I Forgot by Dave

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The barber I had been using, sold his shop & moved away. He told me that
the cut I was getting would be the last one from him. I was stuck with the
job of finding another barber who I could trust to give me the cut like I am
used to. By best friend Joe, told me whom he goes to. I didn’t know if I
wanted to trust Russ, his barber. Joe always had a short buzzcut. He likes
the cut and he looks good in it. My hair is blonde and has a moderate
amount of curl in it. I wear my hair long enough to brush back when it’s
wet. The hair is full on the sides and back. The hair does cover part of
my ears. When my hair dries, I run my fingers through it and I end up with
soft curls all over my head. I have had this cut ever since I was in Junior
High. Before that, mother insisted on bangs and hair down to my shoulders.
I ended up looking like the Little Dutch Boy. I hated that look and was
relieved when dad took me to the barber and let me get it cut the way I
wanted it.

Well! Joe did tell me not to upset Russ. Russ is quite proud of his bald
head. Joe told me that while he was waiting, a guy kept saying to Russ that
Russ had a stupid hairstyle. It turned out when the guy got in the chair,
Russ took the clippers and made one quick pass right over his head from
front to back. Joe said that the guy was upset but settled down when he
decided his fate was sealed. The guy left Russ’ with a bald head and was
smiling and rubbing his head.

Anyway, when it was my turn, I told Russ how I wanted my hair cut and he
began cutting. I must say that he cut it a little shorter than I wanted,
but it sure did look great when he finished. I had found my new barber. I
have gone to Russ for about a year now and things were going great.

Then that fateful day came along. I had an appointment to go and have a
sitting for pictures that mother wanted taken. Mother asked me to go to
Russ and have him give me a good trim for the portrait. I wasn’t thinking
when I went to Russ. I got in the chair and Russ asked me how I wanted it
cut. I was still upset a little from the last time Russ cut my hair since
he had gone shorter than I wanted. When Russ asked me how I wanted it cut
this time, I let him have it. I guess I upset him for when I finished, I
couldn’t believe how fast it happened.

I think just as I got out my last word on the subject of my last haircut,
Russ passed buzzing clippers right across the top of my head. I jumped up
and looked in the mirror. There I stood looking at a wide bare strip in the
middle of my head! I looked at Russ and he was smiling. I then remembered
what Joe had said before the first time I went to Russ.

I sat down and let Russ continue. As the hair was falling, I found myself
enjoying the buzzing. I didn’t know getting a haircut would be so much fun
and enjoyable. I didn’t want the cutting to stop. Then it struck me, if I
didn’t do something, I would be left with the stubs. I said to Russ, “You
aren’t going to turn me lose with this terrible haircut, are you?” I was
hoping that he would go the extra mile and shave my head. I got my wish.

As I was headed to the studio, I kept feeling my head. It sure did feel
good. I couldn’t get over the shine that Russ was able to get on my head.
When I arrived, Mort, the photographer, commented on my hairstyle. He told
me I looked great. The only problem was that the whiteness of my head stood
out from the dark tan I had on my face and neck.

I told him I would come back when the hair grew out or when I got a good tan
on the noggin. Mort laughed and called for Sue, his assistant. She
proceeded to spray a beautiful tan on my freshly denuded head. When she
finished, you couldn’t tell the real tan from the artificial. She put back
the shine I had on my head and the portrait sitting began. I couldn’t
believe how many shots he took. Mort told me that it would be about a week
before I would receive the proofs.

I left knowing that mom would be really upset when she sees the bald head.
I know my dad wouldn’t mind one bit. Before I went home, I stopped at Joe’s
house and he couldn’t believe the look. He wanted to rub my head and when
he did, the tan on the head rubbed off. I had forgotten about that. While
at Joe’s, I washed off the ‘paint’ and I was back to my white head. I did
manage to get the shine back on. It seems a little baby oil and aloe gel
did the trick.

When I arrived home, mother almost fainted. She didn’t like the bald head
but it was the “beautiful hair you had” that she missed. Right away she
wanted to know why I had Russ shave my head. I didn’t want to have mother
mad at Russ since I would be in for another head shave and more head shaves.
I told her that my communications to Russ wasn’t clear and before I knew
that we weren’t on the same wavelength, it was too late.

As I said, dad loved the shaved head. His hair was thinning badly and he
kept it short. Then mother said, “You didn’t go and get that portrait with
your head white, did you?” I smiled and said, “Yep! The proof should be
here in a week or so. Well mother was ‘fit to be tied.’ Dad came to me and
began rubbing my head. He smiled and said, “Son! I must say I like the new
look. Get some sun on it and I think your mother will come around.”

I told dad that I didn’t think I was going to keep it shaved. Dad came back
to me and said, “You look great with the baldy. You sure do look much
better than with all of that hair on your head. Yes! I know your mother
liked the hair, but I think you look fantastic.”

During dinner that evening, the phone rang and it was mother’s only sister.
She phoned to let her know that their only brother was quite ill, and wanted
to see his two sisters. We got mother on the plane the very next morning.
It turned out that it was more serious than we thought. She decided to stay
for several weeks.

The proofs arrived and I had to admit that they were wonderful. I showed
them to dad and he looked at me and said, “They are beautiful. Why don’t I
see the white head?” I thanked him that he liked the proofs and told him of
my experience with the body painting. Mother called that evening and dad
told her that the proof were there. She was calling us to let us know that
her brother was much better and that she wanted to stay another week to do
some visiting.

Dad asked her about the proofs and she said, “You men decide. It will be a
surprise!” That evening we sat down and finally settled on three. Dad
said, “Let’s surprise your mom and have these three printed.” By the time
mother was to return, I had gone back to Russ three times and had him shave
my head. I found that I really liked the hairstyle and was going to keep
it. I was out in the sun a lot and I had developed quite a deep tan on the
head and it looked really great.

Even Joe commented that he thought I should keep the head shaved since I
looked so “AWESOME” as he put it. I asked Joe if he was going to try the
head shave and he said he wasn’t. Actually he had let his hair grow out
some and it was almost long enough to start combing it. I had a plan! The
ornery streak in me came to surface when Joe asked me if I wanted to go with
him to Russ. I couldn’t wait to go with him.

Actually I had gotten used to shaving my own head so I didn’t need the
assistance of Russ, but I let the hair grow for several days before Joe and
I went. I got in the chair first and had Russ shave me. While Russ was
giving me the second shaving, I mentioned something about Joe. I told him
that Joe was too set in his way to get a good head shave. Russ said, “OH!”

When it was Joe’s turn, I said something to Joe as Russ picked up the
clippers and turned them on. I told him he should let Russ give him a baldy
so he could find out how wonderful the style is. Immediately Joe came back
with, “Only Idiots let someone shave their heads. A bald head isn’t for
me.” There! I led Joe right into it. Before Joe knew what was happening,
Russ cleared quite an area on the top of Joe’s head. The BALDY had begun.
Suddenly, Joe realized what he had done. Joe fell victim to the very thing
that he had warned me about when it came to insulting Russ.

I sat there and grinned. I gave Joe two thumbs up just as the clipping had
stopped. Joe just shook his head. I could tell he regretted what he had
just said. As the shaving cream was spread over Joe’s head, I could tell
that Joe had accepted his fate and was enjoying the last step. It wasn’t
long before Joe had a brilliant shine on his head. Just before Russ took
the cape off, I said, “I bet you would look great without that disgusting
mustache/goatee.” Russ grabbed a set of small clippers and proceeded to
take away all of Joe’s facial hair except for the eyebrows. The shaving
began and the end product was a handsome and hair free, JOE!

Joe got up and looked closely in the mirror and then said, “Russ! This has
to be the best haircut you have given me. I thank you.” As Russ put the
money in the register, he said, “Joe! Wait a minute! I have something for
you to do.” Russ sat in the barber chair and said, Joe, I like your clean
face so much, I want you to take my facial hair off.” Joe smiled and said,
“Yes Sir! You got it!” Before long, Russ was sitting there with a broad
grin on his face and thanking Joe for his talent.

As Joe and I were leaving, Russ said, “Gentlemen, you sure do look AWESOME
with that cut. Keep it shining.” I knew I would be keeping my noggin
shining. Joe wasn’t sure, but I noticed by the end of the week, he was
still shining and getting a good start on a tan. Joe stopped by one day and
said, “I sure am glad I FORGOT how sensitive Russ is about his haircuts.”
Then Joe surprised me when he said, “You know Jack and Byron? They both
need Russ’ special haircut. I am going to get them there and if all goes
well, they will be leaving with a shine.” I looked at Joe, and said, “You
wouldn’t do that would you? Of course you would. You’re cruel, you know
that?” Joe laughed and said, “I KNOW and I am loving it.”

True to form, both Jack and Bryon ended up with a baldy each and they are
really enjoying it. We are about to launch a contest to see which of us
four can get our friends to get a baldy. I say the more baldies, the
better. I can’t wait for the contest to begin on this Saturday. I have
already lined up a dozen or so victims - but they don’t know it. FUN begins
on Saturday. I can’t wait.

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