fistful tender_square maybe i had scrubbed my scalp too vigorously with the clarifying shampoo, loosening the residue of hairspray and styling lotion. the dirty water filtered through the drain catch, slow. i grazed my fingers against the grate, pulled a clump of frazzled strands to clear the blockage. after the tub had emptied, squiggles of chestnut tagged the fiberglass. i gathered another clump. i ran a snaggletooth comb over wet strands and tugged fast when it caught. at the base was a nest of tangled hair, full strands yanked from the scalp. does this loss stem from the actions of impatient grooming? or does it point to the role stress has played in my life these days, these months, these years? 230820 what's it to you? who go blather from