Summer by Tomtucker20

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It was the first day of summer vacation. My dad picked my up at school and immediately took me to the barber to have my hair cut. This was a tradition to have my head buzzed down short right when school let out. When we got there my dad talked to the barber named Craig who owned the shop all by himself just as a hobby since he retired.

They had known each other ever since my dad and mom divorced and he got custody but money was tight so Craig cut our hair for free. My dad is a very no nonsense type and isn’t one to take free things but he really did need the money so he had Craig give us short haircuts and let them grow out for awhile.

My dad being the ex marine he was got a flattop and told the barber to give me a buzz cut usually a #1 all over. I sat down on the bench and my dad greeted Craig. "Haven’t seen you two in awhile" he remarked. "You know I don’t like taking up your time" said my dad. Especially when it’s free. They chuckled and then Craig asked what we would be doing today.

"The regular flattop for me #2 on top and 0 on the sides" and how about you add a horseshoe this time said my dad. What about for Tom? Asked Craig. It’s going to be hot this summer so shave him down real good. I hadn’t gotten a haircut in a month or two so my buzz was fuzzy and beginning to bend at the tips. Alright said Craig and who’s going first.

My dad went first and got his flattop this time with a short strip at the top. He rubbed his head and got all the loose hair out. Ok Tom your turn said my dad. I sat in the chair and watched as Craig took out a small pair of red clippers with the words balding clippers on the side. I was confused because Craig had never used these before and I was just expecting my normal buzzcut.

He plugged them in and ran them through the center of my head leaving extremely small pieces of stubble. I panicked on the inside since my hair had never been this short. He continued to push them all around my head leaving me with a mere shadow of hair all over my head. Craig then rubbed my scalp and I was struck by the sandpaper like texture.

I began to get up but he told me to stay seated and went behind the counter. Craig came back with a bottle of shaving cream and a bic razor. Just as he was about to lather me up my dad looked up from his magazine and chuckled. "Didn’t know you’d be taking him down to the wood" he said. "Well you did say you wanted him shaved" said Craig.

My dad went back to his magazine and I heard a spraying sound as Craig began to cover my whole head in white foam. After it was completely covered he dragged the razor over every little bristle of hair there was. He told me to put my head in the sink and he turned on the faucet drenching my almost hairless scalp with water. He then rubbed his hands all around my head finding stubble that he missed. He picked my head back up and lathered it up a second time. This time he went over each area multiple times making sure I was completely bald.

Then once again he dipped my smooth scalp into the sink and washed off all the excess shaving cream. He picked up a towel and dried off my now completely bald head. There was no sign of the dark brown hair I had came in with. "All done?" asked my dad. Almost said Craig " isn’t complete until it’s smooth and shiny. He went back to the counter and picked up a bottle filled with clear fluid.

He poured some into his hand and rubbed it all over my head. I looked in the mirror and saw what he had done. My head was all shined up and it caught some of the sunlight through the mirror.

"So what do you think?" He asked me. Uhh I prefer the buzzcut I told him. "Don’t be disrespectful piped my dad" you’ll be keeping your head smooth like this the rest of the summer." Good idea said Craig. I think he looks good as a baldie. How often does he need it shaved? My dad asked. "Well to keep him completely bald with no stubble you’ll need to shave it every day or other day" Craig told my dad. But no need to come in every time. He handed my dad the bottle of shaving cream and razor but he refused saying he could use his own.

We drove home and I sulked. I went to bed angry feeling the pillow against my skin. The next morning I went downstairs forgetting about the previous day. My dad had cooked pancakes and I ate them quickly. Then my dad told me to follow him into the bathroom.

I was 12 at the time and didn’t know how to shave so he did it for me. He directed me to sit on the toilet lid and take off my shirt and then he got out his shaving cream and razor from the cabinet. I was really dreading being bald for the rest of the summer but what could I do. My dad lathered up my scalp which now had a small hint of shadow.

He dragged the razor over every inch of my scalp covering my chest with all the stubble and shaving cream that fell off. He then turned on the sink and put my head under as Craig had done rinsing off all the shadow I had grown overnight. He didn’t shave it twice but he go out to Walmart and bought a bottle of the glossy liquid. He came back and shaved my head again this time making it shiny as well. He continued doing this every day before we went anywhere or got in the pool.

By the end of the summer he let me grow out my buzzcut again and took me to Craig’s to have it buzzed down with clippers during the school year. I knew what to expect during the summer though

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