Frank's a man of his word by P.J.

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Ah, it felt good to finally be home. I'd just dragged my stuff in the back door and gave mom a hello hug.

Just then dad rounded the corner. He pulled up short and gave me a terse hello. He said "stow your stuff quick, we're off to Franks to get that overgrown mop of yours removed. No kid of mine is going to live here with that." I told him I had to help a friend move first. "Could we meet at Franks at say 3:30 today?" He huffed and said he'd prefer to do it now but O.K. 3:00 and not a minute later. I dropped my stuff in my room and high tailed it out of there. Yeah, it sure was great to be home, right. NO interest in how my exams were, what plans I had for the summer, any job prospects, just let's get that mop shaved off right quick. Mom gave me a pained look as I walked away.

I went over and helped Nate move as promised. I lost track of time and had to put the pedal to the metal to get to Franks. As it was I was going to be late, later than 3:30 for sure. The old man was going to be pissed. Oh, well, He'd be doubly pissed when he found out what was really going to happen today. I hope Frank remembers what he told me last year.

Dad was pacing out front. He gave me a tongue lashing about being on time for things. Maybe I'd be able to see my watch after Frank has that disgusting mop cleared away. I kept silent for the moment. I walked into the shop with dad hot on my heals. I'd intended to try and be Franks last cut of the day. Looks like I made it just in time. Dad was not amused however.

As we entered the shop the bell chimed, Frank looked up from the cut in progress on the client in the chair. I thought I recognized the guy in the chair from high school. He was a year behind me. I nodded and smiled. He gave me a wan look back. His eyes looked a bit moist. Then I realized that he was here getting his summer shearing. On closer inspection there was a huge mound of shorn locks in his lap. Ah, poor bugger, I thought to myself. At least those days are over for me....I hope.

Frank looked up and said "Nice to see you Ben, back from college for the summer?" I noticed he gave me a quick wink. "Nice to see you too Bob, (that was my dad's name) Great timing. Looks like you'll be my last two cuts of the day. Ben, be a good guy and flip the closed sign and pull the window shade for me would ya?"

Dad replied "Howdy Frank, Yep, just made it. Ben here desperately needs his annual summer shearing. Gettin so long it's embarrassing to be seen with him." Dad said. "I'm just here for a tidy up. Shouldn't take you long for either of us. Sorry it's so late."

Wow, that was kind of a slap for me. I didn't know he felt that way. Embarrassed to be seen with me huh, wow. We both took seats in the waiting area chairs. There was one other guy sitting in a waiting area chair, I assumed he was the guy in the chairs father. Dad nodded a greeting at him. The other guy piped up with "I see you're bringing your boy in to get rid of the disgusting mop too huh." He nodded to the barber chair where Frank was just stripping the last of the poor guys lush locks down to finish up the feared and famous #1 butch. "Starting to look good again Frank" the other dad chirped. The kid was on the verge of tears as the last thick locks tumbled into his lap. I was pretty sure that my presence would help force him to hold it together. I knew exactly how he felt though. I'd endured 18 years of that treatment myself.

"A couple more minutes and your boy can get up there and get that shaggy mop peeled off too." The guy said, addressing dad and thrusting his chin to indicate me.

Dad said "Yep, He's barely been home half a day. I told him he'd better be meeting me here, I don't want him in the house another day with that overgrown mop." The other dad nodded agreement.
Frank was now finished with the brutal shearing. He dusted the dejected guy down and unsnapped the cape. A huge pile of shorn chestnut colored locks tumbled to the floor. The kid dejectedly slid off the chair and slinked to the front of the shop with his dad. The dad turned to my dad and said "best of luck to you. Frank will have him sheared down and lookin like a man in no time." He nodded in my direction and shook his head.

I wanted to shout at that dad and tell him what a selfish jerk he was insisting that his soon to be a senior son get shaved up like he was a five year old. At the last minute I caught myself. There would likely be a shouting match soon enough in here.

Franks glanced at dad and I, he said, "O.K. whichever of you wants to go next can get in the chair while I take care of these two."

Dad told me to hop on up there and get situated. "Actually sir, could you go first? I'd like to be the last one this time please." I said quietly.

"I don't see as how it matters but yes, I guess I'll go first then. Dad replied, looking at me and shaking his head.

"Thank you sir" I replied politely.

Frank came back, caped dad up and started trimming his hair. His business man's cut wasn't really in need. I knew he'd just come down here to supervise my summer shearing like always.
"Well Bob, nice to have Ben back for the summer then isn't it? Doesn't seem like a whole years gone by already does it." Frank said.

Dad replied "well yes and no, I knew straight off when he walked in the door that a whole year had gone by just by looking at that long mop on his head. I thought he might have had a dorm barber like we did back in college that kept us sheared down for the price of a six pack. I guess not though, right son?" He replied glancing up at me.

'Actually dad, we did have a dorm barber. I was just too busy studying all the time to be that concerned. I guess I was looking forward to seeing Frank when I got home."
Frank was behind dad, he smiled at me and winked again. I was pretty sure then that he remembered our conversation from last year.

"Well, you'll look much more respectable out there looking for a summer job without all that shaggy hair, that's for sure. People don't want much to do with kids that look like shaggy haired bums, right Frank?" Dad said looking at Frank for reinforcement.

Frank replied "Well Bob, I look and Ben there and see a hard working college student whose just glad to have the first year under his belt and be back home for the summer. He's got clean clothes on that fit well, he's clean shaven too. He just needs a bit of a trim to neaten up that handsome blonde hair and I'll bet anyone around here would be glad to hire him. I know I would."

Dad studied me sternly for a moment. He started to say something, then stopped.

Frank ws done with his trim and was finishing brushing him down. "There you go Bob," Frank replied cheerily. "Didn't need much of a touch up but you're good to go now anyway." He unsnapped the cape and dad climbed down.

Frank smiled at me and patted the chair. "Last but not least Ben. Step on up and have a seat."

I sauntered up to the chair. Bracing for what I perceived would quickly turn into a shouting match between dad and I.

Frank sterri striped my neck and snapped the cape around it tightly. He pulled the thick locks at my nape up through the neck opening. Then he started to run a comb through my plush mane. "Well now Ben, this handsome head of sunshine blonde locks looks much the same as it did last year at this time if I recall correctly eh. As I remember, I told you I'd trim it exactly the way you wanted to if you came back this year, correct? Are you still thinking of the same style you described to me then?" He was working his way around my head, combing six inch long sunny blonde locks down all around. "With a little touch up trimming, this'll grow out into what you want just fine son."

Dad piped up and said "Never mind that silly talk, he'll be getting the usual # 1 butch like always Frank."

Frank winked at me again and I braced for the ensuing row. Frank replied "Well Bob, considering that Ben here is over 18 now, he gets a say in how he gets his hair cut. At least in my shop anyway. So.... Ben, what are we doing today?"

I heard a huffing sound, (I couldn't see dad, my thick bangs were completely covering my face). Since I'm paying for his cut, I think we'll stick with the butch, right Ben" Dad replied sternly. Assuming I'd capitulate and just say yes sir.

Here goes nothing, I thought to myself. Frank pulled my fringe aside a bit so I could at least see out of one eye. I looked at Frank and Frank nodded reassuringly.

"Well sir, actually you aren't paying for the cut sir, I am. Dad was starting to get a bit red in the face. "Nonsense boy, I'm your father and You'll...." I cut him off mid rant.

"Yes, you are my father. And until a few minutes ago I didn't know I was such an embarrassment to you." I looked at Frank. "My grandparents gave me their old car last year so I'd have something to get me to and from college. I've maintained it with my backyard mechanic skills dad taught me, and money from my summer job last year. I've also used that money for spending money at school this past year. I haven't asked for a dime all year. I earned a full ride 4 year scholarship to the school of my choice, I'm majoring in bio chem, and while I was busy avoiding the dorm barber, I maintained a 4.0 average all of freshman year. I've already procured a paid internship at the hospital lab here in town on my own for this summer. Dad here was more interested in insuring I got sheared for the summer than hearing about how my year went though so he doesn't even know about that." I glared at dad now. " The fact that I waited till I got home this summer so my trusted hometown barber might be able to cut my hair should be the least of your concerns dad. Apparently my somewhat overgrown hair, clean and neatly combed mind you causes you to be embarrassed to be seen with me, or be allowed to stay in your home unless I get it all shaved off." Dad sat there stunned into silence for once.

I was somewhat surprised that he didn't have anything to say, so I asked "Frank, could you cash my dad out for this trim? I believe he'll prefer to be on his way rather than wait. Since you're only going to give me a bit of a trim, like we discussed at last year's brutal shearing. I'll be leaving with my over grown 'mop' pretty much intact this year. I'm sure he won't want be seen with me after you finish my trim. You surely won't wish to be seen with someone as unseemly as me, right dad? And since you can't stand to have me in your house with my 'mop' either, I'll be along after Frank finishes to collect my things. I can probably find someone who can stand to have me around and go live with them."

Frank paused in front of me for a moment. You could have heard a pin drop in the shop. I waited for the explosion from dad but it never came.

Frank innocently asked dad if he would like to be cashed out. Dad declined, but stayed quiet. I watched several different emotions flash across his face. He wouldn't make eye contact with me though. Oh, well. I was prepared to catch one last round of bloody hell when I showed up at home to collect my things.

I quietly asked "Frank, if I remember correctly, you promised you'd trim up my hair anyway I liked if I came back to see you after school was out this year. Is that promise still good?" Frank nodded and said "Yes, I remember the conversation well. You lamented about not being 18 yet, and having to be subjected to yet another humiliating shearing instead of even being asked what you might like. I remember telling you that if you came back next year, over 18 years old by then, I would be happy help you trim up these gorgeous locks however you wished. If nothing else than to prove to you I can actually cut longer hair." He chuckled. "I always hated giving you that unwanted shearing. You dad always brooked no option though. He was paying so off it came. I noticed as you got older you gave up even weakly protesting since it fell on deaf ears."

"Frank, could you please turn me towards the mirror and we can discuss what I'd like you to do." I said quietly.

Frank happily turned the chair. We had a bit if discussion about what I was thinking to do. I had a couple of pics on my phone to help illustrate what I was going for.

Frank nodded and said "I think that'll look great Ben. Quite a departure from the 'ol #1 butch eh son. And one that's long overdue in my opinion."

Frank proceeded to horse shoe part my hair, deep in the back and wide on the top. Six inches is a lot of hair, especially since its actually virgin, or never been cut before, it's all slightly different lengths. I got a chance to pause, watch in the big mirror, and take it all in. It felt a bit surreal to be sitting here actually about to get a real haircut instead of a quick butch cut. Was this really happening I asked myself. I was secretly glad my dad had stayed, he could get over his initial shock and probably let off a little steam while I was still with Frank. I knew he would clearly, totally disapprove of what Frank was going to do.
Frank sprayed everything below the horse shoe parting down to thoroughly dampen it, and started on the left side, snipping and evening the long locks at my chin line, a couple of inches of thick locks sliding down and landing in my lap with each snip of the shears. I sighed loudly. This was starting to feel like another brutal shearing, but wait, no clipper sounds. Whew, got lost in my head for a minute there.

'You O.K. Ben?" Frank asked.

"Yes sir" I replied softly. "It's going to take me a bit to realize that what lands in my lap isn't everything that was on my head a minute ago sir. It's a new experience looking in the mirror too. Especially since there's still hair left where you've been snipping."

Frank chuckled out loud. "Yes, for you I suppose this all new son. Rest assured, there's still lots left here" he said. Tugging the locks on the side that he'd just shortened.

Next, as Frank started working his way from behind my ear around to the back, he trimmed and blended everything neatly into the longer length in the back. I knew I didn't want the extra long length I currently had in back. Six inches hanging off my nape was cool while I was at school but I wanted a bit less to deal with this summer. I didn't want it too long in back, just enough to be well below a dress shirt collar.

Frank gave a light press into my lower neck area to indicate where he thought I wanted the back to be cut to. "This is going to take a good three to four inches off back here, O.K. Ben?" he said, "Is that where you want it?"

I turned my head slightly to see if I could get a glimpse of where he was indicating in the mirror. He reached for the hand mirror and held it behind me. I sighed again, focusing more on how much he was going to be cutting than what would be left. "Yes sir, I guess" I replied.

My head was pushed down a bit and I heard as well as felt the first snips of the shears. Handfuls of thick locks slid down off my shoulders to join their freshly severed friends in my lap. My shoulders sagged a bit and I flashed back to that hideous freshly buzzed head I had always left here with. Ungh. I reassured myself again that this was only a trim, a means to an end. The eventual style I was going for would emerge at the end of the trimming, not a buzzed head. We'd agreed that everything needed a bit of shaping and would be a bit shorter than I eventually wanted to be. This was necessary so it would grow out properly. I could feel Frank, combing and snipping, combing and snipping. Thick locks of varying lengths sliding down with each snip. Surprisingly I started get over my anxiety regarding the alarming amount of hair that was accumulating in my lap. Franks rhythm as he moved around the back of my head was starting to calm me down. He'd asked to see the reference pics a couple of times before he moved on to my right side. As if to reassure me, he ruffled the still long locks on the back of my head. "Ben, there's still plenty of hair back here." He said, smiling at my reflection in the big mirror. "And now its trimmed to grow into exactly the style you want."

Frank worked along quietly snipping his way across the back, then coming around to my right side and trimming those long locks at my jaw line too.

As he finished evening up my right side he paused. "Doing O.K. son?" he asked, patting my shoulder. I nodded and shook my head slightly. I could feel the hair in back was shorter now, but still moved when I turned my head, so did the hair on the sides of my head. I was
trying to be careful not to loosen the clips holding my thick bangs at bay on top of my head. "I'll feel much better when we've finished sir" For me the most intense part is just about to start."

Frank nodded and smiled. "Ah, I see, you're a fringe guy eh."

"Yes sir", I replied quietly. "This is always the part that put me over the edge when you'd skin me every year sir. My plush thick fringe being sheared off practically at the scalp sir. It was a mighty struggle not to completely loose it. Ugh. " I shuddered at the memory.

Frank laughed "sorry son, I know it's not funny but, you just described the emotions of half the guys I see in here this time of year, so I know exactly how you feel. Nobody knows better than I do how much adolescent boys are attached to their hair. It seems irrational to their parents, but it's very real. Well rest assured, this time you'll be leaving with pretty much this entire fringe intact Ben."

With that he unclipped the top and combed it straight down. I was surprised he didn't spray it down.
Sir, don't you need to get it damp before you trim it?" I asked.

"For this, no son." Frank replied. "If I cut it wet, it will dry shorter. I know you want maximum length so, I'll cut it dry."

My fringe was somewhere between the tip of my nose, and my upper lip. I could feel Frank snipping as he evened the fringe out, just below my nose. Only taking a tiny bit of length off. Next he center parted it and did a bit of blending with the sides. We were almost done. I watched as he brushed it all back to see how it fell. It was perfect. It held back off of my face too. Great, I wouldn't need to use much product on it to style. I sighed again, this time in satisfaction, gazing at my reflection in the big mirror.

I'd found out that my hair was quite thick and heavy while it was finally able to grow out. I liked it that way too. I'd told Frank at the beginning that I'd like it cut without thinning it out. The added thickness looked terrific. I especially liked that it was what the girls referred to as sun kissed blonde.

I also took a moment to appreciate that for the first time I was going to leave the barber shop happy with how I looked, and with long hair too.

'This should grow out nicely Ben" Frank said. "No need to see you back here for a couple of months if you want. I would like to give you a touch up before you leave for school in the fall though." He gave me a wicked smile.

"Just one more thing, then we're finished" Frank said. He brushed the thick locks in back aside as best he could and used the peanut clippers to trim the neck fuzzies. He squared up my bushy blonde sideburns too. He then took the opportunity to run his hands through the locks in back again and ruff them a bit. It felt amazing. He took the brush and gave it all a final brush back.

"Ben, this haircut has been my pleasure" Frank said, smiling at my reflection "You look fantastic son, quite handsome if I do say so. By the way, congratulations too on your successful 1st year at school and landing a nice summer job too. Hard work pays off doesn't it?" he said smiling warmly at me.

"Yes sir, it sure does. And Frank, thanks for a great first 'haircut'. I finally, for the first time, feel good about how I look after getting my haircut. I also don't give a hoot about what anyone else thinks about my 'LONG' hair. I've waited a lifetime for this moment. I feel like a whole new man."

Frank unsnapped the cape and pulled it aside. I hopped down from the chair, practically giddy with my new cut. I walked up closer to the mirror and eyed myself from different angles. I ran my hands through my fringe, pushing it back. It fell into place perfectly.

Frank was standing to the side, watching my antics and smiling. "Feels great, doesn't it son" he said softly. Oh, sir, you have no idea, but yes, yes it does." I said smiling back. "In case I even need to, what type of product should I use to help style it?"

He reached over on the shelf and grabbed a small tin. Handing it back he said "just use a pea sized amount, warm it in your hands, and work it through your fringe. That's the area that will need the help. Stop by the shop if you have trouble and I'll help you."

As Frank started to walk up front he said "Well Bob, come on up front and I'll cash you out. Ben, the pleasure was all mine son. This one is on the house for you. And I mean it, I expect to see you back before you leave for school, if not sooner."

"Thank you again Frank, this has been great" I said and started to walk out.
Looking directly at my dad I said. "I'm headed home to gather up my things. I'll probably still be there when you get home but I'll try and be quick about it. I don't want to cause you any further embarrassment than necessary."

Frank addressed my dad "I'm a bit surprised at you Bob. Anyone else would be beaming with pride having a son like Ben, you have no idea how good you've got it."
My dad said "Ben, wait , please." he paid Frank, and turned to me.

"Son, that was a pretty strong rebuke you gave me earlier" dad said. I realize that after what I'd said about you, I had it coming though." I guess I have never stopped to take stock of all the great things you've accomplished. I've just thought of you as my kid and I'm the boss. I'm sorry son. You've grown up, right under my nose, and I've been too blind to see it. I've no reason to be embarrassed by you. More to the point after your talk today, I'm a bit ashamed of myself if you must know. I am proud of you son, very, very proud. And from now on I'll make it a point to tell you that, often. I do have to be honest though, Frank did a painstakingly great job, but that haircut is going to take me awhile to get used to." He gave me a crooked smile. "But it's part of you and you're happy with it, so I assure you that get used to it I will. Let's head on home. I hope I never, ever, make you feel unwelcome there, O.K." I have definitely learned that you should never judge a book by its cover.

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