Sunday school pt3 by Haircut Memory's

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Can you fit Christopher in?! What! I thought to myself. Mam, I don't want my haircut,I don't need a haircut and you said that I don't have to have it cut short anymore I pleaded. I know what I said Christopher but your Dad was right, you don't suit long hair,all the boys here look so smart and you, well you, just look downright scruffy and untidy. The captain interrupted. Remember the lesson today Christopher. Somethings may seem a little unfair when we're young but it's usually for our own good. Looking smart and respectable isn't a crime you know, he said in a kind of reassuring way, I had no answer to this and had also became aware that I had an audience as 3 or 4 boys and their parents were stood by listening to what was being said. How many boys for haircuts he announced and at that he pointed out with his finger and counted,1,2,3,4 and young Christopher here, of course I can fit him in he said to my Mum. We all walked out of the church and got into a minibus. I was sat there with my Mum desperately trying to think of a way out. How had this happened i thought to myself. We stopped outside a row of shops and then I saw it. The striped barbershop poll. The captain opened up the shop, the boys and their parents plus 2 ,me and my Mum, all went in. Come on then James the captain said and at that the boy went and sat in the barbers chair, the captain caped him, fastening a tissue round his neck and without asking him anything like what he wanted he picked up the clippers, put his hand on top of his head gently pushing his head down then, clack. The clippers burst into life and he ran them right up the back of his head, within a minute all the back and sides where gone with just stubble remaining,then the top cut with scissors and comb, then more cutting and blending with clippers over comb. When the captain finished the haircut he applied some Brylcreem and combed in a precise side parting , he then uncapped him and showed him the back and sides with a mirror,hows that for you, the captain asked, the boy nodded and said that great, thank you. I just sat there quite stunned and still desperately trying to think of a way out of this awful situation I found myself in. Go on son, the next boy was ushered up by his father,and again he was caped and again he was given in what my mind was the most severe, but looking back also the smartest short back and sides haircut I had ever seen, made even worse by my Mum nudging me and saying, there you go Christopher, just look how smart he looks, a propper short haircut won't do you any harm at all. 20 minutes later all the four boys were done and the captain turned and looked towards me and my Mum. Go on now Christopher Mum said. Knowing there was no way out of it, I walked towards the chair, at that the captain took a padded red vinyl board and put it across the arms of the barbers chair. This just added insult to injury. Come on Christopher, hop up, there's a good lad. The tissue and Cape were duly fastened round my neck. Ok then, what are we having he said, great I thought and was about to say, just a trim, not to short when I realised that he wasn't taking to me. Nice and smart, Mum answered, very good he said and at that he started to pump the chair up. Watching out of the corner of my eye I saw him pick the clippers up, i felt my heart sink ,but then felt a little relief as I watched him put quite a large guard on them, he hadn't used any guard on the clippers for the other four boys haircuts but their hair was already short to begin with. Ok Christopher put your head down for me,I did as i was told, he placed his hand on top of my head and gently guided it down a little further, the clippers went up the back and sides all the way round, i looked in the mirror,shock but to my relief not horror. It was cut above my ears and I knew the back must be a lot shorter than it was but at least it wasn't just bristle like the other four boys. Little did i realise that this was just the first part of my haircut. He then turned the chair round so I was facing my Mum before I knew it he placed the clippers at the front of my forehead and ran them from front to back with the same guard on repeatedly across the whole of the top of my head then from side to side. Mum just sat there watching and looking really pleased. Then I saw the captain remove the guard from the clippers and holding my head down I felt them cutting and biting their way right up the back of my head and all around the sides, followed by a lot of blending and so on. Is that OK for you,he said to my Mum. Oh yes, very smart, she said. He then uncapped me and finally turned me round to face the mirror, I didn't recognise the boy in the mirror but it was me. He showed me the back and sides with the hand held mirror, my back and sides just looked like white bare skin,I felt a lump in my throat but I was determined not to show anyone how upset I was especially the captain, as I knew deep down that he genuinely believed he was doing the best for me.

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