Sam's Barbershop by drummer16

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It was my freshman year of college. My black hair was past my ears and touch my collar, and not barely. My bangs were even long enough to pass my nose. I had a single dorm and no friends, but I knew one thing: I was tired of my long hair. I'd had it since around middle school, when that style was in and never tried to venture from it. But now it was time. I grabbed some cash and walked into town where there was an old traditional barber shop with three chairs. After a short while it was my turn.
"I don't believe I've seen you in here before, I'm Sam," the barber said as he guided me to his chair. It looked much older and like he had a lot of expirence.
"I'm Alec," I say as I sit down. Sam wrapped the white sheet around my neck then applied a pinstrip cape. My hair was so long he had to pull it out from underneath the cape.
"So what are we doing today Alec?" Sam asked.
"I was thinking clipper down the sides and scissor cut the top down to 3 inches?"
"What guard number?"
Embarassed I answered, "I don't know guard numbers..."
"I think a #2 will look good on you, do you agree?"
I nodded my head then Sam spun the chair away from the mirror. I could hear him attaching the guard and the clippers fired up. I was expecting him to tilt my head down but he lifted my bangs up. Before I could say anything he plunged the clippers straight through them. My face was in shock. Sam made a couple more passes reducing around 6 iches of hair to 1/4 of an inch.
Sam turned to me and said, "Kid, I know this isn't what you asked for, but I've been doing this long enough to know this haircut will be better then what you ever could imagine. Not many people have the balls to do this so sometimes you have to give them a little push."
I heard Sam changed the guard and then he pushed my head down and plunged the clippers right up to the crown and worked his way all around my head as the hair showered onto the cape. He did some shaping then turned the chair to the mirror. I was horrified, I was given a number 2 on top and a number 1 on the sides. Sam cleaned up the edges and then said, "This one's on the house, I'll see you soon."
All I could think was: as if.
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After a couple weeks it atarted to grow on me and after 4 weeks I decided to go back.
"Hey, Sam!" I said like an old friend as I sat in the waiting area. He finished up his customer then came to get me.
"I wasn't sure I was gonna see you again, Alec!"
"Well, I'll admitt I was angry, but it grew on me," I said with a laugh.
He ushered me into his chair applying the sheet around my neck and then the cape. He looked at my hair and said, "Well its time we tidy this up yes?"
"Sounds good to me."
"You willing to trust me?" Sam asked.
I nodded and thats when he went to his clippers and pulled out a #1. Once again without warning he cleaned the top down nice and short. It was a little shocking, but I put my faith in him. A 1 on the top was quite new. I was expecting him to go over everything with a 1 but he took of the guard and reduced the back and sides to stubble! YIKES! This was short. Last time was managable but I'm not so sure.
Sam finished up and then I paid him and left. I saw some new friends later that day that said I was looking sharp. Without a doubt Sam was right again. It looked great.
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This time there was three months inbetween haircuts because of winter break. When I entered Sams shop no one was in there so he got me in the chair right away.
"Alec, theres enough hair to cut with my scissors! Are you trying to grow it out?!" Sam asked annoyed.
"No, Sam, I just got busy."
"Good, kid, we're gonna take care of that."
And without asking me he fired up his clippers plunging them over the top without a guard on. He continued around my whole head. I was waiting for him to take of the cape, but he disappeared.
"Sam, I need to go and study."
He reappeard with a striaght razor and shaving cream. "No, right now you're going to hold still."
So I did. I was expecting him to clean up my hairline, but applied it all over the back and sides. He procceed to shave them clean. After that I paid and left. I did not like this one at all. Skin was not a god look for me and after a while even my friends agreed.
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It had been 4 months since I'd gotten a haircut. My hair was close to what it was before I went to Sam. This time it was a Sunday, I was so used to going late that when I tried to go to the Salon, it was closed. I sighed and walked into Sam's.
He smiled, "Salon's closed eh?"
"Yeah, I'm just here for a trim Sam thats all."
"Ok," he said.
Once in his chair I leaned my head forward as he started with scissors.
"I'm gonna clean up your neck."
"Alright."
The clippers fired up and he started at the base of my neck but before I knew it, yhe clippers were well up my head. And then on the top. Of course, classic Sam.
He turned me to the mirror and what I saw made me smile.
"Bald sides weren't working for you, but neither was long hair."
"Thanks Sam!"

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