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Nov /2000

Thanksgiving Headshave

By Kev

Went to Austin to see my dad for the holidays and wanted to get "slicked up" for the family (only a few had seen me since I went "Chromedome" last January.) In anticipation of a trying to get a barber shop style headshave, I had let my hair grow out for three weeks. Had about a #3 length going. I had not had a headshave in Austin before, so I got on the Internet Yellow Pages and looked up barber shops in Austin. I called the first one I saw, "A Barber Shoppe", and asked the barber if they had anyone who did headshaves. The answer was "Yes, me--- I'm the only barber here." I explained I was coming down on Wednesday and I wanted to get cleaned up. The barber said come on down (I live about three and a half hours away) so Wednesday afternoon I arrived at this little one-chair shop off a busy street in Austin. What followed was the best headshave experience of my life!

There was no one waiting when I got there Wednesday afternoon, so I went straight to the chair. I was caped and asked "Slick as a baby's butt, right?" I could only nod and grin! First, the Osters were hauled out and the hair I had (I am a card-carrying member of the natural MPB club!) was shaved down to stubble. Oh, how I love those clippers!! Next, the barber rubbed in American Crew shaving oil. (Anybody know where to get this?)This was a new but pleasant experience for me. Hot lather was applied liberally and massaged in. A hot towel was applied and left on for the oil and lather to soften the stubble. The towel was removed and more hot lather applied. A genuine straight razor (one of those real Solingen blades) was then used dexterously in long smooth strokes to begin removing hair. Not too fast and not too slow--- very enjoyable. After shaving, a new hot towel was applied! Holy cow! More hot lather and this time a disposable razor was used to shave a second time in the opposite grain. Swift, sure strokes removed all of the rough spots. My head was wiped clean and then the barber's hands went over my head to pick up any missed spots. Lather was applied to my entire head a third time and again those hands sought out any missed spots. The disposable quickly found those areas and the razor made quick work. All this time the barber's hands are slowly massaging my head searching for stubble. Finally, my head was wiped clean and a light oil was applied and massaged in. By this time I am so relaxed I can barely keep my eyes open. What happened next stunned me. A roller of some kind with what seems to be a wax-like substance is rolled all over my smoothly shaven head. It was an incredible sensation. I was too overwhelmed to ask what it was! Smelled nice, too. After the shave, my goatee was perfectly trimmed with those Osters (again, the clippers!!)to a very neat #2. The goatee was outlined and straightened out to a very sharp look.

This whole process took about 35 minutes and I loved every minute of it. The cost was $14 and I gave her, yes, HER, a $20 bill and a promise to return. I know many of you out there do not like the idea of female barbers, and I won't get into an argument with you over it, but this lady is the very best I have ever gone to. Very professional, yet pleasant. She has been a barber for 23 years and wielded the clippers and the razor as well or better than any male I've encountered.

The End