Todd Gets Taken Down by Manny

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Todd admired the way his natural auburn highlights shimmered with a fiery glow under the bright lights of his vanity mirror as he prepared for work. The thick, dark chestnut-colored locks that hung to his shoulders had a bit of a wave that gave them the body needed to retain the style his powerful blow dryer had helped craft. What delighted Todd most was how the tips of his tresses would flip up just a bit, almost as if he'd set them with ladies' curlers. Nothing gave Todd more self-esteem and hours of delight than his pampered, silken hair.

Since Todd worked as a political consultant in a conservative downtown office, normally he would brush his hair tightly back and fasten a nice leather tie around the thick base to form a very short pony tail. It gave him a more serious professional look, especially when paired with an expensive dark suit and tie that typified the basic uniform of his workplace Mondays - Thursdays.

But, casual Fridays were different. A brand-name polo shirt, a pair of chinos and expensive Cole Haan loafers were topped off with his crowning glory -- unbound and radiant. Todd flicked his hair a bit as he stared in the mirror. Oh how he enjoyed seeing the highlights dance in the reflection! Yes, on casual Friday, he would stroll into the office with his hair on full display. The whispers would create a quiet buzz -- the lady-folk admiring one of the few men who could still look masculine with stylized long hair, the manly men deriding the preening fop, and then the other men who shared the ladies' admiration and who longed to grasp Todd by his hair, fondle it, and drawn him into close proximity by force.

As Todd left his apartment building he immediately sensed the one big drawback to long, flowing hair -- the humidity! It was a killer in summer. Fortunately, his hair had tons of body, so it didn't go limp on him. That said, it did feel a bit hot and sweaty at the back of his neck and ears which were normally left exposed by the ponytail. Fortunately, it was just a quick walk to his car, and the blast of A/C relieved him from too much suffering.

At work, Todd dreaded the day's task as he entered his small office -- all the yearly records of the political donors' (whose job it was for him to track) needed to be archived. That involved actual manual labor -- hauling stacks of bulky files down a flight of steps into a dark storage area. He and his colleague Boyd would be at it for most of the day.

On their first trip down the stairs, Boyd went ahead propping the doors open while Todd staggered under the first load of files. Since he still had his stamina, he had probably stacked it a little too high, blocking his vision. That, plus his long hair flopping in the way as he stumbled into the storage area, caused him to trip over the block holding the door open. In an instant, Todd crashed to the floor, sending over a hundred files flying in every direction.

"Are you all right?" Boyd called out, after hearing the crash. He rushed over to help his colleague who slowly turned himself over into a sitting position on the floor.

"I think so, but my shoulder....I think I hit it when I fell," said Todd.

Boyd drew himself near -- very near! Todd knew Boyd had once been sweet on him but had since entered into a steady partnership with another fellow in the office. "Let me help get this shirt off to see if there's any bruising," Boyd said.

As his colleague worked with the polo shirt, Todd could hear him taking deep breaths near his long, shimmering hair. "Oh, that's....uh....delicious," Boyd murmured. He gently nuzzled his nose into the unbound tresses.

Todd shivered. He loved to have his hair sniffed and praised! "I double wash it on Friday mornings. That's why the smell is so strong," confided Todd.

"Oh your hair! The scent is intoxicating. And the feel of it...." Boyd said grasping it and fondling it. "Longhaired men are so sexy! Unfortunately, my Peter suffers from a serious case of male baldness pattern. The buzzed ring of fringe is no consolation prize for me. But, he does have other qualities....."

"I wish I had a partner. You and Peter seem so happy," Todd said wistfully. "It's just that the men I find attractive bat for the other team! Family men or they have trophy girlfriends....."

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't keep trying with the ones that interest you. You might be surprised -- sometimes a bit of bait can reveal a secret door to enter!" Boyd said with a chuckle. "Who is it you have your eye on? Maybe I know something you don't about him!"

"Tarek Essawi -- he's got the build of a fit marine!" exclaimed Todd.

"And a haircut to match!" laughed Boyd. "Hmmmm. Tarek? I don't know. Girlfriend at the holiday party, but I haven't heard a lot of talk. You might knock gently on his door. Now, let's get this stuff picked up. There's no bruise back here on your shoulder!" Boyd smoothed Todd's hair into place after he'd helped him get his shirt back on. "Fridays are my favorite days....." Boyd purred in Todd's ear. "It's a good thing you don't wear your hair like this every day. I might not be able to contain myself!"

Boyd's encouragement emboldened Todd to seek Tarek out in the cafeteria. "Mind if I join you, Tarek?" he said, observing his colleague sitting alone, flipping through his iPhone.

"Not at all Toddster, pull up a chair -- especially if you have any sweets you can share with me from your dessert bag!" he said.

The chat centered around office stuff and sports. Not much exciting. But, Todd was pleased at how friendly Tarek was toward him -- jovial, even joking.

"Got any plans for this evening or the weekend, Todd?" Tarek asked.

"Not really. After all the work carrying those wretched files all day, I'll be pooped by the time I get out of here. Why? Did you want to invite me out on a date?!" Todd said with a laugh, to cover his nervousness.

Tarek's eyes widened in surprise. "What?! I don't think so? You're not my type....but I do know someone who you'd consider real eye candy. He's my cousin actually. And he would really get on with you, I think."

"Really?" said Todd hopefully.

"Here's a photo of us together at his sister's wedding," Tarek said, browsing through his phone.

Todd's eyes lit up -- the cousin was dark and handsomely swarthy. He had a mass of wavy black hair that gave him a carefree look despite the fact that it was neatly tapered around the ears. In the photo, Tarek's hair was cut into a style that excited Todd -- a flattop! If he weren't so wedded to his flowing mane.....

"Oh look at you -- how old is this picture? I don't remember you ever wearing your hair in that longish, plush flattop. Since you started worked here, it's always been a high 'n tight, Tarek!"

"So you liked my hair longer, eh, Todd?" he said, running his hand up the stubbled back of his head. "The flattop was fun, but getting stripped down even farther was more fun. Jamal, my cousin, is actually my barber. Seems like you could use a good haircut, my friend!" Tarek stated with a smile. "Come with me tonight to Jamal's shop."

"Oh, no!" Todd gasped instinctively. "I'm not a barbershop-type guy -- I like my long hair very much, thank you!"

"Steady on, buddy. I didn't mean to get a haircut! I meant to introduce you to Jamal. Actually, he just started working part-time at a fancy salon downtown. Makes more in tips one night there than he does all month at the barber shop. Your mane is exactly the type hair he'd love to get his hands on! Those auburn highlights....are they the product of a salon?"

"No! Totally natural," Todd exclaimed. Then he looked at the photo again of Jamal and Tarek again. "I like you with this longer flattop, Tarek. Why don't you grow your hair out a little?"

"Because then I wouldn't be going to the barber shop tonight with you in tow to meet my cousin. That's why! What's the matter? Why don't you want to come with me? Already have a boyfriend?! You'd like Jamal very much. He's very charismatic! A hot-hot Lebanese type. You know how engaging and chatty barbers can be," stated Tarek. "Or, I guess you don't if you haven't hung around barber shops. Have you been a pansied longhair all your life, Toddster?"

Todd blushed. "Yep, I guess so.... So, it would be just to tag along if I went? I would sort of wait while you're getting your haircut....you'd introduce me to your cousin. I'd ask which salon he worked at downtown, and perhaps suggest...."

"You got it! Meet me at 5:15 in the building lobby. I'll send Jamal a text and say someone will be with me that I think he'd like to meet. Here, let me take a photo of you to send along, you know, to get him interested."

Todd blushed as smoothed down his hair and smiled at the iPhone. "Oh, thank you, Tarek!" As he got up from the table, Todd called out, "See you later!"

Once the duo was in the car and Todd was strapped into place Tarek paused and looked at him. In a surprise move, he reached over and grasped a shank of Todd's hair. "Who know's? You might get inspired when you see me caped up in the chair with Jamal scraping most of my skull clean. I'm going to tell Jamal you admired my old flattop...."

"Stop teasing me, Tarek!" Todd protested.

But, Tarek continued. "If I were your barber, I'd take a clippers to this. Cape you up in my kitchen and mow it all off into a tight butch. How does that sound to you, Toddster?"! Tarek laughed. Then, without waiting for an answer, he started the car and drove off.

Todd started having second thoughts about his little excursion. But the image of the handsome Jamal kept him on track. "Did Jamal text you back?" he asked.

"Yes, he can't wait to meet you. 'Hot hair' is what he wrote! Another addition to your fan list. I heard Aaron gushing to his sweetie about how awesome your hair smelled." Tarek leaned over, as they were stopped at a light, and took a big sniff. "Too girly for me! I prefer the pungent odor of witch hazel! After Jamal scrapes me clean, he pats on a generous amount onto my freshly shaved scalp. Love the zing that jolts through me when the alcohol hits the tender, newly exposed parts."

Tarek's chatter made Todd feel excited. A quick image of himself caped in Tarek's kitchen, submitting to a butch cut made him squirm. Another of himself in Jamal's chair being gazing at a newly crafted flattop also jolted him. Never ever had a razor or clippers touched his long hair. No, Todd was a committed Sampson. His strength was in his hair. But, he had a weak spot.... As they pulled up in front of the shop and Todd saw Jamal through the plate glass window, his heart melted. Fortunately, Jamal liked his 'hot hair' and it was safe! That gave him enough courage to boldly follow Tarek to the door of the shop.

Tarek pushed his way into the shop, as if he were returning home after a long trip. "I'm back! And this here is my friend and colleague, Todd." The barbers paused to chat, but Jamal's eyes clamped onto Todd in a determined way. Without waiting for an invitation, Tarek took his seat in Jamal's chair. Jamal didn't say much -- the actions were mechanical, which allow the barber's gaze to remain fixated on the longhair in the waiting area.

Just when Jamal finished buzzing away the stubble to the extent possible with the balding clippers, Tarek received an incoming call on his phone. "Mind of I take this call, cousin?" he asked. "I think it's the little lady."

Jamal took the opportunity to move toward Todd. He sat right next to him in the waiting area. "Those calls can go on forever. If he weren't my cousin....." Jamal said. "Tarek texted me that you were looking for a new barber and thought I might be right for you."

Todd was taken aback. Had he been set up? "There must be some confusion! He said you worked at a salon downtown. I thought I might stop by sometime for a trim....and if there's some synergy, uh, maybe go out for a drink after you get off."

"Oh, protective of our hair, are we? No wonder -- it's amazing." Jamal looked longingly at the flowing mahogany locks tinged with auburn highlights. "Here in the shop, it's just tidying up boring business cuts and scraping away remnants like on Tarek there. I love to get a man with gorgeous long hair like yours and ply my fingers through his hair while I work my magic. How about tonight?" Jamal said, gazing into Todd's eyes, nearly riveting him to the chair.

"Downtown?" Todd asked.

"Here -- after the shop closes. You go out for a stroll and come back in an hour. We close at 6:00 p.m. But I'll wait for you. I have a private area in back, if you get my drift.....I've been dreaming of you ever since I got Tarek's text at lunch. You're even more amazing in the living flesh."

"Okay! Of course! I need a good trim. So glad this is working out. I can't wait, Jamal!" Todd said breathlessly. "I'll be back." With that he slipped away from the shop, in high spirits, dreaming of his private encounter with the dreamy Jamal that would take place in just a few minutes.

At the appointed time, Todd gently pushed the door of the shop open and felt a tingle of excitement pulse through his body. Was it the thought of spending some time alone with the handsome Jamal....or was it the act of entering a traditional barbershop with the purpose of getting a haircut? Well, trim! The line of electric clippers hanging from the counter reminded Todd that this was not a normal venue for having his sexy, studiously carefree locks trimmed. Although the light was on and the door unlocked, the shop seemed empty.

"Jamal, are you here? It's Todd," he called out.

Jamal stepped into the doorway that separated the shop from the back room where the barbers stored supplies and had a more private work and rest area. He looked like something out of a men's magazine with his dark, large eyes and well chiseled features. His shimmering dark hair, while clipped into a short taper at the sides, was wavy and wild onto and combed into a glamorous pomp.

"Come on back here. I want to give you a proper shampoo before I start the trim out here," he said as he pulled back the curtain and motioned for Todd to pass through to the back. "I don't have a proper shampooing station, like in the fancy salons, so take off your shirt and I'll lean you over the sink there."

Todd's fingers trembled slightly as he worked to unfasten the buttons of his shirt. He flicked his hair back nervously away from his eyes that were clamped onto the handsome Jamal.

"Here, now, let me help you with that," Jamal purred as he eased Todd out of the shirt. "Oh, this hair is so long and soft!" he exclaimed as he tussled his clients' mane playfully.

Jamal placed himself directly behind Todd as he leaned him over the sink and guided the shimmering locks under the stream of warm water. Todd fancied that he felt a hardened bulge between them as the barber plied a generous dose of sweet-smelling shampoo through Todd's locks. The strong fingers worked the lather up into a copious amount and Todd groaned softly.

"You have so much hair!" Jamal murmured. "I'm not used to taking care of clients like this."

Once the shampoo and rinse had been completed, Jamal wrapped a huge, absorbent towel around Todd's hair and manually removed the excess water that drenched the long locks. Todd stood submissively while Jamal towel dried the mane.

"Should I put my shirt back on?" Todd asked nervously, once the bulk of water had been absorbed into the towel.

"It's a little warm out in the shop now that the A/C is off; perhaps you would prefer getting caped up without your shirt on, Todd. And this thick pelt on your chest....." he murmured as he stroked the glistening hair, "perhaps later we can tidy it up."

Jamal firmly led Todd into the shop and made him sit in one of the large barber chairs. After he closed the blinds of the plate glass window, Jamal shook out a huge white cape and cast it about Todd's neck. Very snugly the cape was fastened, nearly constraining Todd's breathing.

Todd stared at himself, caped up in a traditional barbershop. It was an unusual site. He looked at Jamal's haircut....perhaps he would have the nerve to get something as short as the barber's instead of the trim he had talked about. The mental of Tarek's fantastic flat also flashed through his mind. No, it would be many years before he'd be ready for that sort of drastic haircut! The advantage of being attended to by the sexy Jamal with his long hairstyle was that he was being received in private, outside the normal hours. The big chair he was in might make for a lot of fun if things progressed how we wanted them to with the dashing Jamal.

Jamal began to work the comb that the dense, damp mane. "I'm so glad I'll have the opportunity to practice my salon styling skills, Todd. I just finished my salon course last month. My service tonight will be on the house, since you're a bit of a guinea pig."

Being labeled a 'guinea pig' made Todd wince slightly. But, since it happened at the same time Jamal yanked his comb forcefully through a patch of tangled hair, the barber did not realize the comment was the cause of the discomfort.

"Just a trim, remember....and I have plenty of hair, in case you don't get it quite right on your first attempt," Todd remarked with a tinge of nervousness. He felt a little wistful about backing away from the previous idea of getting a shorter haircut, like the barber's slick crop. Better stick with the trim for now. He might always let the barber take him down gradually in the future if they established a relationship.

Jamal sectioned off a wet lock of hair and combed it up straight from the head. "It's a good thing I'm tall!" the barber commented. "Now I understand why salon chairs are low to the ground while barber chairs are high and can be pumped up even higher. Taking the clippers to an exposed nape is quite a bit different than trimming the tips off a long lock like this," he said as a sprinkle of snippets floated to the cape.

Snip, snip. Snip, snip. The white cloth looked like it had a dash of pepper scattered across it.

The trim went on at an agonizingly slow pace. And throughout the process, Todd could see no real change developing. Obviously, the barber was being extremely cautious.

"You know, it's been a good six months since I've had a trim. You can cut off considerably more than what you've been doing," Todd instructed with a flash of boldness.

"How much more?" the barber asked.

"Oh, I don't know...." Todd replied.

The opening Todd allowed the barber made him feel excited and a bit nervous.

Jamal sectioned off another wet lock and clamped his fingers together right above the scalp. A good eight inches dangled down past Todd's left eye. The barber opened the shears menacingly towards the captive lock. "This much?!" he said with a sinister grin.

Todd sat paralyzed in fear. Was he joking?! Hadn't he said 'a bit more'? Or had he said 'considerably more'?! Yes -- on second thought, that's what he had said. Perhaps his exact phrase had been the result of his subconscious desire for a much shorter haircut. Todd fidgeted in the chair. He needed to reply, but felt tongue-tied.

Then, the unimaginable happened. Jamal whacked off the prime forelock right at the fingers! With one quick chop, a clump of eight-inch damp brown hair fell to the cape! Jamal smiled widely and stared defiantly at the cowed client beneath the cape....as if daring him to protest.

"Jamal!" was all Todd could muster.

The unleashed barber calmly snagged another lanky lock and imprisoned it, preparing for a second whack. It came without delay. CHOP! The long hair fell, adding to the short tuft that sprouted where the flowing tresses once hung. "This is what you really want, isn't it? A proper man's haircut!"

"No, not really....I like my hair long," Jordan eeked out, as if having been involuntarily discovered.

Jamal was happy to continue his work, ignoring Todd's half-hearted protest. Todd sat still and submissive, watching Jamal reduce his flowing mane to a very manageable short crop.

As the barber chopped away at the long locks he commented casually, "I knew from the minute you came in here with my cousin that you wanted to be free from that mass of hair," he said pointing the shears to the clumps of cut hair on the cape. "Your eyes were filled with longing to be caped up and shorn of this mane. You watched my every move with Jamal, crying out silently to take you down too."

"No, I was watching you because I found you irresistibly handsome, Jamal!" Todd protested.

This appeal did not appease or slow Jamal down. With the shears, the barber deftly snipped around the ears and cut the length in back to off the collar. "Now you're starting to look like one of my regular clients -- with a nice conservative, professional look."

Todd gulped. The take control barber was turning him on something fierce under the hair-laden cape. The fact that he'd been shorn against his will made him feel vulnerable and total hot!

Jamal took the hair dryer and quickly dried the short haircut. Todd sensed a much lighter head without his long hair.

"How do you like your 'trim'?" the barber asked with a barely concealed tone of mocking.

Todd felt ashamed at the way he'd been shorn without permission. He sat, unable to speak and submissive.

"Oh, so it's not to your liking?! I think you're wanting something more -- to be clipped down tight!" the barber announced. He reached for the largest set of Osters in the line-up.

"You're not going to clip me!" Todd gasped incredulously.

"Oh yes I am! I am going to give you one of the shortest of haircuts imaginable -- a bald fade! You are going to leave here with just a hint of this left on your head," he said as he reached for the clippers.

"A bald fade," Todd repeated, as if in a trance.

"A slight patch of stubble up here, and the rest of this smooth as freshly shaved skin," Jamal laughed as he snapped on the clippers.

Todd cowered without any hope of escaped. Jamal began stripping away the remnants of the glorious mane that had been Todd's pride and joy. "This is what it feels like to be a lowly recruit, Todd! You get what they give you," the barber chuckled as he clipped away the silken wisps of hair. Quickly the enormous collection of shorn, wet hair was covered with clumps of inch-long cut hair.

"Or perhaps I should lather shave your hole head. Chrome dome!" taunted the unstoppable barber.

"You would do that to me?" Todd eeked out, scarcely believe what he'd heard. Jamal was unstoppable.

"I certainly would -- because that's what you really, really want. Nothing left but smooth, soft shiny skin. We'll start up here," he said, rubbing the nearly bald head. Then he yanked off the cape. "This will be next," he said, fondling the copious chest hair."

"And then?" asked Todd, hopefully, watching his crotch leap out of control.

"One careless move, and I'll leave you a eunuch!" taunted the barber as he reached for the lather machine.....

Jamal began massaging the warm lather into Todd's scalp. "To think, just minutes ago you had a fabulous mane of hair. And I've cut it all off!"

"All for the sake of our relationship," Todd said.

Jamal pulled the straight edge razor across the top of Todd's head to reveal a swath of white scalp. "Our relationship?!" the barber asked quizzically. "Without your hair, you're not sexy any more, Toddster!" He let out a sinister laugh. "No, not my type, the bald-without-choice."

Todd could not believe the tenor of Jamal's conversation. He'd been set up -- by Tarek! Any energy that he had left drained from him. He felt totally vulnerable and compliant as he allowed Jamal to scrape his scull completely clean.

"When I'm finished with you this evening, you'll be smooth as a cucumber from head to toe. Just these plucked eyebrows of yours will be the only bits of hair left on you. And I will be $100 dollars richer -- courtesy of my cousin who bet me I couldn't have you bald by midnight."

Jamal took a warm towel and wiped the remaining lather from the shaved pate. Then he slapped a large amount of witch hazel on Todd's denuded scalp.

"Ouch!" the victim cried out.

"Steady for the photo!" Jamal laughed as he snapped a photo with his phone. Then he sent Tarek a text -- "Done! And it's just 6:45. You owe me!"

"Can I leave now?" whimpered Todd.

Jamal yanked off the cape and sent the shorn hair flying. He gripped Todd by his hairy chest and yanked hard. "You forgot! I don't leave a job left undone." Jamal leaned the chair back into a fully reclined position and then pumped it up. He snapped on the clippers and brought it towards the frightened Todd. "You want me to continue, Baldy? Or let you go?"

"Let me go...." Todd asked humbly.

"No!" the barber snapped as he plunged the clippers into Todd's furry pelt. "You're going to stay. You enjoy submitting, don't?"

"Yes, sir," Todd whimpered.

At the very end of his ordeal, once Todd had been stripped of the masculine hair on his legs and points north and Jamal was helping get his chinos back on, the barber's phone signaled a text message.

"Oh, it's from Tarek. Message for you......'Hey, Toddster, your chromedome look is hyper-sexy! I'll be picking you up in 5 minutes. You're hot! Hairless and hot!!! Hugz.'"

Jamal smiled broadly. "I'm happy for you. My cousin is very particular. But like me, he likes the lads to be submissive. Unlike me, he likes them smooth!"

Todd was floored. "You mean Tarek is coming back to take me out on a date?!"

"That's right, Mister Clean. He'd had his eye on you at the office for months, but couldn't get past the girly-boy 'I love my hair' look and attitude," Jamal explained. "This hairless look will take some getting used to, I'm sure, but it's not that horrible."

Todd blushed. "Thanks, Jamal. I owe you!"

"You'll be back regularly. And next time you'll be a paying customer, Toddster!" the barber said with a wink. "There's Tarek the Tiger. I hope you're ready for a good romp!" With a firm smack on his rear, the barber sent the quivering Todd out to meet his date thrill to have been taken down to the smooth skin.

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