From Joe Hollywood to Joe Military by jack from dfw

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Type your story hereJoe Ford was a handsome man. Standing over six feet tall, with an athletic build and his suit cut in the latest fashion, Joe Ford could pass for a movie star. Joe had always paid attention to his appearance since his early teens. In his younger days, girls often compared him to an Errol Flynn, Robert Taylor or Tyrone Power, although the dapper man fancied himself as a Midwest Cary Grant. “Hollywood” was his high school nickname that stuck through his WWII service in the Naval Air Corp and even into the courtroom where he served as the toughest prosecuting attorney. Complementing his dashing persona were the always present pipe, cigarette or cigar (like many men of his generation, he was a heavy smoker), a manicured mustache and a collection of fedora hats covering his well groomed, Brilliantined, dark brown hair.

Born in 1915, Joe’s hairstyle rarely changed since age 20. His hair was medium long swept back from his face, with a shape sided part, short wide sideburns, and bangs long enough to comb into a wave over his forehead. He religiously followed the 10 day haircut rule. So, his hair never got long enough to touch the tip of his ears, always neatly tapered low around the head with the lowest half inch of his nape clipped to fine stubble. During his military service, the haircut was much shorter on the sides, clipped to the skin with manual clippers. But by 1946, Joe was again sporting his debonair look.

Joe had an over-the-top, flamboyant courtroom style. This often got him cited for contempt of court. Although he had the most successful conviction rate than any other lawyer in the DA’s office, it wasn’t uncommon for him to spend a few hours to a few days in the county jail. In 1952 when Joe was 37, his roguish behavior again got him in trouble. After refusing to comply with a court order not to comment to the media during a high profile case, the judge sentenced Joe to 90 days. He was allowed to go without bail to tend to his affairs but had to turn himself in by 6 PM.

Joe’s first stop was home to explain to his wife the judge’s order. After they had a quick roll in the hay, he spent a few hours at Ty’s Bar for Old Fashioned cocktails. Ford, then, visited his mistress for another roll in the hay (Joe Ford wasn’t the most faithful husband.) Afterwards he had about an hour to stop by Doug’s Barbershop for a haircut and shave.

Doug’s was the oldest barbershop in town founded by Doug Sr. in 1892. Little was changed when Doug Jr. took over the shop in 1935. It was a rather Spartan two- chair shop. Although Doug Jr. replaced the turn-of-the-century chairs with black leather and porcelain Koken barber chairs, the only recent upgrade made to the shop was a television set.

Joe walked in slightly drunk with lighted cigarette in mouth, took off his hat and suit jacket. The barber was finishing a flat top on a high school student.

“Joe, my man, take a look at this while you wait,” Doug Jr. said, handing him a magazine. “It’s new.”

Whistling, Joe said, “That Monroe girl sure has a great set of T & A. Got to handle it to her.”

“You’re next.”

Joe put out his cigarette, loosened his tie, rolled up his sleeves that exposed an anchor tattoo and sat in the chair. The barber quickly caped Joe, placing a piece of tissue around his neck and a towel tucked into his shirt collar. The routine was always the same – a shave first followed by a haircut.

While the barber placed hot towels to soften Joe’s heavy 5 o’clock shadow, the conversation was not the usual sports talk, discussion of the Soviet threat, bragging about children or even confessions of Joe’s infidelities. Joe was upset that his three month jail stay was going to interrupt his frequent trips to the barbershop.

“I’m going to look like mad man.”

“Doesn’t the jail have a barber?” Doug asked.

“Only once a month by an officer. I like it trimmed every 10 days, besides they do a real hack job,” Joe answered.

“Well,it is jail. Tell you what my man. How about going short all over like the young ones wear these days? It will be more comfortable in that hot jail and I’ll give you a professional cut. By the time you get out, it will have grown out to what you have now.”

“Umm, I don’t know. I had it cut short when I joined the Navy. You gonna use hand clippers?”

“No, I don’t use them anymore, only these motor ones. It’s up to you. I could give you a crewcut, flat top, or butch.”

Joe ran his hands throw his thick matinee idol hair.
.He took a deep sigh and Joe said, “Just take it off and the mustache too.”
“You are going to look like an 18 year old again.”
First the barber was to give Joe a shave. Doug washed his hands and prepared the hot towels and honed and stropped his razor. He lathered Joe with an antique badger tail brush. Doug was an expert in hot shaves; he did 3 or 4 a day. It only took 14 strokes to complete the entire face shave.
Free hand
Back hand
Free hand
Reverse free hand
Back hand
Back hand
Back hand
Free hand
Back hand
Reverse free hand
Free hand
Free hand
Reverse free hand
And it was done, Joe was clean shaven.
The barber again washed his hand and started the haircut, using shears over comb. Doug cut a large lock at the front hairline and it fell over Joe’s face.
Joe suddenly jumped as if surprise to see so much hair cut off.
“Hey take it easy up there. I’m going to county jail not death row’ Joe's said.
“You wanted it short and it’s going to be a nice crew cut, don’t worry, I’ll take care of you good.”
Doug continued to use the shears over comb and moved to clippers over comb, cutting more hair but blending it nicely. As he finished, Joe was left with a classic crew cut.
The hair cut was topped off with a close high taper at the nape, around the ears and up to the temples and a neck shave.
Doug dusted off the any hairs and dressed the cut with butch wax.
He turned Joe facing the mirror, Joe grimed from ear to ear, He stepped out of the chair paid $8,.aAnd lit up his pipe.
Joe with his new crew cut reported to the city jail. While he was serving his 90 days Joe was in an altercation with an inmate was the husband wads the wife of one of Joe’s mistresses. To dress the large cut on his head, the jail guard and part time barber gave Joe another hair cut. Joe’s wife was shocked to see her husband come home from jail with loking like a death row inmate with a shaved head. but that’s another story.

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