A Horseshoe, while I still have hair by Ken

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I've always had long hair, but at a recent family reunion, I notice one thing...men in my family loose their hair. Any male there, 30 or older, had gone bald, with varying degrees, but they were bald on top. I felt out of place with my longish blonde hair.

I'd been wanting to get it cut short, so something with it while I have it. I did some internet searching on short men's hair cuts and came across the horseshoe flat top. It's a flat top where the only thing left is a horseshoe. Everything else is, for all intents and purposes, gone. I settled on that type of hair cut and began the search for a barber. I made some calls and checked the web for a local barber who could cut hair the way I wanted it. After all my searching, I found one, and it was just a mile from my home. Tony's Clipper Cuts, just off Main. He opened at 8am on Saturdays and I decided since it was such a nice day, I'd walk there and since it was so nice, I'd have a nice walk back with my new hair cut.

My hair was down beyond my collar and when I got to the shop, there were two guys ahead of me. They already had short hair and didn't look like they needed one. One guy had just taken his seat and the barber was working on reducing his sides to just stubble. They all looked at me and my hair, it was awkward. The first time I regretted having all this hair. I took a seat and read a golf magazine while the others got their hair cut, occasionally looking up. Everyone of them got varying types of haircuts, but they were all short - stubble short on the sides.

Finally, it was my turn. A couple of other guys had come in and took their seat. They all had short haircuts and of course stared at my long hair.

"Hi, I'm Tony. First time here?"

"Yes sir."

"Welcome. What you need?"

"Well, I want a horseshoe."

He looked at me. "That's quite a change from what you got. You sure?"

I nodded. Sitting there while everyone looked my hair, I was never so sure. "Oh, I'm sure. It's going to be my new style. I'm tired of all this hair."

"Okay, how short you want it?"

"What's the shorted horseshoe you ever cut?" I asked.

"Pretty short."

"Then that's what I want, but shorter."

He smiled. "You got it."

He took a pair of clippers from a hook on the wall and began his work. I could feel the coldness of the clippers do their work as he peeled away my hair. He turned the chair away so I couldn't see it. All I could do was feel my head get lighter. After taking the sides and backs down, he started on the top. He clipped and shortened and clipped and shortened. Then he started them at the top of my head, about two inches back from my hair line, and drove them all the way back and did this a few times.

Then he switched clippers and worked on the sides and back and top again. This pair was smaller and had a higher whine of a noise. He was quick and very proficient. I was, to be sure, a bit nervous as he progressed, as this was a much shorter hair cut than I'd ever gotten before. He worked and combed at the top before using another small pair of clippers on it as well.

"You want the shorted horseshoe I've ever done, right?" he asked.

I nodded. He started cutting at the top more with the clippers. He took another device and started running it over my sides and back and the center part of the top of my head. I realized it was taking it down to as low as he could. He worked at blending in the sides and where the was hair. Then he ran a brush over my head and rubbed the sides and back with his hand. I couldn't feel any hair.

He took off the cape and spun me around. I was bald on the sides and when he showed my the back, I was bald there as well, just smooth skin. I had a short horseshoe, barely any one at all. But he showed it to me from the sides and back.

I smiled. "I love it."

"Looks good on you. Need to get some sun, though. Wear some sun screen. Or you'll be sorry."

I rubbed it with my hands and it felt good. It was 15 dollars, but he told me weekly touch-ups were only 5 dollars each.

The walk home was great, feeling the sun on my scalp. I loved it. I bought some #25 sunscreen and worked on getting some color to my otherwise pale scalp. My family was surprised, but for the most part, like it.

I go to Tony's every Saturday morning for a touch-up. I've gotten to know the other guys pretty well and it was the same group of guys. Now I'm one of those guys who stares at the guy who comes in with his long hair over his ears. Tony would shave it right down and then touch up the horseshoe. I know I'm destined to lose my hair and when that begins, I'll go to Tony's one last time, get it all shaved and be done with it.

Actually, truth be told, I'm now looking forward to it.

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