My Story by Ken

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This is my story, of how I finally became bald.

I got a job in a fish shop/restaurant when I was a junior in high school. I started as a dish washer and had hair down to my collar. I always wanted to go bald, or at least real short, but never had the nerve, or reason to.

My boss one day asked if I wanted to work up front, maybe as a prep cook, or at the fryers. Of course, I said yes, it meant more money and out of the back room. He said I needed to get a hair cut if I was going to work up front, something more than a trim. I feigned reluctance but inside, this seemed a good chance to go short.

I'd gotten my license at the beginning of the summer and drove around one Saturday morning, looking for a place to go. I had to go in at 4pm and had time. Finally, I saw a place, and all it said outside was "Barber". He had a barber poll that no longer spun and part of his sign showed a clipper.

I walked in and there was one guy waiting and another guy in the chair. The man in the chair was getting a short clipper cut. It was really short, with the sides almost down to the skin and just a little left on top. There wasn't that much hair on the floor so I assumed he was a regular. The other guy had hair almost as long as mine. When he got up to take the chair, the barber said he didn't do styles, or layer cuts or any of that other stuff. He seemed to be in a bad mood. The guy with the longish hair stopped. He said he just wanted a trim but the barber didn't seem to be interested. He left the shop and the barber looked at me.

I got up and sat in the chair.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I need it cut short. I work at a restaurant and my boss said he wanted me to get it cut short. And I'm tired of this long hair in all this heat."

"I do short. How short?"

"Short. Don't worry about going too short," I blurted out. I was shaking under the cape but felt this was my one chance to go short. "The one thing I know about hair is it always grows back. So don't hold back."

"That it does. Well, I do a good version of short, we can go all the way, then." he said as he picked up the clipper. I was facing the mirror as I heard the sound of the clippers start up. He started at my right side and started cutting up. What I saw was white skin as the clippers did their work. My mouth went dry as I thought of the ramifications of what was happening. He made another pass and there was more white skin. Then he started on the top and the clippers were merciless. Stripe after stripe of white skin was revealed as he ran the clippers over my scalp. It didn't take hardly any time and he had my long hair shaved off to a light fuzz. I felt my head when he was done. It wasn't stubble, but it was close.

"Hang on, I'm not done," he ordered.

"But there's nothing left," I managed to say.

"It'll grow back, don't you worry," he said as picked up another pair of clippers. "We're going all the way, right?" He started at the top this time and the peachfuzz was replaced with skin. Pass after pass left only white skin. He was fast and knew what he was doing. He ran the clipper over and over my head, even when I thought there was nothing left to cut, I still heard the sound of hair being cut. When he was done he dusted my head with a light powder and shook off the cape. I felt my head and it was almost smooth, only a very light shadow was left. I looked at my new bald head. I was shaking and scared, but was happy with it. I knew there would be questions and I'd have some time to think of answers.

In my car, I looked at my new hair cut. I couldn't believe I actually went through with it. At home, my parents were shocked. I told them I wanted it cut short but the barber went shorter than I wanted. I used my dad's electric razor, one he never used, to take it down to the skin. I figured I was almost there, I might as well go all the way. I ran it over and over my head until the ticking sounds stopped. When I took the cover off the razor, it was filled with fine black powder. I loved the feel of the smooth head in the shower.

At work, everyone was shocked and I got a few jokes. I just told them the same thing I told my parents. But I also told them that I liked the new look. A few others agreed. This was early July and I figured I'd have two months for it to grow back before school started.

But the next morning, I shaved it again. And again the next day. I told my parents I was thinking about keeping it for a month, just because of the heat. I played golf, got some sun on it and a nice tan. I planned to let it grow back the beginning of August, but couldn't get over how much I liked it. Everyone seemed to get be used to it, now that I had a tan on it. So I kept it for the rest of the summer, planning on letting it grow back when school started.

But the first day of school, I shaved smooth again. I decided to keep it until the New Year, then let it grow back. But that didn't happen either. I kept it for the rest of the year, and haven't grown it back since. I'd gotten to just think of my self as being bald. The idea of growing it back became absurd. I tried several times since then, but never could let it grow back to more than just stubble.

A friend of mine, when I was 21 was asking me about my bald head. I told him, if someone shaves their head for 6 months, everyday, nice and smooth, I think the chances of them ever growing their hair back is almost nil. He didn't believe me. He shaved his head bald just to prove me wrong. He kept it every day for 6 months. He's still bald. Pity we didn't bet any money.

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