Josh's barbers choice - Part 2 by P.J.

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Josh's barbers choice - Part 2
After Josh's pleasantly surprising barter payment for his first haircut, we settled into a closer friendship. Still regulars at the gym, fully understanding we both were gay, and attracted to each other.

Josh had much to do being a first time professor at the university, settling into teaching, a getting lesson plans organized , and finding a more permanent place to live than the university's temporary housing arrangement. I also was very busy, incoming freshmen, then upperclassmen, returning customers, seemed like everybody waited till they got to school this year to get their hair cut. That was O.K. with me, good for business! Then there was the incoming class at the Army base, my favorite...induction cuts. Lots of long haired recruits, pealed bald.

Before we knew it, it was Columbus day. Josh getting his first vacation day of the school year. I'd half expected him to come walking in one Saturday before closing time, or asking me during our few and far between evenings together, about getting his hair cut again. But that hadn't happened. We agreed to spend some time together on Sunday, hiking and enjoying the last fall time outdoors before the snow came.

I picked him up for the hike and was surprised to see 3 days growth of beard on his face. I brushed his face, asking hey what's up with the face fur? Well winters coming, got to stay warm up here in the north country right? Hmm, not sure if I liked the look, we'd have to wait till it came in a bit more.

That night , lounging in Josh's new apartment, not far from my shop, I decided to bring up the subject of haircuts and see where it went. His hair was just breaking over his ears, not yet touching the collars of his dress shirts. Hey, I said, I've been expecting to see you in the shop for a cleanup , what's up? Well, Josh began, I know you like to keep me short and tidy, but I'd like to grow it out for a bit for winter. Hmm, this was a new development. Is that why you've started the face fur too, I asked. Yes, I usually grow a beard for winter, being from Minnesota, it's every bit as cold there as it is here in winter. He reached over and stroked the back of my freshly cut hair. I'd decided to give myself as similar cut to his, we didn't look like twins though. My auburn brown ish hair wasn't anywhere near as thick and heavy as his, I'd taken the sides down a bit shorter too, starting with a #1 instead of a #2. I loved the feel of his hands moving over the fresh stubble on the sides and back though. My top was a bit shorter too, helping it get the rough texture and overhang right on me.

Much as I love the short cut, Josh said, I'm going to grow it out. I love it long too. How long I asked. I don't know he replied. Let's see what it looks like around Christmas time, O.K.? I wasn't really O.K. whit this but reluctantly agreed to be patient. Josh said, don't worry, you'll get to cut it again eventually. I checked, and the university doesn't have an appearance clause in my contract so, anything goes. Don't worry, I won't let it get to ridiculously long before turning you lose, O.K., he said, fluffing my hair on top. Well, I said O.K., how about the beard I asked. Same for the beard, I'm used to one, so just be patient. It looks good on me. really, Josh said, smirking back at me.

The fall flew by, winter set in, we both did a bit of skiing, and snow shoeing when we had free time. I had to admit, Josh's beard was truly stunning. It came in much darker than his hair, almost a dark red. Just like the hair on his head, it was thick, and straight, not curly. The beard, in combination with his longer hair, gave him a sort of north woods man look, Very handsome. His hair was almost to his shoulders by mid December, it had a nice wave to it, and the bangs needed to be pushed to the side so he could see. I was itching to get the clippers into it, and carve it all back to the short haired version of Josh. He knew it too, he was always asking me to give him a head massage, knowing it drove me crazy having my hands in all that hair. I'd let mine get a bit longer than usual for me too, it was winter after all. He was surprised, but encouraged me to keep it longer for winter too. I didn't do beards though. I had a baby face, and couldn't even muster a decent mustache.
Finally, after final exams were done and graded, he showed up at the shop the Saturday before Christmas, at closing time as usual. I pulled the blinds and flipped the closed sign on the door, giving him a hug and a kiss, running my hands through his thick mane. MMM, I can't wait to get the clippers on this I said. He pulled back and looked at me, stunned. What makes you think you're going to get to use the clippers on me, he asked. Well, you said I could cut it at Christmas time, and Christmas is this coming week so.....All I want is a trim, mister barber. And trim up the beard too please. It's all getting a bit unkempt but I'm not about to let you clip it all off, not till after spring session is done. I sighed, really Josh, your killing me here. Josh flopped into the big barber's chair. All he was missing was a flannel shirt to complete the lumberjack look. I taped and caped him. I had to admit, even with all that hair, and the long beard, he still looked handsome. O.K. I said, what exactly am I allowed to do with this mane? I started running a comb through it, and had to switch to a brush, there was too much hair for the comb.

No barbers choice this time Josh said. I want the sides trimmed up so the tip of my ears show, the back, just layer a bit, cut to the midpoint on the collar please. And the bangs, I asked, pulling them down over his face with the brush, they reached the tip of his nose. Just layer them a bit too, keep the length about as it is. He knew he was asking a lot of me to only cut that much. He smirked at me , think you can do just that much, mister barber man. You do realize, that by Memorial Day, you'll look like a cave man, right, I said, laughing. He laughed back, if your good he said, you might get to trim it once more at Easter time, we'll see. I told him we should wash this first, and marched him back to the wash station.

This time took longer, he had a lot more hair than the last time we did this. I had to admit, I loved the feel of all that hair as I washed and conditioned it. With a towel wrapped around his head we marched back to the big chair. I towel dried the mop, and brushed it out.

O.K. here we go babe I said, picking up the clippers and walking around to this back. He started to get up, I said no clippers J, I mean it, I'll just wait till spring and let it grow. I barked, sit down shaggy, I'm only shaving your neck, I've got to start someplace you know. God how I wanted to plough the clippers right up the back of his head. This was going to be tough. I shaved his neck with the peanut clippers, asking again if I could just keep going up the back. NO! Now stop it, or I'm heading out J. O.K.,O.K., sheesh, a barber has to try babe, I said, relax. I put the clippers back on their hook, picked up scissors and got the comb out of the sanitizing solution, shaking it off. Now, you want the back evened up, and layered at the bottom correct? Yep, correct, Josh quipped . I observed that this would still necessitate removing a good inch or two , before I layered it. I set to work, thick hanks of hair falling to his shoulders as I went from right to left. J, that's a lot of hair, what are you doing back there? Mid collar length right, I said, pressing on his collar through the cape. Yes, just checking, Josh replied. I layered the bottom a bit and moved on to his left side. I'd left the back length all the way to just before his ear on each side. I cut about an inch and a half off at the bottom of his ear, exposing just his ear lobe, and only the width of his ear, the rest, behind his ear, was rounded down to the length in the back. I layered the bottom a bit so it didn't look blunt, and moved to the right side and did the same thing. I was positively fit to bust, exercising this much restraint cutting this mane. I was also rock hard, and Josh knew it. He was watching my every move in the big mirror, he didn't ever want to be turned away from it. I knew that he too was probably rock hard by now.

I gave him his left parting, 3/4 of the way back, he had the beginnings of a very erotic rooster tail at his crown if I went all the way to the crown with the parting, that was always a turn on for me for some reason. (especially when I get to plow the clippers through it) I trimmed the bangs up just a bit, evening them up. Layering them the same as the sides an back. He wore them flipped back to the right, they just overhung his right eye in that seductive, come cut me off, manner. I was itching to thin this mop down too, but Josh wouldn't hear of it. He liked it this way. He could brush the bangs back off his face, and they stayed back pretty well, unless he looked down. I stepped back, checking him out, wow, very 70's, man. What do you think, I asked, grabbing the big hand mirror and showing him the back. He studied himself for a minute, said, wow, great job, looks fine to me. I sighed, I don't do many throw back cuts, never expected to be doing one on my man, I said. Oh, stop whining J , Josh said, laughing. you know you love it.

Now, I said, what are we doing with the beard? Hmm Josh murmured, examining himself in the big mirror. Seeing as how I wouldn't let you go crazy with my hair today, how about barbers choice on my beard? I rolled my eyes, really, you trust me not to shave it clean off, I am a barber after all Josh, I said.

I wanted a clipped full look for the beard, His beard was coarse and thick, but relatively straight, not scraggly and curly. I took the clippers with a #8 guard on them and uniformly reduced it down. I cleaned up the neck line, chastising him for not keeping up with the maintenance that goes with a beard while I was doing it. Much better, using a bit of shaving butter, I gave him a sharp cheek line below his eyes. I decided to have a bit of fun with him so I left the moustache long. I grabbed some wax and worked it in at each end of his mouth. Twisting a bit, I could just about fashion a short handlebar. Stepping out of the way I said, there, how about that bucco? Oh, lord, are you serious, Josh replied laughing . Sure, why not, you have the mop to go with 'em I said, running my hand through the thick shank at the back of his head. You know what, just to be stubborn, let's leave it like this, Josh said challenging me. I might need some advise as it grows longer on how to trim it, but barbers choice is barbers choice right J?

I uncapped him and brushed him down. As he got up from the chair I gave him a gentle push toward the stairs to my loft. Now, if memory serves me correctly... this is a barter arrangement. I believe I need to collect for services rendered I said mischievously.

I couldn't wait till Memorial day, I had to find a way to make it Barbers choice.

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