Mr Pearson by Snipped Sam / shorn lad

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Mr Pearson
By Shorn lad
It was against my better judgement to let my friend Chris have a go at cutting my hair with a razor comb gadget that his mum had sent away for out of a newspaper, but in the 1970s these sort of gadgets were popular and were advertised on television as well. Unfortunately Chris took large chunks off my hair and it looked a complete mess.
I decided to pay a visit to my hairdresser Neil to get it sorted, when I arrived it was Neil`s father in the shop, who had retired and just helped out when needed.
`What have you done to your hair? ` He said in astonishment
` A mishap with a razor comb, you know the ones advertised on the telly, I was hoping Neil could take a look`
`He is off with the flu, son, that's why I am here`
`Oh, I see`
`Hop in the chair and I'll take a look, see what we can do`
Mr Pearson was a nice man but he had never cut my hair or had I ever wanted him too, where Neil was young and trendy, he was much more the traditional barber, and his white jacket with the comb and scissors in the top pocket said it all for me. On the other hand something had to be done, so I sat on the chair, he took the comb and started to inspect my hair.
`It really is a mess, did you do it? `
`No, my friend Chris`
`I don't think Neil could do much with this either, I am afraid to tell you son, that I will have to give you a rather short cut to put this right”
`Is that really necessary?`
`The trouble is your friend has made it really short in places and it needs to be a nice even length`
`But I like the length it is "
"The trouble is, it takes ages to train as a hairdresser, Neil went to college for two years to train and I did an apprenticeship, combs with razors in them operated by amateurs especially one of your chums will only lead to a disaster”
"I guess so Mr Pearson”
The gown was soon in place, with the white cotton towel tucked in my neck, the scissors were quickly taken from his top pocket, and the snips began.
`I have not had the pleasure of cutting your hair before have I?`
`No, Neil always does it `
`But not today`
`No Mr Pearson`
A large pile of hair was amassing in my lap as the haircut was well underway, he was friendly enough but his delight in cutting my hair short was evident, by his humming as he snipped away. After a vigorous brush down of my face and neck he combed my hair into place.
`Now that looks better `
`It's so short`
`How old are you, young man? `
`I`m sixteen, Mr Pearson`
`Not too old for my speciality then`
`What's that?
`Bend your head forward` He said, as he took the electric clippers from the hook
`Please Mr Pearson, not what I think you are going to do”
`I am your barber today, and I said, bend your head forward, the more you resist the more hair I will be inclined to take`
"It really isn't fair”
"Fairness doesn't come into it lad, you came here because your hair was in need of urgent attention and I have been kind enough to sort the mess out for you, and with my years of experience I do know what hairstyle will suit a lad of your age. I know that Neil doesn't clip you but I am more the old school and think that a bit of clipping now and again is good discipline.”
`Please be lenient sir `I pleaded
"If you behave like a little boy who's at the barbers for the first time, you will be treated like one”
He put the clippers back on the hook, opened a drawer and took out a toy wooden brick, placed it under my chin and bent my head right down”
"Now just you make sure that the brick stays where it is”
`He then took hold of the clippers again and he started the clipping, up and up he went, I thought to myself at least no one can see this being done, the poor lad in the barber's chair, he then and did above the ears. At last the clippers were back on the hook, but next came much discomfort as he shaved the back of my neck with a cut throat razor, this was followed by a great cloud of dusting powder, down my collar, and around my ears.
As he removed me off the chair, he remarked
`A job well done, I'm usually here on a Thursday afternoon, if you would like me to cut your hair again, but I shall defiantly be recommending to Neil that he cuts your hair shorter in future ,this haircut is what suits you best`
I made sure that I always checked if Mr Pearson was around when ever I went to see Neil, and never let my friend Chris cut my hair again.
The End

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