A Pick Me Up by CleanCut

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Author's Note: It's kind of weird doing an authors note on this site, because when I started reading here these definitely weren't a thing. But I do just want to say I really enjoy this site, I've been on it for over fifteen years at this point, mostly as a reader. I do pop up from the woodwork to post from time to time, and my writing style comes from a lot of creators on the site. I love reading more than writing but If something strikes me- I will do it, I don't feel any pressure to write and no one should be stressing about it, this is all fun. I like the stories that are succinct and shorter and mine tend to drag on I feel. But since I've been really encouraged by people on this site to write more, I'll try to pop in with my own style of stories every now and again. And also when it comes to comments please just be nice, just be nice it's that easy. I've been lucky enough to pretty much only get nice comments but it just really sucks seeing other people put down when they're doing something that I also have a passion for, and that seems to have happened more recently on here. Freedom of speech but always be sure to leave a nice comment when you enjoyed something, two or three words goes a long way, but if you can't say it nice don't say it all. Obviously if you disagree with something morally or thematically please call it out, the admin already does enough and any help is appreciated but that's different than telling people their stories are bad writing and they're stupid, its not constructive and this is not the place for cyberbullying. I know it's my hubris to think anyone will listen to this little rant, but to all the creators on here please keep writing and contributing, I love you all! I check this site pretty much everyday, and I don't read everything but when I do I'll try to practice what I preach. So yeah please enjoy this story, donate to the site if you can and get a haircut you hippie!!
- CleanCut-





Jason was in a slump. Not financially, not professionally but mentally. He was just not functioning on a level he used too, or a lot of people thought he should be. He knew this because they told him. He heard it in the way people’s eyes didn’t linger on him anymore, girls wouldn’t make small talk with him his as much as they used to. His boss was still happy with his work, but wasn’t as friendly as he was before. It was a couple years after college and he was noticing that the charms of youth were definitely a thing, and for him they were fading. He was losing interest in himself and thus losing the interest of others. Now Jason wasn’t typically a people pleaser, he firmly marched to the beat of his own drum, went to a college far from home, dressed kind of flashy. But now he just kind of looked like some guy that peaked in high school and to be honest the whole awkward ordeal of changing from youth to adult was making him depressed. He was so f*cking over this awkward stage.

He looked around his room and took stock of the situation, his apartment for one was a mess. His kitchen was dirty, full of dishes and full of junk food. So he started there, he cleaned the counters, washed the dishes, the counter, the oven, and threw away a bunch of a junk food that was either half open or just plain sugar. Looking around, the kitchen was now cleaner even than when he had moved in, and he was beginning to feel a little better.

But he couldn’t stop there, moving on to the rest of the house, he vacuumed, he tidied, hell he even put the rugs out on the porch for a little shake. He couldn’t think he had ever done that before; he had only been living on his own for a little bit and still hadn’t gotten the hang of it. Beating those rugs really got his muscles moving too. He went a little too gung-ho on them and then left them in the sun to air out.

He dusted the pictures, straightened a few of them from when he had knocked them crooked tipsy a few nights ago. He picked up vases and even dusted under the television. He got a chair and dusted the corners, wiping the sweat from his brow as he was now thoroughly warmed up. He felt a little manic but maybe that was just in comparison to how little he had done the last few months. He mostly ordered food, laid on the couch playing video games and streaming some shows. He used to do stuff didn’t he, he used to have friends and activities. How strange the words having friends and activities sounded now when you had to work for them as an adult.

He could do anything though, it was a Saturday he had the whole day in front of him. Now to the real hard part, the bedroom. First things first, he pulled open the curtains and opened the window, because let’s be honest he hadn’t had a guest over in a month and it was mostly just smelling of Jason. The beer bottles and the remnants of takeout went in the garbage and he hauled them outside where the trash from the rest of the apartment was already bagged up. He went back inside and picked up his laundry, throwing some in a pile to be cleaned and others that were more than 4 years old in a pile for trash or good will. Clothes make the man, Right? And there were a lot that were dingy or soiled or just not what a young man should be wearing. He threw the clothes in the laundry and went back to work. Once the bedroom was vacuumed and with new sheets, it looked so much brighter and inviting. He even lit a candle he had found cleaning, he forgot he owned candles. That made him chuckle.

The bathroom was a little easier, the toilet and sink needed a good scrubbing and so did the floors. The shower wasn’t too bad but he still got in and took a nice longer shower, scrubbing it down while he was in there. He lathered up his body with the nice minty body wash he bought a week prior but just never used. Mostly he just sat in the shower to sober off or a quick rinse before work. Now he played some music and was enjoying himself, feeling up how his body had softened a little bit over the last few months. He definitely had the makings of a dad bod. Luckily it was kind of still in fashion to not have a six pack, but Jason knew it was just what guys who had worked out and then stopped called themselves to feel a little better. And they should feel good about themselves, Jason liked thick bodies and big bellies too. But he wasn’t a dad and frankly seeing himself like this after so long felt a little sad. He shampooed and conditioned, two other bottles that had hardly been used. Finished the song that was playing and then stepped out, in a clean body, into a clean bathroom, attached to a clean bedroom, in a clean apartment. And smiled, unironically.

Which left him one last task of brushing his teeth, and flossing. Dental hygiene is very, very important. Looking at the mirror after the last spit he wasn’t surprised with what he saw but the elephant in the room was staring back at him. He had the beginning of wrinkles around his eyes, and his hair had begun to widow peak pretty bad. He was still a good-looking guy, with big grey eyes and a jawline most guys would envy. A big Adams apple too, that some people found charming. To be honest he hadn’t spent much time in here because he didn’t want to face the music. He was getting old and was no longer cool, he was now just some guy. And that was actually kind of nice. He didn’t have to care what peers thought of how he looked or acted. He didn’t have to match trends or outfits. Just wear and look like you are, which is what you like. Wow, that was actually kind of mature he thought, for a business major he was pondering, philosophically even. Well damnit, that’s cause he was mature, he was a man with a job and a house, so buck up already.

He mussed up his hair that at his point was quite overgrown. The little baby hairs had begun growing on his neck, making his tapered back a thing of the past. The layered sides shagged out over his ears and mostly he just pushed them back so they wouldn’t poof out to the sides. It was a good trick out of the shower when wet, but by the end of the day it made him look balder than he already was. The top was the most depressing, he used to love doing his hair.
In high school his hair was swoopy and full, sometimes feathered, sometimes parted up and over, sometimes even pomped up forward and high as the sky. In college he had a line cut in the part and short spiky hair. He shaved the sides and left it long on top, and by the end of senior year he was rocking a man bun. His hair was brown and fine, it could look ratty after the gym or silky smooth after a shower. But now his hairline was definitely not something to be confident about. He had an overgrown business cut he had gotten for the workplace. Not to short on the sides, and not too long on top and now it just looked shaggy and disheveled.

Again still presentable but he had to get back to something he could he own, and he currently had a haircut nobody would buy. That got him thinking his face was fine, his hair wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t anything special anymore. Maybe the haircut was just the problem, he just needed a little more upkeep. He had seemed lots of balding or even bald guys in town. He didn’t remember thinking any of those guys were ugly or weird looking. They were weird because of something else, or they were cool for something else. Most of the time he was looking at their cool shoes, or watch. Or shamelessly looking at a guys big chest or arms… or butt.

Nothing was a factor in people losing interest in him, except if he began to lose interest in himself. There he went with the heavy thoughts again. Better stop while I got a good thing going. He ran a comb through his hair and shaved off the remains of stubble with an electric razor. Now there’s that jawline that all the ladies love and all the guys wish for. See he still had a few things special about him. He tried no to laugh about that last line as he toweled off his nether regions, even giving that area a little trim. He was bigger than he remembered in more places than he thought. Chuckling again he walked into his bedroom and got out his clean laundry. After his long overdue purge of college shirts, band t-shirts, ripped underwear and jeans, and a few other tacky or formerly trendy items- he wasn’t left with much. He mostly had some nice pants and shirts for work, but even those could stand to be updated. He had some plain t-shirts and jeans that were semi new, and a bunch of workout clothing. That was his one thing he had bought new stuff of over the last few years. He thought if he bought a few new clothes that would inspire him to get back in the gym but over time that kind of faded and before he knew it was in the situation he was in. Nothing’s going to make me feel good but me, so time to get these sweaty again.

He changed into a blue sleeveless shirt, and some shorts above the knee, trying to not feel self-conscious in it. He hadn’t before, but he also hadn’t worn something like this in public for a while. The workout clothes had mostly become just comfy lounging wear. Not anymore they were workout clothes and it was time to work out, he also probably needed to get some healthier food while he was out, and maybe get a few new shirts for work too while he was out.

He grabbed the keys and some cool shades, threw on some stylish tennis shoes and headed for the door. Leaving the house for not just work, or to meet someone, or for errands. Just to work out and get out of the house. A perfectly normal and natural thing to do, that he had failed to do the last few months. But you got to keep the energy going. He drove through town headed for the nicer gym. He had to stop working out at home because that didn’t work and the guys at the office had mentioned something about it. On his way he pulled over into a nice shopping center filled with some upscale stores, which seemed like a nice place to go window shopping, and just browse for a little bit. Maybe get a coffee or something while he was at it, but probably avoid the breweries for a while. He patted his little gut as he walked out of the car. What a nice place. Looking around there were a bunch of young professionals out enjoying a Saturday off too. He spotted a few guys with dad bods, laughing and enjoying themselves, some actual dads, some not. Also a bunch of guys with various states of balding, some had shaved it all off, most kept it short, one had it still long, but none of them seemed to care. And Jason didn’t care either, what they looked like was none of his business.

A few guys in workout clothes jogging by or on their way to somewhere else, some were toned but some were not. He didn’t feel out of place with his sleevless shirt at all, suns out guns out. Some guys "guns" were huge, one guy in particular was ripped. Jason finally understood why they called people that because his clothes looked like they were about to rip from how big his body was. He was wearing a nice active wear golf polo, with sleeves that came down maybe a fourth of his enlarged biceps, his chest was very, very pronounced. The buttons from the polo shirt nestled neatly in between the two of his pectorals. The shirt was tucked in to a pair of stretch fit khakis, that were getting stretched the hell out. They barely fit over his gigantic thighs. This guy could squat probably 400-500 pounds, or a truck or something. Like damn, this guy was either a physical trainer or a science experiment. He had a jawline covered in stubble, but still square and manly, with a little bit of a butt chin. It worked for this guy, as much as the pants had to work to cover his giant ass. Calm down Jason, back to the face. He was wearing a cool pair of shades just like he was, but it wasn’t covered but a shaggy load of hair. This guy had a short military haircut, Freshly done that morning it seemed, cuz the sides were barren. The top didn’t really have hair as much as it just had more hair than the sides. There was a millimeter of hair dusting the top in an oval, perfectly lined up by the way.

His hairline was probably fading a bit too, but you could never tell or rather you were way too distracted by everything else the Adonis had to offer. Jason must have been showing too much interest in the guy, or maybe the buff stranger was just used to it because as he was strolling by with a couple of his buddies, he turned away from the guys laughing to subtly, lower his shades and give Jason a little wink as strutted on by. Jason blushed a little- from attention from a guy! That was another thing new for the day. But again who cared, who was paying attention. His buddies seem to notice, and the guy didn’t lose stride. He must’ve been doing a little better than he thought to gain interest from a guy like that. It was definitely worth it leaving the house today. He ruffled his hair and kept walking along the shopping center, and turning the corner there they were; red and white stripes. Jason already knew, he had to keep a good thing going, it wasn’t in the plans, but it was definitely in the cards. He had to get a haircut.

Jason walked confidently into the barbershop, pulling off his ray bans and tucking them into his pocket. Looking around excitedly. This place was much nicer than any other barbershop he had been to before. Nice tiled floors, big open windows out the front, the back lined with mirrors and sinks. The top of the walls lined, with old sports pictures, military photos, just a bunch of cool old manly s**t. The whole place smelled of tonics and aftershave, and old spice. Not the brand you buy at CVS but the old type of barber salve they would smack on your neck as you left. His dad always smelled of it after he left the barbershop. He was excited to see that all the chairs taken by guys getting professionally done cuts, all pretty short. This wasn’t some place that allowed women, or you would take a bunch of kids. This was for men, professional masculine men. All of the barbers gave off that air too, all of them were at least seven or eight years older than Jason and wore white aprons over a shirt and tie, with neat short clean-cut styles. An older guy that looked like ex special forces was wearing a suit vest and pants under his apron, and was just finishing ringing up a client as he walked in.

"I’ll be right with you man, you can have a seat in the second chair." Said the older guy making direct eye contact with Jason, he said it with a grin but Jason was still pretty intimidated by the gruff ol’ guy. But was sure he didn’t let it show and walked over to the seat second from the door. He shuffled a little bit making himself comfortable, but surprisingly wasn’t that nervous.

He looked to his left and there was a guy a few years older than him that was getting an ivy league trimmed up, the sides were nice and short with some skin showing at the bottom and the top was given some product and stood up. Very clean and sharp. The guy next to him was much older than him but didn’t really look it, the guy was fit well dressed and the barber had just started peeling the sides down to where the skin was showing and the hair was only bristles. The top only had about an inch on top but it was clear the barber hadn’t touched it yet. The guy next to him Jason couldn’t really see too well but he could see that the barber was lathering this guy’s whole head up for a shave. These barbers were not playing around. Though he didn’t have more time to stare as his barber was now ready for him and began caping him up with paper and a clean striped barbers cape.

"So young man what am I doing for you today?" Said the barber, kind of bored, not really expecting much from this shaggy guy in his chair.

"I was thinking something much shorter than my usual cut" said Jason clearly, and by the barber’s reaction it was clearly the right answer. As he perked up and took in Jason a little more.
"Much shorter huh, now that’s what I like to hear. You thinking like a good trim or something with the clippers." The barber stared him down.

"Uhh I was actual thinking something kind of like yours." Jason smiled looking up at the older guy. The smile was genuine, he had gotten lucky the barber’s haircut looked kind of like the hot-guy who had winked at him on his way in. Jason had no idea what that kind of haircut was called, it didn’t have a fade or numbers it was just some kind of military cut.

"Something like mine huh, Coming right up. You just relax and enjoy, I know exactly what I’m doing." Said the Old marine with a chuckle as he off handedly rubbed his high and tight with his rough hands.

Jason would find out it was called a high and tight somewhere during the haircut but it was mostly a blur. The barber’s haircut was longer on top than the guy from outside, so the oval was much more clear. With no fade it was in stark contrast to the back and sides. The buff guy’s was only a shadow but this guy’s was like a quarter of an inch long. It may not seem like much of a difference, but it’s okay to be splitting-hairs when it comes to length in a barbershop. This guy had raven black hair that stood out against the bald sides, and it was very clear he had one of the other barbers or maybe even himself keep it crisp and clean. His sides were about as clean shaven as his head.

He had never gone so short before but why not now, hopefully this would help get him out of his slump, and if not, he never had to go military short again. But if it would give him even a taste of the confidence the guy outside had, he had to know. It worked for the barber too, hell he may even cut that guys hair before him. The thought of sharing a barber with that guy made him sit up straighter in his chair. Chest out, chin up. Regardless of if he was keeping it military short, he would definitely be coming back to this place.

The barber had wasted no time in clipper cutting Jason all the way down to half an inch. Already this was the shortest haircut he had ever received. And this old barber was taking no feedback, and no prisoners. Jason could barely pay attention to what was happening as he was still facing the window, only catching his faint reflection in the clear glass ahead of him. His ears already sticking out clearly. Besides the barber was keeping him busy with fun conversation, bringing up old stories of when he was in the Corp, asking Jason what he did for work, if he was knew in town, etc...

He was comfortable in making a few suggestions on things to do and also a few comments on what he thought about him. "I’m so glad you didn’t ask for a trim or any of that p*ssy s**t, I mean I would’ve given you what you wanted of course, but in my opinion every guy looks great with a military cut. I thought you would want just a little business man cut with gel or something. Nah a young hot shot like you needs to feel like it, something crisp something clean. Nothing fussy or boring. No guy under thirty or over 18 should have anything other than a crew cut, a flattop, a buzzcut, a high and tight, a recon, hell even bald is better. But You need some bristles, something a little lady can rub her hand over. Something you can just walk out the door with, to the gym or to the office or to the bar. Only pansies waste their youth thinking about hair. And that’s coming from a barber. Don’t worry son I’m setting you up right, your gonna strut outta here when I’m done with you. On your way to the gym or the park today right? Go play a pick-up game or pick up some ladies, that’s what you need to be doing."

Jason just let the barber ramble on and on about how he thought the world should be and people should act. It was just an old guy’s musings, but it’s exactly the kind of stuff he wanted his barber to say, common sense, not giving a crap if the person agreed with him or not. He agreed with some of the stuff and took it to heart but the other stuff was just old guys kinda missing the past, but most of it had him saying "damn right" back to the barber and nodding along smiling big when the barber pulled his clippers away to finish a sentence or laugh at his own joke. This guy was like your grandpa or uncle who would crack jokes or pull pranks on you, Jason didn’t have one of those but this guy just gave off that vibe.

He was startled a little bit when he felt warm shaving cream on the sides of his head, and his reaction got a hearty chuckle from the marine. "Haha first time shaved huh, I thought as much. You rookie! I like to get nice and close on these, that way the top looks just right." And with a bunch of steady strokes, he worked his way around Jason’s head. Toweling it off at the end, the room was suddenly a lot colder. He could feel goose bumps on his skull for the first time.

"There you go champ, one high and tight. I shaved the sides bald and did a one/half on the top with a fade up to a one at the front. It’s much different and miles better than that rag you came in with, and it looks pretty damn good if I do say so myself. And I don’t say that to all the guys, some of them got weird shaped heads, now of course I don’t tell them that either. But you got a nice round head, and a good shaped face for it. Reminding me of someone I knew at the age." He chuckled as it was clear he meant himself. He didn’t wait for my comment on it, because as he turned around, it was clear what I thought. I just couldn’t stop smiling, from cheek to cheek.

The sides were definitely bald, I’d have to go home and shave my face closer, because you could tell the difference between the electric razor I had used this morning, and my sideburns and sides where he had used a razor, pressing just hard enough to get more roots of the hair. No taper it was just my neck until the top. I didn’t even know clippers had a one/half setting but he was right the back of my heads hair was ever so slightly shorter than the fronts, and there was a perfectly lined oval around the top of my head. It made it clear that a master barber had delivered my haircut. The placement of the start of hair making my ears stick out and my jaw and brow pronounced and sharp. I turned my head from side to head, laughing a little bit as he quickly whipped the cape off. The clean guy with a killer haircut and workout clothes was miles away happier and more attractive than the guy in sweat pants and shag from the night before.

"I’ll ring you up over here." Said the barber as I stood up, popping on my sunglasses and straightening my shirt. The sunglasses felt and looked incredible on my shaved head. Getting older was great, I would’ve felt stupid with this cut as a kid but now I just felt like a f*cking man, you know.

"I’ll see you in two weeks" Said the barber as he handed me my change. "Definitely, thanks a lot. This feels great. You got yourself a regular." I said with a stupid grin. And walked out of the gentleman’s barbershop. The rest of the day couldn’t have gone by quicker. I stopped by the tailor and got a few new crisp shirts, black, blue and white. Some ties, not flashy in style but in color with red, pink, and orange being the main choices. I even got fitted for a suit with a vest like the barber was wearing. My workout went great, it felt so nice to get back into it after a few months away. I could feel a few eyes on me, mostly on the severe haircut but a few were checking out my body as well. The hairless head made my arms look a little better I thought, or maybe I was just feeling better about it. At least they definitely weren’t looks telling me I was using the machine incorrectly or something. But then again who gives a s**t. I got a membership at the gym and starting going four even five days a week. And after a few weeks, a familiar face decided I need help with a spot. The guy winked at me and said "Nice H&T bro!"

And then I just kept that good energy going. Who gives a s**t, go get yourself a short haircut.

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