Summer Cut by keepitshort

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Over the course of a year I grow my hair, for me, fairly long (about one and a half inches) over the winter months gradually getting shorter throughout the spring and finally an overall buzz for summer, this is my account of this years summer cut.

It was mid spring and I headed for a little barbershop I frequented for a final trim before being shorn for the warmer summer months. As I opened the door the friendly owner Sheila looked up from the crew-cut she giving to a little boy and said “hi not seen you in a while, take a seat, you’re next for shearing and I’ll be with you in a couple of minutes”
I smiled my acknowledgement and took a seat beside the boys Mother. “Is that short enough for you Mum? That’s a number 3 I can take it in tighter if you want?” To my surprise the Mother addressed me “I’m useless at this what do you think? Is the next level a lot shorter?” she looked worried and not that happy at the haircut her son now sported. I looked at the hair around the chair and realised that the boy had come in with a fair head of hair and had been pretty well shorn. “Well he seems to have lost a fair amount already how old is he?”
“Ten, and getting a ‘Skinhead’ as he calls it, it’s what he wants”
Sheila piped up “ It’s what all the boys around his age are asking for normally if they’re on their own this is the shortest I’ll go some will ask for a ‘Zero’ but the shortest I’ll do is a ‘No1’ even with their parents permission if they’re under 12”
I laughed at the look of bewilderment on the Mothers face “Confused with the terminology? It’s to do with the size of guard/comb she fits on the clippers. Why don’t you let him decide?”
“Ok do you want it shorter?”
“Mmm I’m not sure how short is a No 1?”
I could see that Sheila was getting annoyed with the delay “Let me show you, you ok with this Mum? It won’t take long to grow back”
The mother gave a very slight nod of approval and bit her bottom lip as Sheila stripped the back of the boy’s head with the No1 guard. “Now I’ll have to do the sides to match but I can leave the top as it is or is it the No1 all over?” She lifted the cape a little and told the boy “Feel the back” as he rubbed the back of his head there was a look of shock and then tears glazed both his and his Mother’s eyes. “He’s almost bald,” whispered the Mother
“All over?” asked Sheila
“ No” said the boy
“Ok” Sheila quickly stripped the hair from both sides of the boy’s head and tidied up the hairline.
As she finished I saw a huge smile appear on the boys face as he jumped down from the chair and even the Mother laughed as she rubbed his head “It’s cool Mum” As she paid she apologised to Sheila about the delay and listened as she was advised” If you go elsewhere that’s a 1 & 3, but if you leave it a couple of weeks come back and I’ll give him a No2 all over.
As I sat down I could tell that Sheila was still a little perplexed
Sheila looked at me “You getting your summer shave? Or a tidy up?”
“Not warm enough for the shave yet just a tidy up”
“Ok what Numbers?”
“I’m not too sure how long is a Number….?”
We both burst out laughing, “Don’t you start!”
“2 back & Sides a little longer than a 4 on top please”
“No problem” and Sheila had returned to her normal cheery self, and we chatted away as she expertly clippered and trimmed my hair. As she held up the mirror for me to inspect the back she asked “ All off next time? Am I getting the pleasure”?
“Yes, if the weather picks up I’ll be back in about 3 weeks and you can give me a ‘Proper Skinhead’ right to the wood”
“I’ll hold you to that!”
“It’s a deal”

Within 5 days the weather did change and became very warm and so it was only 10 days until I returned to Sheila’s barbershop. As I entered she smiled a hello and shrugged her shoulders at the waiting queue of 6 people “Hot weathers bringing them all out you might have to wait a bit”
“Ok, how long?”
“Skinhead, right?”
“Yes” I said unconsciously running my hand through my hair.
“Well at least an hour for me but Tracy from the ladies salon at the back can do you in ten minutes”
“ Ehhmmm “
“Don’t worry she’s good for 1 grade all over”
“Yes, ok yes Tracy will be fine”
At that Sheila shouted “Trace got a skinner for you in ten minutes OK?”
The voice from the back replied “I’ll do it now send him through”
“There you go, straight through the back”
“ I don’t want to jump the queue”
“Don’t worry about that, Sheila addressed the queue ‘ Anyone else wanting a skinhead?’ No? Good there you go all settled”
As I made my way through to the back salon I was met by a very pretty girl with cropped blond hair and a name badge “Tracy”
“Hi I believe I’m your next victim”
Tracy laughed, “Well yes I was expecting a young boy but take a seat”. As she tightly caped me she continued “It’s been a while since I’ve had a man to take care of, Sheila normally only sends through schoolboys. It is a skinhead you’re after though isn’t it?”
“Yes, the annual crop, I feel a bit guilty jumping the queue though.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll just have a quick word with Sheila and get her clippers ok?”
And at that she was off.
She was back in less than a minute and continued the conversation as she plugged in the clippers.
“ Personally I prefer doing men’s hair it’s a lot less hassle than the old ladies and I just find it easier to talk to guys than woman. Headown a little please”

I felt her hand on the back of my head gently pushing my chin towards my chest and heard the click and loud buzz of the clippers as they came to life. I was a little surprised that she hadn’t asked me what number to use as she continued.
“ I’ve been watching Sheila all week using these clippers and wondered when I’d get a chance to try them myself”
I felt the clippers vibrate against my scalp and climb all the way to the crown, just as she started the second pass the phone rang and I heard Sheila call out to Tracy to answer it.
As she left to answer the phone I felt a cool breeze on the back of my head. When Tracy returned and continued with the clippers she asked “ How often do you get it like this?”
I replied “Well I keep it like this throughout the summer and then grow it out during the winter”
“Do you just shave it in the shower then?”
“Sorry?”
“You’re head. Do you shave it in the shower?”
“What do you mean? “
I could see a look of concern on Tracy’s face as she turned the clippers off. “How short did you want to go?” she asked
“ Same as normal a No 1 all over, Why?”
“ Sheila, can you come through now please“
In an instant Sheila appeared in the mirror “What’s up?”
Tracy started to babble, “ It’s not my fault, you told me to use these, and it’s not my fault”
I asked, “What’s she done?”
Sheila answered “ Just what you wanted, a skinhead”
“A number 1?”
“No she used these, like we discussed the last time you were here” At that Sheila showed me the clippers and I read the inscription on them ‘Wahl Balding Clippers’ I touched the back of my head and felt nothing but skin and a very slight 5-o-clock shadow.” Show me” She held a mirror and I could see that the back of my head had been shaved bare. “ She never asked me how short”
“I know but if you remember the last time you were here we agreed that it was all coming off”
“Yes I know but I thought we were just fooling around, can you repair / blend it in?”
A shake of the head “No sorry, it’ll all have to come off or it won't look right, but you’ll get it for free” and at that she was gone.
I looked at Tracy “Listen it’s not entirely your fault I think Sheila has set you up, she was quite determined to shave my head and looked a little disappointed when I agreed to let you cut my hair, just get on with it, it’ll grow back”
Tracy replied, “I’m really sorry I did ask her if you had had the balders before and she just nodded”
“Tracy just finish it as quickly as you can please” and in an instant she had switched the balding clippers on and run them right down the centre of my head. “Wow, they really do what they say don’t they!” I exclaimed.
“Well they’re not called balding clippers for nothing, they’re the nearest you’ll get to a razor “as she continued to shave the rest of my hair off. She was finished within 2 minutes and I stared at this white skull in the mirror as she dusted me off she asked, “Do you mind If I take a picture? “
“Why” I asked “Because I’d like to send it to my boyfriend as I’m taking them home to use on him tonight1”
As I made my way back out through the barbershop everyone stared at me and Sheila looked up “Now folks that’s what I call a ‘Proper Skinhead’ and I hope you all agree it looks brilliant, same time next week?”
“Doubt it, It’ll take a little time to get used to being bald”
“You can buy me a drink in the local pub next week after I’ve shaved you smooth with the razor, if you had waited for me that’s what you were getting, remember our agreement “Next time All off!”

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