Eyebrows

A short story with a twist.

EYEBROWS

Vaun Stanton

It’s slightly cold, sitting here in this waiting room, trying to think of a name. It takes me back to a similar time. A time before, when I thought of a name, I was waiting then too. Seems like a lifetime ago but it’s only been 15 years.

I remember it well. It was a cold autumn day. Just about everyone was there. Talking quietly, waiting for the teacher and the last few stragglers to arrive. The door swung open and he stepped into the room with his head held down. The mindless chatter stopped as everyone turned to see who it was. Being near the front and taking advantage of the momentary silence I said rather loudly, “Hey, eyebrows!”

That was the moment that sealed his fate. I can admit it now, I felt kind of proud to give him that name, especially the way it lasted like it did. You see, he had started going out with this girl, 14, same age as him. She was sat in the science class that day, waiting like everyone else. Janice, that’s her name, had told her friends she was going to be a beauty therapist. All she needed was someone to practice on.

That’s where Francesco, soon to be renamed ‘Eyebrows’ comes into the picture. He was just a regular Joe Average among the High School grounds, except he had a good head of hair. Thick, wavy and the first to sport peach fuzz on his upper lip. We all think that’s what attracted Janice to him. Not because he was good looking but because of his hair. She went right up to him one day and spoke to him. Won him over in 1 minute flat. Whatever she said must have been good to win him over so easily. That, plus the fact that she was a girl.

They had gone out a couple of times. Nothing serious. To the movies, to the Mall, that kind of thing. Then she started dropping hints that he was the one for her. She needed a body to experiment with and he was going to be it.

So one night he finally conceded and she did it. She re-shaped his eyebrows. With a laugh, she told everyone about it the next day at school. She was going to be a beauty therapist �" maybe.

Of course we all called him Frank. No one wanted to call him Francesco. But from that day on he was forever known as ‘Eyebrows’.

Thinking about that has finally helped me come up with a name. I now know what I’m going to call our first child when I get called in to hold it for the first time. I think my wife, Janice, will like it.