Buck the Barber by Dave P (recovered) by Chris Garretson

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I found this story on the Wayback Machine. Not sure if Dave P is still around here.

Buck the Barber
By Dave P.

I looked around the barn and thought to myself, good job, everything that needed to be done was done; Dad would be happy. Just then Dad walked in. "Tim my boy` great job thanks for all the help." "No big deal, Pops. I enjoyed helping out, but I’d better head out; I need to get home before dark. I’m still having trouble with the headlights on my truck." "Well come down next week and we`ll work on them." "O.K. sounds like a plan Dad." I pushed my hair out of my face. Dad shook his head, "And maybe you`ll even let your old Dad cut that hair of yours?" "If I let you do that, I’d be sporting the same haircut as you." Dad smiled and then rubbed his head. "I think my crewcut is tough looking." "It is Pop. It`s just not for me." I gave him a hug then jumped in my truck and headed home.

As I was driving off the farm, I looked in the mirror and did notice my hair was getting pretty long, hanging over my ears long in the back, in my face all the time. As I was driving down the main street of our little town, I saw Buck`s Barber Shop was still open. Buck was in the chair reading the paper and I thought maybe he could give me a quick trim. Buck was around 70 and was one of the greatest guys in town; he always cut my Dad`s hair and even mine when I was younger. His hair was snow white, but it was nothing but a shadow, just super short stubble which matched his beard; he was a big guy not really fat just really beefy. I parked my truck and walked into the shop. Buck got up and I took a seat in the chair. "Timmy Logan! Nice to see you young man. Were you up helping your Dad?" "Yes Sir, sure was and Buck you’re about the only person that still calls me Timmy!" "Sorry can`t help it kiddo!!!" He put the cape around my neck.

"So what are we going to do today? Crewcut? A clipper shave like mine?" How about just a trim; just clean it up a little." "Timmy, you’re killing me." "I know I am Buck, but just a trim today." "O.K. just a trim kiddo." He combs my hair out then grabs his clippers, then clipper over comb starts trimming my hair, just the ends. Before long me and Buck are talking football then about my Dad`s farm then his time with the Marines, then all of a sudden, I feel the clippers touching the back of my head. I start laughing at one of Buck`s funny stories and then I feel the clippers moving up the back of my head and over the crown again and again. "Buck! Holy cow what are you doing???" The clippers turn off and I reach up and feel the back of my head; it`s nothing but stubble, more like skin and a little stubble.

"Timmy, I`m so sorry!!!! I was just so into talking about everything I forgot what I was doing. I just started cutting your hair like I did when you were younger. I was so wrapped up in our talk. Oh Timmy, I’m really sorry, really, I am." I felt the back again nothing but skin and a little stubble. "Buck, just how short is the back?" "Pretty short kiddo!!! 0000 blade is what I use to cut my hair, "Just how much of the back did you cut?" "Kiddo I took must of the back off." I shook my head. "What can you do to save the rest of my hair?" "I`m sorry, but I really did a number on the back, and I even took it over the crown. The top is pretty much hacked up." "So, you clipped it shorter than a crewcut?" "Sorry kiddo, but I did." "Buck, are you saying the only thing to do is clipper shave the rest of my head?" "That’s about all I can do now Timmy. Sorry."

I grab ahold of the arms of the barber chair. "O.K., Buck do it. Start cutting, let’s get this over with." Buck turned the clippers on. "I`ll finish up fast and I’ll keep my mouth shut." "Don`t you darn stop talking Buck! I love hearing your stories. You’re a great guy and this was just an accident and you’re going to make my dad really happy. He hated my long hair." "You’re a good kid Timmy" and with that I felt the clippers peeling off the hair that was left in the back, then the sides were skinned. Hair was falling all around me; my ears were pulled down and the clippers skinned around them. Buck was making sure everything was nice and smooth. The clippers were then put at my forehead and then started down the middle of my head. I felt the blade touching my skin; the hair hit my shoulders and fell forward onto my lap. Well, my dad wouldn`t have to worry about my hair getting in my face anymore. Buck kept running the clippers over my head till it was perfectly even. Then Buck grabbed a smaller pair of clippers. "Buck isn`t it short enough?" "Just going to tidy up around the sides and back. I just wanted to finish you up right. It`s the least I can do." After Buck finished, he turned me around to the mirror and took the cape off. I couldn`t believe my eyes. It really looked like I was bald. There was just a slight shadow of light brown hair. Buck took his hand and rubbed over my skinned head a few times. I looked at Buck then me. I think my hair is shorter than yours Buck?" He gave my head a rub again. "Tim, in a week or 2 you`ll have some good stubble going on, and you really do look good with the clipper shave." "I do look pretty good!!! Hey Buck! You called me Tim!" "I did, didn`t I? Well, you don`t look like a little kid anymore."

I smiled at Buck. "Hey, I’ll be back in town next week. If I stop by, will you give me another clippers shave?" "With pleasure, Tim."
The End

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