Get Ready For Graduation Matthew by Jonathan

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I am Matthew and this story took place years ago. I was going to graduate from high school. I was in the peak of my teenage rebellion stage at 17 years old. I was not completely disrespectful, but looked the part. Inside I was a decent kid, just frustrated and testing the world's boundaries.

For most of my high school years I had the same look. I wore torn jeans or some worn out pants I'd buy at thrift stores. My parents had a good amount of money, but I hated that life. So much materialism, snobbery and all. My mom bought me brand new expensive preppy clothes. I'd only wear them to church on Sunday. My mom hated the stained, ripped and worn clothes I'd wear. I must have been rebellious against the upper middle class style.

Then there was my hair. For years it had been long over my ears. It was dark brown and just touched my collar. It was thick slightly wavy hair. I just took a brush quickly through it once in the morning. It was all kind of matted and tangled in spots. It was just a wild messy mop. It looked good though. I was sort of known for my hair.

My parents had been divorced since I was around 13 years old. My mom never made me get a haircut. My father did when I was younger. I always tried to grow it longer. Just that very moment when I'd look in the mirror and say "my hair looks perfect" my dad would rush me to the barbers and it would get clipper short ears showing again. Now he just had weekend visitation rights and wanted to remain my friend. No more forced haircuts.

"Matthew your grandparents, aunts, cousins, and uncles are all coming to your graduation" my mom tells me. "I want you to look nice, so can you get a trim for your hair" She said trim and that I could do. I really didn't mind trimming it slightly. The goal was never to get it super hippie long anyway.

"Sure mom can I get some haircut money" I told her. She gave me a twenty and said I could keep the change. I figured I'd go to my style hair place I'd been going to for the last few years. It was a Tuesday and my graduation ceremony was that coming Friday.
I went to a place called Jennifer's Style Salon. I swear there were times I'd walk out of there and you could barely tell I'd gotten a haircut. It was the perfect place to get my mop cut. They just used scissors and would ask you if it was ok to cut here or there.

I drove over to the shopping center. I got out of my car and walked the short walk into the worn old shopping center. To my surprise I notice Jennifer's Style Salon was closed! I walk up to the door and look in, no one inside and the door is locked too. I look at the hours and days sign saying when their open and closed. It said closed Tuesday. I never noticed that before. "Well what now?" I thought. I need a trim by Friday. Where else could I go?

Then I realized there was the Rossmore Barber Shop right next door and it was open. I had not been to a regular barber shop in years. I had nearly forgotten or wasn't fully aware of the difference between the two haircutting places. Jennifer my usual hair cutter was like my good friend. Now I'd be walking into a strange place. I was a little nervous.

I looked into the barber shop and saw it was kind of crowded. I had to get a haircut soon and figured it's right here. Why not go in. I walked in and saw two brothers around 10 and 12 with their dad. One twenty something man was getting his haircut and another teenage kid was in the other barber chair. It smelled and looked like a typical old school barber shop. A little old and worn though. Red vinyl chairs and a lot of mirrors with bright florescent lights. "Can I help you" a barber says. "Yes I need a haircut" I tell him. "Ok have a seat" he says.

The two barbers are both middle age and have short hair. One is at one end by the window, the other at the other end of the shop. There are two empty chairs in between. I notice the barber by the window is cutting the twenty something man's hair very short with the clippers. He is outlining the hair way up around the ears. The back looked very short. There was enough hair on top to still part. Those clippers buzzing around this guy's ears made me nervous. The other teenager in the other chair was getting his hair cut short too. I watched as the barber took a comb at lifted the hair that was covering one ear. Suddenly the hair fell to the ground completely exposing this guy's ear. Oh wow! This haircut was going to be short. I started to get panicked. What if that happens to me. I wanted to just get up and leave. I could just say "I'll be right back" then drive away. I realized they "Cut" hair here and don't mess around.

I wanted to just go. Something kept me there. As I sat pretending to read the magazines, I eyed those two guys getting their hair so short. I couldn't even remember when I'd seen clippers cutting away so much hair. I kept reaching up to feel my mop, what would be done to it?

Then to my surprise another younger 30 year old or so barber comes from the back. Then the dad with the two kids look up. The dad already had gotten his haircut apparently. The older brother hopped into the chair next. Now I realized I had to wait for the other brother. First his turn then mine. Suddenly the teenage kid was done. The cape was removed and he stood up. The hair was nearly zero on the back and sides. Oh I just crindged. That could be me. Then the other brother got into his barber chair.

I sat staring at the 20 something year old guy getting his hair cut. I saw the shaving cream go up around the ears and back of his neck. Matthew "what are you going to tell the barber, just a trim." Can I say that here? These guys didn't look easy to talk to. It wasn't like the place next door. It was too late I couldn't leave now, I'd loose my spot.

Soon the hair blower was blowing the lose hairs away from the 20 year old guy. He was done and I'd be next! He paid and then a few minutes later the barber welcomed me by holding out his barber cape. I walked over and sat in the chair. He applied the tissue and cape. Then he gave a strange look at my mop. Without even asking me how I wanted it or what are we doing here he spoke for me. "What do you want, just a regular haircut?" My mouth was dry and I was so nervous. My plan to explain the little trim seemed rediculous now. "Ok" was all I could say.

"Ok" I thought what? Is that what I said. What was I doing. He tricked me. Just a regular haircut. What did that mean? I tried but was too embarrassed to speak up now. I could here the barber fiddling with some hair clippers behind me. Then he comes up real close and has a comb. The comb lifts the hair off my right year then the buzzing blade of the clippers quickly removes all the hair that had covered my right ear. I am horrified. I know what's coming next. The hair from the left ear goes off next. I can see both ears sticking out in the wall mirror. Then he starts in on the back. I'm not share, but I think he still has the comb. Then he hangs up the clippers on a hook. Soon he is snip, snip, snipping away hair on the top of my head. I realized at that moment I'd walk out of here like those other two guys. My proud mop was being reduced to nothing. I had no choice. All my hair was falling around on the barber cape. "What's your name kid," the barber asks me. "Matthew" I tell him. "You really were due for a haircut Matthew." He tells me.

"Well yeah, I guess" I say to him. "Do you go to the high school down the street" he asks me. "I'm going to my graduation ceremony this Friday" I tell him. "Oh really, well we'll get it nice and clipper short for you" he tells me.

That's it, now it might wind up ever shorter! Now I just give in. It's over the hair is gone. I don't even think I could grow it back, it's turning out so short. He barber gets some other clippers hanging on hooks, then buzzes and buzzes. I can see in the wall mirror, the mop is all gone. It looks military on the sides and about an inch left on top. He finishes it all off with the shaving cream on the neck and around the ears. Soon he says, all done and shows me the result in the mirror. I barely want to look. I see my ears sticking out, and just some stuble left on the sides. The top is parted to the right. I can't believe how short it is! My hair has never been this short ever. It's even clipped shorter than those other two guys that walked out of here awhile ago. I'm made, but relieved it's over. I'm very polite and tip him and say good bye.

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