Goma's Follicles

"Goma's Follicles" by John De Courcy, is a comical science fiction story set on Procyon IV that shows what happens when human colonists and alien locals misunderstand each other because of something as simple as a hairstyle. Captain Webster lands his spaceship hoping to pick up Sam Purcell, but instead gets mixed into the hairy affairs of Chief Goma, who is feeling down about his long locks. After some convincing, Goma agrees to a haircut, only to discover that on Procyon IV, hair is deeply connected to feelings, leading to some major drama. To avoid shame Goma strikes a deal with the colonists involving land, making light of the absurd and sometimes impactful problems that pop up when cultures collide. The narrative blends humor with an ironic look at colonial attitudes and the funny errors they can create.