Russ and Chip in The Park - Part Two by Russ

---

I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. Chip was standing there with a new set of clippers asking me to give him an MPB cut and literally do away with that great hair of his. I said Chip. you're not talking about changing the way you comb you hair. You're talking a radical change in the way you look and if you don't like it, it'll take, what, a year or more to grow back to the length you now have on top. Chip just did what surprised me the first time he did it and he reached out to rub the top of my head saying he enjoyed that smooth feel. This time I stopped him. Chip, I said, my head is smooth on top because I have no hair growing there. If I cut your hair away you'll have stubble which certainly won't feel smooth. He told me I shouldn't worry about stubble saying I thought of that. Chip then pulled an epilator out of the bag and said after you cut, you can just pluck out the stubble. I was speechless.

I thought maybe I should try and talk him out of all this. Maybe a selfish angle. Chip, what about me? What will I ruffle if your hair is gone? Do you know what a good hair ruffle feels like? He pondered that a moment and replied, well, if you let your fringe grow out I could ruffle the sides after I rub the top of your head. By the time your have some long fringe, I guess my hair would grow back. After all, is a year so long to wait? Slow down I said. We went from an MPB cut to waiting a year? Tell you what, he said, I'm intent on getting an MPB cut, do this for me and then we'll see what's next.

By now we were in the gazebo and Chip was pulling a picnic table over to the pole with the electrical outlet. It was one of those tables with the bench attached. He rubbed the top of my head, plugged in the clippers, took off the guard, sat down and said let's do it. I ruffled his hair, perhaps for the last time, thinking what am I starting here? I took the clippers from his hand, turned them on, grabbed his hair and positioned the clippers starting to move the blade toward his head. Suddenly, a voice behind me said do you know what you're doing?

Turning around, I said no at the same time Chip said yes. Standing there was a guy with dark brown hair cut into one incredible boxed and squared flattop. He said, you can't just chip away at his hair like that. Chip and I both laughed out loud with Chip saying it's an omen and my name is Chip. The guy said I'm Jeff, do you mind that I'm interrupting your little barber shop here in the park? I'm Russ and maybe the more the merrier? Seriously, I continued, Chip wants an MPB cut like mine but he doesn't quite grasp what he'll be getting. If he doesn't like it, there's no undo setting on the clippers. Besides, I've never done anything like this before and am afraid I'll just make a mess of things.

Chip stood up, reached out and rubbed the top of my head inviting Jeff to do the same. Did you ever want to have that feeling for yourself, Chip asked. Jeff rubbed the top of my head then ran his hand over his own head saying he never thought about it. Looking at me, Jeff said, what do we do? At this point I didn't know what to think and I must have had a confused look on my face. Jeff asked me to feel his hair saying maybe a flattop will be the way to go for Chip? I reached over and felt Jeff's flattop. Wow, I said, it's not bristly at all and I'm surprised it stands up being that soft. Chip rubbed Jeff's flattop but steadfastly said he still wanted a smooth topped MPB. Chip asked Jeff if he ever thought about an MPB himself continuing that there's nothing like a smooth top. Now they both reached out and rubbed the top of my head. Suddenly I had visions of this going on forever when Jeff said, you know, I've often thought about a landing strip and turning this flat into a horseshoe. How about we give Chip that MPB cut he wants and then you can cut a landing strip into my flattop?

What have I started?

To be continued.

---