was afraid that you had come to your senses when you left so abruptly." "No, no. As I mentioned in my email I was afraid that my willpower was weakening and I had to leave before I ..." I place my finger on her luscious lips; " Please don't apologize. I understand completely and to be truthful it's one of the things that I am so attracted to. Let's have a nice lunch, a little conversation and just let life take us where it will."
It was 3pm when we left the restaurant hand in hand. She was a bit bubbly, but by no means drunk. She pulled me close and kissed me. Where was I? I was again lost in time and place. Her fragrance pulled me in further until I felt as if we were the only two people on the face of the earth.
"I've got a surprise for you" She grabbed my hand and pulled me to a waiting limo about 50 yards from us.
"Do you trust me?" I looked at her. Any questions I might have had disappeared. I responded; "Yes". She asked; " Are you having felt like you've never had before?" Once again all I could mutter was; "yes".
A beautiful female chauffeur in a fitted driver's uniform opened the door and we got into the car. When the door closed we were once again separated from the outside world. Marti wrapped her arms around me and we made out like two high school kids. I was filled with sexual tension and was barreling toward the point of no return when the car came to a gentle stop and a sultry voice broke our passion " We have arrived Ms. Ross." I looked out the window to see where we had indeed arrived, but we were in some parking garage. "I know you must be wondering where I have taken you, Bob.
Well, we are at the research center for Genesis. Now for the surprise" She drew me close "Bob, you've touched my soul and you will never know how much I need just that. My research, as I've described related to subconscious stress related to baldness and I just can't sit back and let you unknowingly succumb to an early demise because Bob, I know it's too soon, but I really think that I am falling in Love with you. I want our time together to be forever, but I know I have to settle for our mortal lives.
I have the power to correct your problem" I was a bit stunned as I realized where she was heading; " Marti, I really don't see my follicular deficit as a problem" She cut me off mid-sentence "Bob, Can't you just trust me? I've heard all the reasons for not having hair replacement, but you will have no concerns that we can't overcome with the business that I have built, and I want to give it to you." "Marti, I have never felt as I do when we are together, but I've never thought of myself as so vain that I need to resort to a wig." "Bob, What I am wanting for you is not a wig, a transplant, hair weave, lotion, or shampoo. In my research, along with my colleagues at the Columbia Genome Center have identified the gene that encodes the protein that is vital to the growth of hair. It is the first of three Genes I have identified that actually perform a function.
The other two genes are "switches", but this one is like the mortar that holds a brick wall together." " You want to use me as a guinea pig?" "No Bob, I want to save your life and this is the tool that I have. You are not the first test subject". We have shown a 98% success rate for permanent hair growth. Please, for me, say yes." I was still in shock but as I looked at Marti I noticed a tear spilling from her eye. "Yes... where do I sign up?" Marty broke into sobs as she hugged me; "Thank you, Bob, Thank you."
