Jeff Joins the Military by Gator

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Jeff Joins the Military
By Gator

I was sitting in the barber chair reading the local newspaper. It was a Saturday afternoon. The morning had been busy and now, as usual, after lunch, business slowed down especially in the middle of the month. The front door bell tinkled signally a customer. I put down the paper and looked up. It was Jeff.

"Jeff, my friend! Where have you been?" Jeff smiled and showed his dimples. "I’ve been in a show at the university, Pete. I had to grow my hair out for it." "Did the show just end, Jeff?" He blushed a little. "To be honest with you, no, Pete. It ended about 3 weeks ago. I was enjoying the long hair for a change." "Hmm. And now?" "Time for a cut, Pete."

As you may recall, I am Pete, owner of Peter’s and Sons Barber Shop located in a university town in the south. It had been about 3 months since Jeff had been in for a cut. I knew that he had auditioned for a show, a musical, at the university and that he would have to grow out his hair. I had trimmed his cut only very slightly twice. Each of those times, Jeff would always say that after the show was over, he’d be back to his high and tight.

"Climb in the chair, Jeff. Time to get you cleaned up once again." Jeff was still smiling as he got into the chair. I quickly caped him up and put the Sanek strip around his neck. "Back to your usual high and tight, Jeff?" "I’m not sure, Pete." "You’re not thinking of keeping the longer hair, are you?" "Well, not really." I went to face Jeff. "What are you thinking?" "Well, I auditioned for another show at the university. And I got the part of a new Marine recruit." I laughed out loud. "You’ve got to be kidding me?" Jeff shook his head. "I’m not, Pete." "Does that mean you need a Marine induction cut? Parris Island version or San Diego?" "What’s the difference, Pete?" "Parris Island goes to the wood â€" a zero blade or shorter. San Diego stays longer, about a 0.5 or #1 blade." "I’m not sure what to do."

I walked behind Jeff who was facing the mirror. "I do. Since it is getting a little warmer outside, you’ll want a Parris Island induction cut. That way you’ve got a chance to tan your head." "Do I have any other choices, Pete?" "You mean in terms of an induction cut?" "Yes. I was thinking a #1 on top with the sides and back razor shaved." "Well, we could, but then it won’t be an authentic induction cut. We could do a zero on top and razor shave the sides." Jeff blew some air through his open mouth. "Either way, Pete, this is going to be short, isn’t it?" "It is. Let me start by trimming this up while you decide. Do you want to watch or be surprised?" "Surprise me, I think."

I turned Jeff away from the mirror to face the front windows. I combed his hair which was starting to cover his ears. His bangs were almost mid-eye length. "This has gotten long, Jeff." "I know. I like it," he said as he smiled broadly. I chuckled. "Figures you’d turn into a long-haired boy." I walked to in front of Jeff. I raised my scissors, recombed his bangs. I then lifted the scissors to the middle of his forehead and snipped straight across with a slight angle. The bangs floated down into his lap. "I guess this is the start, huh, Pete?" Yep, it is, Jeff." "I knew this day was coming eventually. I just can’t believe it is here already."

"When does this show begin?" "In two weeks. Will that give me time to get some sun on my head?" "It should since it is getting into summer." I walked behind Jeff. I parted his hair on the left, combed it over and said, "Are you ready?" "I haven’t decided on how short I want to go, Pete." "Keep thinking, Jeff." I turned to the back bar, replaced the blade on the Osters with a 0 blade, and turned them on. There was the normal hum of the motor and the whir of the blades. I turned to Jeff, tilted his head down to his chin, placed the clippers in the middle of the nape of his neck and slowly slid the Osters up and up to his crown. "Oh man, o man! That was short I can tell," moaned Jeff. "Nah, you still have hair back there," I said as I rubbed my hand up his stubble. I returned to the bottom of his nape and made another slow pass up to his crown again. I made sure that Jeff’s hair was dropping in his lap. Jeff was quiet. I heard his breathing and wondered. "Are you still awake, Jeff?" "I am. I was thinking about what I will look like when you’re finished." I made a third and fourth pass up the back of his head. I brushed at the loose hair. "You’re looking good back here, Jeff." He sighed loudly. "Just think Jeff, all this in the name of acting and being authentic!"

I lifted Jeff’ head, moved to his left side and slightly tilted his head to the right. I peeled off the hair that covered his ear. I went all the way to the crown. I moved the clippers to the front of his ear, placed them at the bottom of his sideburn, went straight up to the crown and without lifting the clippers, went to the middle of head and took the Osters straight back from forehead to crown. Jeff sat straight up in the chair. "Holy sh**! What did you do?" I looked in his face and without a smile, I said, "Started to give you the induction cut. Why?" "Let me see the mirror." I turned the chair so Jeff could get a look at his cut. His eyes were wide. "Oh my God!" He took his hand out and rubbed the strip. "What blade is that?" "It’s a 0-blade. You’re getting a Parris Island induction cut. Jeff sat back in the chair and just stared. I went to his left side, still holding the Osters, put my right hand at the back of his head, and continued to cut the top. He tried to move away from the clippers, but couldn’t. "Sit still so I can finish your cut." Jeff stopped moving. I made a second pass on his top and then went to stand behind him. I placed the Osters on his forehead and continued to peel off his top. Jeff was still wide-eyed watching every move I made.

I had finished his top, moved to his right side, and peeled off that hair to match the rest of his head. I turned off the clippers and placed them on the back bar. I loaded up the duster to clean off the hair left on Jeff’s head. I ran my hand over his head looking for stragglers. I picked up the Osters once again, turned them on, and ran them all over Jeff’s head. I was finished and left Jeff facing the mirror. "Quite the change, huh Jeff?" He was speechless for a short time. He slowly took his hand from under the cape and ran his head over the stubble on his head. "Amazing, Pete." I wasn’t sure if this was a good comment or a bad comment. "It’ll grow on you, Jeff," I said laughingly. Jeff shook his head. "Not even funny, Pete."

I turned the chair away from the mirror. I got warm lather to place around Jeff’s ears and the nape of his neck so I could clean up his edges. I was done. I spun the chair back to face the mirror and took off the cape. Jeff continued to sit there and not move. "So how do I get this to grow back out, Pete?" "What do you mean, Jeff?" "Well as it gets longer, do I just leave it alone until it needs trimming or what?" I made Jeff sit up straighter in the chair. "There are several options, Jeff. One is to do exactly what you just said. Let it grow until it needs to be trimmed up. If you do that, then I will just literally clean up around the ears and neck with a very slight taper. The second option is to come back for a high and tight cut. I would leave the top alone and razor shave the sides and back. As the top gets longer, I can give you a fade of types that will blend into your top. We can let it keep getting longer back to the length you want to wear it. A third option would be to cut the top down with the 0-blade and razor shave the sides. Option four would be to give you a high and tight, let the top grow out some, and then give you a short flattop. Basically, we are starting fresh here." "You forgot one option," interject Jeff. "What’s that?" "Keep it cut like this for the summer." I laughed out loud. "Are you serious? You pouted all the way through this cut, Jeff." He smiled. "I think I like the option of Barber’s Choice from here on out. I like all those options. I won’t be able to decide, so it’s up to you and your clippers." Jeff got out of the chair and paid for his cut. I shook my head. "So, will you do it, Pete?" "Do what?" "Barber’s choice?"

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