"Occupational hazard" of pedal steel?

[Don R Brown]

Every year my wife and I go to the dermatologist for a routine check and body scan. Yesterday the doctor was looking me over and everything was fine until she asked "What's going on with your legs?"

I was caught off guard. "Nothing that I know of, why?"

She pointed to my shins and said "You're missing all the hair in about a 3 inch band on both legs."

I was stumped until I glanced at my pile of clothing, and saw my boots. "I bet it's the western boots. I sometimes wear them when I'm out, plus I practice pedal steel in them each night."

She asked if there is leg motion involved and I briefly explained pedals. I wear heavy socks but they end 3 or 4 inches below the boot top.

She said that must be it, no problem, but neither she not the intern had ever encountered that before.

The boots never seemed that abrasive or unpleasant to me. Who would have thunk it?

[Fred Treece]

You’re gonna need a punch line for that story, Don.

[Don R Brown]

Yeah, I know - it's asking for SOMETHING, and seems like there should be a lot of zingers, but I'm stumped.

"Before playing begins, put Rogaine on your shins"

"How do you tell a steel player at the nudist colony?"

Help me out here....

[Fred Treece]

“Then I looked at my wife’s legs and noticed she had the same problem”.

I realize that line is more of a setup, but maybe it leads to another punch.

[Richard Sinkler]

Happens to me too. I haven't had hair on my legs since high school. I graduated in 72.

[Charlie McDonald]

You’re gonna need a punch line for that story, Don.

'These boots were made for...' I don't know; I was expecting something else.

[Dave Campbell]

i am experiencing this same phenomenon. i never thought it was pedal steel related, rather that it was a result of my having given up being fashionable and wearing the same pair of blundstones everyday for years.

[R. E. Miller]

Seems like the punchline should be a question and answer ending in..."Nah, it's just the boots...," but I can't, for the life of me, come up with a question that's not obscene. C'est la vie.

Not necessarily the steeling, though. I've worn Western boots for everything but playing steel as far back as my first pair of shoes. I just always thought leg hair stopped a couple inches below the knee.

[J R Rose]

Don, the answer is to buy longer socks or over the calf they say. I have wore cowboy boots all my life and I started getting them years ago. It is the leather at the top of the boot rubbing your skin that does that. Not a very good sight when you are at the pool or the beach trying to impress a lady, ha!!. J.R.

[Bobby D. Jones]

"Dang, I Should wear Zippies".
They are 6" tall and my socks are higher than my boots. No hairless ring.
I am on my 2nd or 3rd set of SAGE boots. Love the fit of them. 9 EEEE.
Tanned hide (Leather) is a natural fine abrasive. Sweat and it gets grabby.
Happy Steelin

[Brooks Montgomery]

did you add a split tuner?
You might be getting shin splits. . . .

[Don R Brown]

Don, the answer is to buy longer socks or over the calf they say. I have wore cowboy boots all my life and I started getting them years ago. It is the leather at the top of the boot rubbing your skin that does that. Not a very good sight when you are at the pool or the beach trying to impress a lady, ha!!. J.R.

JR, that's good advice and I may take it on its own merits. But believe me, it would take more than hair on my shins for me to impress the ladies at the beach these days! There's nothing like checking out an eye-popping gorgeous babe - and then realizing I have a granddaughter who is probably older than SHE is!

[Charlie McDonald]

Not a very good sight when you are at the pool or the beach trying to impress a lady, ha!!. J.R.

Yeah, but they'll know that you're a pedal steeler, and we know how far that will get you.

[Don R Brown]