Football Buddies (recovered) by Gator

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I am not the author of this story. With being quarantined and working from home, it is a great time to find old stories using the Wayback Machine.
Gator
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Football Buddies
By Claude Spurlock
True Story Football Buddies

I have been sitting next to a guy for 3 years at our college football’s games. He knows everything about our football team and about football, all the players names, who is injured he even states what the penalty will be even before the refs indicate what they are calling. We have a great time talking football for the 7 homes games each year. Until this year I really never even knew his name just the guy next to me at the football games who I really enjoyed talking to. But the one that I look forward to is seeing his perfect flattop each week. It is always perfect if we have a game each week or if we skip a week it always looked great. The flattop is very short has a slight stubble in the sides and a great landing strip. He also has a great perfectly trimmed mustache (marine style) that looks perfect with his flattop. I just wished my Howie Long style flattop and full mustache looked half as good as his does.

The first game this year I finally said to him it been 3 years now we have sat together and talked football and I don't think we ever really introduced ourselves. I said I am CD and he said that his name was Steve. We talked more this week than we ever had. When I was about to leave, he said I get with some of guys every Sunday to watch a pro game I am sure that they would mind a new face around and some extra money in our weekly football pool. Before I could say anything, my wife said honey you should go sounds like you would have a great time. I said OK sound great to me!! He gave me his address, which was only about 5 miles from where I live.

I got over to Steve's house about 12:00 and there were several cars already there. I walk in and am led to the basement. This was a Sport Fans dream Steve had the nicest home entertainment room I have ever seen it had everything you could want. Extra-large screen, surround sound, wet bar and decorated with all vintage pictures of sports hero. He introduced me to all the guys who were all seemed great but the one thing I could not get over were the haircuts I felt like a hippie with my newly cut Flattop with a #2 on the sides and an average length mustache and a goat-tee stubble I was growing for football season (one of those yearly things).. All 5 guys hair were perfectly cut and looked as if they had just stepped out of the Barbershop. There were 2 flattops with stubble sides, 2 Flattops with shave sides and one very short Ivy league with shaved sides 3 had mustaches that were all the same razor-sharp angles to about ¾ to the corners of the mouth. I had a great time and sat where I could let a good look at all of these great haircuts and just kept thinking how I might look with one like Steve. At the end of the night I won the $150.00 pot, which was great surprise, and then they said that I had to come back next week for them to get their money back.

We had an away game this week, so I did not see Steve until Sunday and once again he and all his friend’s hair looked like they had just come from the barbershop. Once again, I had a great time with my new football fiends but did not win the money this week and leaving told them I would see them next week.

So the third Sunday comes, and I get there and once again they all look like they just came from the barbershop and I really looked out of place with my flattop that need cutting badly and the full goatee I now have. I could not stand it anymore. I had to ask, Do you all get hair cut every week or what? I don't understand how your cuts can look so good each week and mine looks like this. They all laughed, and Steve said let me show you something he opened a door, that I thought was a closet, that revealed his very own barber shop complete with an old barber chair. He said that he started cut hair when he was in the marines and that he cuts some of his friends’ hair every Saturday morning starting at 6:00 AM and that he cuts 10 guys hair and that most of them come every week. That is why they always look like they just got a cut because they just have. He said that he always had room for one more if I was interested. My heart was racing but I said that I would think about it. They talked haircut between each play, and this is when I found out that Steve cuts his own flattop each week which really amazed me. We also drank a lot more beer for some reason and the subject of my appearance came up more and more.

The end of the first half came and Steve said we have time for a haircut during the half and everyone looked my way. You know you need one bad you look like a shaggy dog. As all other guys started getting in on the act, I could not say no. I would have looked like some pretty boy attached to his hair or scared that my wife would be mad at me. I could not let that happen in front of all these jocks and the beer was kicking in pretty good now, so I was getting braver. I finally said OK and they led me to the barber chair. Steve said what are we going to do with this mess. I said I usually get #2 on the sides and medium on top kind of Howie Long style. Well I think we will start with a 1.5 to start and go from there. You need to get rid of that sissy flattop and get a real man flattop. I knew I was in short cut, but what the hell. I asked for another beer and the cutting stated. Steve was slow with the clippers but went very high on the sides. He finished the sides and turned me round and it a lot shorter than I am usually get but looked good. But they all agreed that the #1 would not be much shorted and I would not be able to tell the difference. So I said OK. Steve re-cut the sides and cut the top very short. Skin was showing in a very wide landing strip. But I was getting more excited than I had never gotten with a haircut and glad I had jeans so no one would notice. The discussion went on and again I really thought my hair was almost gone but somehow, I agreed to a .5 and the haircut cutting started again. When he finally turned me around there was almost no hair left on top and the sides with my gray hair it looked shaved from a distance. Steve finally said that he thought we had finally gotten the right length for me. Now he said let’s get that mustache and goatee in order. He trimmed and trimmed and then leaned me back in the chair and lathering me up. I told them I had had the mustache for 20 years and was not sure about losing it. Steve said not to worry he was just trimming it up some. I was in no position to argue since he had the straight razor. I could tell that the goatee was going but he seemed to be taking forever to finish the job. He finally put the chair back in the upright position put a towel over my head and turned me around. He said are you ready to see what a man should look like and he pulled off the towel. I could not believe it was me. My hair was the shortest it has ever been, and my normal weekend stubble was gone also the goatee what was left was a perfectly trimmed marine style mustache that looked awesome. The look totally changed me I could not stop staring at myself. The guys were just cheer and telling me how great it looked, and I had to agree that they were right. I cannot tell you how long it has been since I felt so good about a haircut.

The rest of the game they laughed at me because I just kept rubbing my head. But it really felt great. I must have gone back to look at the cut 10 times just to admire it. When it was time to leave Steve said I will see you at bright and early Saturday morning for a cleanup. Told he I will see him then. Know I had to go home what in the world was the family going to say. The kids thought it was great. My wife just shook her head and asked what happen to you did you join the Marines. I told her well sort of. Saturday Morning came and I was up before the alarm and headed to Steve's early but when I got there all the guys were already there and I got to watch 6 haircuts all almost just like mine. When I got in the chair, I said that I did not think he had much to cut and I was surprised as how much came off in just one week of growth. I had and great time and then met Steve at the game for another day of College football. I guess I have a new Saturday Morning Schedule for now on.

The End

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