I Wish I Had Hair Like That! by Jonathan

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This all happened sometime around 1990. I was just 19 at the time. My name is Jonathan. I was living in the dorms of California State Bakersfield. Not exactly my first college choice but my grandparents paid for it all and wrote it off their taxes. My family was a mess at the time and my grandmother thought "going away" for college was a good idea.

I had just gotten my first set of hair clippers. I believe I bought them at Target. I'd had a really rude barbershop experience in Bakersfield and decided to give cutting my own hair a try. What I'd do was just buzz up the back and sides with a number 3, then a number 2 halfway up the back of the head. After that I'd take the number 2 around the ears. For the top I'd wet it and use the scissors cutting it about two inches long feeling along with my fingers.

This was my first hair cutting attempts and I pulled it off that first year of college. I had it down to a science. Number 3 up the back and sides first. Then number 2 halfway up the back and around the ears. Wet the top, cut it two inches long with the scissors. It was free, easy, and efficient.

I would cut it once a month or so and no one seemed to say it looked horrible or anything. I could tell for about the first week it wasn't really blended too well on the sides. After that first week it would grow out a bit. Then that buzzed up the sides a little too far look would fade some. I was really tan at the time and at the peak of my youthful good looks. I see old pictures now and realized how good looking I was back then. Not meaning to brag you understand. Often when you're young you don't appreciate your looks. I just thought of myself as average at best back then.

I lived in the college dorm, studied, swam and rode my bike extensively. I was in great shape and thin. I also did my share of partying at California State Bakersfield too. Dorm life was interesting. I was lucky to have a very nice roommate Chris and his girlfriend for two years. Yes, there was his girlfriend too. She had a nightmare of a roommate and the dorm director would not switch her room. This girl had actually fought physically with her. Chris's girlfriend basically lived in our room out of fear, yet showered over in the girl's building. Looking back it's just one of those weird things in life that happens to you.

The dorm dining hall is eating at its best. Never in life can you just walk in three times a day and get a nicely cooked meal. No work, food shopping, or cleanup. The food wasn't bad and you just show your dining card. There were all sorts of people to meet in there too. No meal was the same. People you knew invited you to sit with people they knew. Students came and went at different times on different days due to class schedules. There were times I went to eat and knew no one in there. Those times I'd pick an empty table and eat alone.

It was one of these eat alone at my own table times when I first noticed the guy with the hair I wished I had. He was either Mexican, Phillipino, or some darker skinned race. His hair was long in the front and he would filp his bangs every so often so cool! The guy had a sort of a mystery about him. The sides of his straight dark brown hair covered most of his ears, but not quite. I had never seen him before. I liked his hair because of my often slightly botched job of cutting my own hair. He seemed like one of those "perfect" people. Like nothing bad could ever happen to him. When you're young you don't realize everyone has problems and insecurities.

After this first spotting of the mysterious guy with the perfect hair I'd notice him many more times. One day even come face to face with this mysterious stranger. I wasn't really physically attracted to him, just sort of anamored by him. I noticed there were certain people he ate with. Most of the time I'd notice him when I was eating with large groups of people.

Early on in my second year in the college dorms something went terribly wrong with my haircut routine. I was in a rush and took the number 2 comb up the side of my head by mistake. It was always number 3 first way up the side, then number 2 part way. I hadn't noticed the number 2 guard was still on the clippers from last time and forgot to switch them. What happened was I shaved a much deeper cut way up to the crown. I panicked and desperately tried to blend it in with the number 3 and the scissors. My lack of skill and panic just made my hair worse.

I had no choice but to just buzz it all off with a number 2 all around. This was in the early 1990s and a number 2 buzz was not as common like now. It was ok, but still a little radical. I was shocked at my appearance with no bangs or hair on top. The strangest part was walking outside and seeing the round shadow of the top of my nearly hairless head. Worse yet I didn't own one hat of any kind.

All that first day I got snickers, and looks from people in all my classes. I heard a few people say, "Look, that guy shaved his head." A few of my friends asked, "Jonathan, what happened to your hair, why did you shave your head?"

I'd messed up and thought I'd better go buy some kind of hat fast. I got home late and my roommate was watching t.v. in the dark dorm room. "Whoa Jonathan, where's your hair? Let me turn on the light and see that," Chris said.

"Does it look bad Chris?" I ask

"No, it's ok, just well you're almost bald," he says.

"Yeah I messed up when I cut it and had to shave it with the number 2 all around," I said.

"Don't worry, it'll grow back Jonathan," Chris says.

Somehow I just got too busy and never got around to buying a hat to cover my shorn head. I got used to it after about a week. I liked using so little shampoo and never needing gel or a brush. I didn't feel so self aware and didn't feel like all eyes were starring at my shaved head any longer. I got used to my ears fully exposed and the
bald sylloet of my head. I however never planned to shave it like this again!

After a week something amazing and peculiar happened in the dorm dining room. I was eating dinner with a group of students, some I knew, some I didn't. This guy Donovan asks me why I shaved my head.

"Hey bro, what's with your shaved head?" Donovan asks.

"I don't know, just did it," I answer.

I'm kind of irritated and imbarrassed too that Donavan who I barely know asks me about my hair in front of all these people while we're eating.

"Hey bro, can I rub your head?" Donavan asks.

"Alright, go for it," I say.

He gets up and rubs and rubs it. He pushes hard and folds my ears back and forth with his hands while he rubs my head. This is not what I thought he'd do. Then he does it again pushing just as hard. I was about to get up and kick his ass. He then said something that made me stop.

"Hey bro, where did you get your head shaved, I want to shave mine too," Donavan says.

"I did it myself," I say.

"Really, can you shave mine for me?" asks Donavan.

I'm still not sure if this guy is joking or not. I'm feeling pretty low and embarrassed at dinner right now. Everyone is listening to all this at our table. Does he really want me to shave his head. He has a small mop of wavy black hair.

"If you want, I'll do it," I say.

"What are you doing after dinner bro?" Donavan asks.

"Nothing, just studying later," I say.

"Can I come with you to shave my head now then? he asks.

"Ok, you really want to, are you sure?" I ask.

"That shave head you have looks tight, I want mine shaved too," Donavan says.

Now I'm finding this idea a little erotic. I had never thought my accident would lead someone else to shave his head. Also I got to shave it! Soon Donavan and I were throwing away your food and heading to my dorm room. I kept thinking he'd back out or say he was just kidding. No he kept following me. Inside my room he now came after our long walk.

Lucky Chris and his girlfriend weren't in the room too. It would be hard to explain bringing back a near stranger and shaving his head. I got out the clippers and realized this guy was going threw with it.

"Ok, take off your shirt, and sit in this desk chair Donavan," I say.

"Bro, I mean Jonathan I want it cut just like your length, leave a little ok?" he says.

"Yeah, it's a number 2," I say.

"Are you sure you really want it shaved?" I ask once more.

"Yeah, that's why I came here!" he says.

This is the first time I ever cut someone's hair!

I apply the number 2 guard and turn on the clippers. His hair is long in front and just over his ears. I'm not sure where to start, so I go for the front first. Donavan just sits still and says nothing. I lift his bangs and go straight across the top of his head. Now there is a long swipe down the middle. Then I buzz and buzz the top until it's gone. I now focus on the left side shaving off the hair until I see his ear. Then I trim around it, holding it down carefully.

"Hey, thanks for giving me this haircut, it's free, right Jonathan?" Donavan asks.

"Oh yeah, I didn't expect you to pay," I say.

I continue shaving with the number 2 guard on the right side of his head, exposing the other ear. Next up the back and then all around one more time. I finally feel his whole head for any spots I missed.

"It's done Donavan!" I say.

He hops up runs to the mirror,looks, smiles then rubs his head. Says, "Cool! I like that! Thanks Bro!"

Then he leaves just like that. What just happened I think. That was crazy! I clean up the hair and then go study.The very next night this would happen one more time.

I go to eat dinner. Donavan is there eating and says come over here Jonathan. I noticed his shaved head doesn't look too bad. He's eating with the mysterious kid with that perfect hair. Donavan tells this kid that's the guy that will shave your head for you.

What's he saying I wonder?

"Jonathan, this is Evan, Evan wants you to shave his head too," says Donavan.

"Really!" I say.

"Can you, do you gotta do something after dinner?" asks Donavan.

"That's fine I can," I say.

I just can't believe the chance of me shaving off this guy's hair. It was the exact haircut I always thought would be perfect. He really wanted me to shave off all that beautiful straight dark brown hair! This would be the second and last head I'd ever shave in my life. This was going to be amazing!

"Jonathan, Evan is going with you, I got a class soon. Don't worry he's cool," says Donavan.

Donavan takes off leaving me alone with Evan. I never dreamed I'd be talking to this guy that always kinda mystified me. Now I'd get to know him. We ate and chatted a bit, then left. On the way to my dorm room Evan told me he was gone out for basketball and his hair was too long. Donavan had told him I'd cut his hair for free. That's how he got the idea for me to shave his head. They were going to come look for me even if they hadn't seen me in the dinning hall. Now this was all making sense.

I was still kind of enamored by this guy named Evan and his perfect hair. I couldn't believe I'd get to shave it off. It was going to be exciting, but could I really dig my clippers into it?

We got to my empty dorm room. It was just like last night I thought. This was better though. It was Evan's hair I'd get to shave tonight.

"Evan, go ahead and take your shirt off and have a seat in that chair," I said.

"If you take off your shirt, the hair won't get in it," I say.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Evan says.

"I guess I want it shaved like yours and Donavan. I'm kinda nervous cause I never shaved my head before," Evan says.

"You want this, right?"I ask.

"Yeah man, go ahead buzz it,the coach wants it kinda short anyway," Evan says.

I am shaking and realize I'm much more nervous for some reason tonight. It must be the reality of shaving such perfect hair nearly all off.

"Here we go bro!" I say.

I run the clippers right through those long perfect bangs I'd always seen Evan flip. In under a minute they are on my dorm room floor! The hair on the top of his head comes off next. He is very nervous and I can feel him shaking a little. It's amazing how the barber or hair cutter can sense the mood and body language while cutting a person's hair. Next I zip the hair off an ear, exposing it completely. I notice it's a perfect ear. The other ear is identical and perfect. Evan is now looking transformed from a very pretty boy, to looking more like a man. It's amazing how different he looks. The transformation is extreme, but not bad. I started to wonder what he'll think when he sees it? I've buzzed off nearly everything now. I trim the neck and sideburns next. I go over it two more times carefully. I fold down each ear and clip away any stray hairs near them.

"I'm all done now," I say.

It's weird, he rubs it and says thank you, but doesn't seem to want to look in the mirror to see the new look.

"Hey come here bro and look in the mirror," I say.

"Oh man, I look different!" Evan says.

"Dude, I have no hair!" he says.

"You'll get used to it in a couple days, I did," I tell him.

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