Adam by Bald K

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“Happy birthday," Adam’s mum said as Adam walked into the lounge. “Big boy now you are eighteen."
“Thanks mum, it just does not feel like I want to celebrate with dad not here with us," Adam replied.
“He is looking over you from his seat in heaven," Adam’s mum sighed. “I know he wanted to be here with you for your big day."
“I know he is looking over me," Adam sighed as he started to open his birthday cards. “I bet I get nothing from your mum and dad."
“This is from me," Adam’s mum said as she handed over a small box to Adam.
“Aww great mum, the latest iPhone!" Adam said as he took the phone out of the box.
“I knew you wanted to have that phone, so all you have to do is put your sim card in and pay your monthly plan," Adam’s mum told Adam. “I have to get to work now, but don’t forget to be at the Greek restaurant for one when we meet your grandparents."
“I will be there," Adam said to his mum. “But I have got nothing off your parents."
“It is most probably still in the post," Adam’s mum replied. “I am sure they have not forgotten."
“They never have liked me, my cousins always get treated better than me," Adam told his mother.
“You know that is not true," Adam’s mother sighed, knowing that she was the outcast of the family and that her parents had no time for Adam.
Adam opened the rest of his cards and placed the gift cards and money to one side before opening his present from his father’s parents to find the latest PlayStation as his present.
“Great! I really love my dad’s parents!" Adam shouted in his head. “I will set it up after I have had my shower."

“Thank you for the lovely meal and my present, which is more than I got off my mother’s parents," Adam said to his grandparents. “I will see you Sunday for your wonderful roast dinner."
“You mean they did not even send you a card?" Adam’s gran said to Adam.
“Not even a card," Adam sighed. “But thank you again for my present and this lunch."
“You are welcome young man, but with those curls maybe I should say young lady," Adam’s grandad laughed.
“I know I need a haircut but working with Uncle Neil I never seem to get time," Adam replied. “Little do they know I am getting it cut just like my dad had his cut at eighteen," Adam thought to himself.
“There are plenty of Turkish barbers about, I will have a word with Neil to let you go early one day," Adam’s grandad joked with Adam.
“Yeah, anyway I must get going as I am meeting Brody at five and I want to do a few things before I meet him," Adam said as he stood up. “See you Sunday."
Adam made his way out of the restaurant and walked to the bus stop and waited for the bus home. After a short while the bus arrived, and Adam scanned his ticket before sitting down for the journey. Adam rang the bell as the bus approached and thanked the driver as he alighted the bus and made his way home. Adam let himself into the house and went to his bedroom and opened his wardrobe.
“Tomorrow, I start my journey to make my father proud of me," Adam thought as he looked at the clothes he had bought. “I will do it I promise you that dad."
Adam closed his wardrobe and made his way back down to the lounge and sat down for a few minutes before leaving the house and making his way to the small parade of shops and stood outside the supermarket where Brody worked. Adam glanced into the Turkish barber that was next to the supermarket and saw that one of the barbers was sitting in his chair waiting for a customer.
“Go on, walk in there and take the seat," Adam thought to himself. “Brody will not mind if he has to wait a few minutes while I get the haircut.
Just as Adam was going to push open the door to the Barber shop a young man walked in and took his jacket off and sat in the vacant chair.
“Oh well, I would have probably backed out of asking for the haircut I want," Adam sighed. “Especially with all those people in there."
“Dude, happy birthday mate," Brody said as he walked out of the supermarket and handed Adam an envelope.
“Cheers mate, what is the plan for this evening?" Adam asked Brody.
“Sorry man, but my olds have decided to visit, but meet me here at nine on Saturday and we will do a day in the city my treat." Brody told Adam.
“Pity, I just got the new PlayStation and wanted to thrash you at FIFA," Adam sighed.
“Sorry dude, see you Saturday," Brody said as he started to walk across the car park.
“F*** it, I think I will go for my first legal pint," Adam thought to himself as he started to walk to the pub his dad used to drink in.
Adam arrived at the yard of ale pub and pushed the door open and walked into the pub and over to the bar where a young man sporting a black Mohican with a bit of stubble on the sides was serving.
“Yes mate, what can I get you?" The young man asked Adam.
“Give me a pint of the golden duck please," Adam replied.
“Can I see some identification please," the young man said to Adam.
“Yeah, sure," Adam replied as he took his provisional driving licence out of his wallet.
“Big birthday today then," the young man said as he handed Adam his driving licence back. “Have this as a birthday present from me."
“Cheers man," Adam grinned. “Wicked haircut you have got there."
“Thanks," the young man replied. “Used to have a curtains at school and got a skinhead the day I quit school then I got hold of my dad’s punk and skinhead records and decided to grow the hawk and get the rings in my ears, I am Lewis by the way."
“Nice to meet you Lewis," Adam said. “How does the landlord like having a punk working behind the bar?"
“My dad is the owner of the pub," Lewis grinned. “I do most of the work here as he has another job as a scaffolder."
“My dad died a couple of months ago," Adam sighed as he took a mouthful of his beer. “I miss him."
“Yeah, I know the feeling," Lewis said to Adam. “I was the same when my gran died and that was six months ago.
“Hey punk boy, give us two pints of the smugglers," a young man with a shaved head and tattoos.
said to Lewis. “Are you ok curly? New in here, are you?"
“It is his eighteenth birthday," Lewis told the skinhead. “When are you free to freshen up my hawk?"
“Do it Saturday before my twenty fifth birthday bash," the skinhead told Lewis. “Get the birthday boy a drink."
“Cheers mate," Adam said to the skinhead as another heavily tattooed skinhead walked in.
“I have got the beers in as usual," the skinhead said to the other skinhead.
“You know me," the skinhead grinned as he took a mouthful of his beer. “Are you ok curly? New here?" The skinhead said to Adam.
“Adam is eighteen today, Scott," Lewis said to Scott. “The other skin is Tommy," Lewis told Adam.
“Nice to meet you both," Adam said to Scott and Tommy."
“fancy joining us for the quiz tonight as Andy cannot make it?" Tommy asked Adam.
“Sorry, but my mum is taking me out for a meal," Adam lied.
“Maybe another time then curly," Scott said as he walked over to a table with Tommy. “I better go after the beer that Tommy bought me."

Adam checked the time as he walked out of the gym and made his way home to change out of his gym gear and have a shower.
“Two hours and thirty minutes time I will be sitting in the chair starting my new look," Adam thought to himself. “I will have time to bank the cash and get a big brekkie inside me."
Adam showered and changed into a T-shirt and some jeans before going downstairs as he heard the mail drop through the letter box.
“Junk, junk and more junk, but hang on this one is addressed to me and marked personal," Adam thought to himself as he placed the rest of the mail on the cabinet in the hallway before opening the letter to discover it was a cheque for seven thousand pounds from an insurance policy his father had taken out for him.
“F***! Seven grand, I can get the motor bike I was looking at now!" Adam thought to himself. “I can put that into the bank now."
Adam slipped his lightweight jacket on and made his way into the city centre and deposited the cheque and his birthday money into his savings account before making his way to timbers café for his breakfast.
“Hey sexy," Maria said as Adam walked in. “Just you for your usual big fry up with a mug of coffee?"
“You got it," Adam grinned as he followed Maria to a table and sat down.
Adam ate his breakfast and drank his coffee before walking out of the café and checked his phone for the time before setting off to cosmic tattoo studio and walking in.
“Can I help you?" A young man with a tattoo sleeve and a shaved head asked Adam.
“I have an appointment at ten thirty," Adam said to the young man. “Adam Downham is the name."
“Ah yes, if I could just see some identification, please," the young man said to Adam.
“Here you go," Adam replied as he handed over his driving licence.
“That is fine, so you have paid a deposit of eighty pounds, so that leaves one hundred and sixty to pay," the young man told Adam.
Adam took out his debit card and put it the card machine before inputting his PIN number and waited for it to go through.
“If you would like to take a seat, Scott will be with you shortly," the young man told Adam as he handed Adam his debit card.
Adam sat down and flicked through a tattoo magazine with assorted designs in it before putting the magazine down. “That dragon would look well good on me," Adam thought to himself.
“Hey, if it isn’t curly from the pub," Scott said as he walked out of his studio. “You must be my first victim of the day."
“Yeah, I guess so," Adam replied with a nervous look on his face. “Come on you can do this for your dad," Adam thought to himself as he walked across to where Scott was waiting for him.
“Take a seat then, curly," Scott said to Adam. “This is quite a big tattoo for your first one."
“I know, I got a temp one of it to test if I liked it and I decided to make it my first one," Adam lied.
“Well take your jacket off, I cannot do the tattoo through it," Scott grinned.
“I guess not," Adam replied as he took his jacket off.
“So where on your arm are we doing the tattoo?" Scott asked Adam.
“On the outside of the lower part of my left arm," Adam replied.
“Right, let’s make a start," Scott told Adam as he wiped Adam’s arm with an antiseptic wipe before going over the arm with a razor to remove any hairs.
Adam watched as Scott placed the tattoo of a snake wrapped around a dagger on his arm before removing the paper.
“Is that where you would like it to go?" Scott asked Adam.
“Looks perfect," Adam grinned.
“Right let’s get going," Scott said to Adam as he picked up the tattoo gun and dipped it in a pot of black ink for the outlining.
Adam flinched slightly as he felt the tattoo gun start inking the outline of the tattoo but relaxed as he watched the outline being done.

“All done," Scott said to Adam as he put the tattoo gun down and wiped Adam’s arm. “Do you like it?"
“F***ing love it," Adam grinned. “I am glad I got it done."
“Put this cream on twice a day and do not scratch it when it starts to itch," Scott said to Adam.
“Ok mate, are you in the pub later so I can buy you a beer?" Adam asked Scott.
“Will be on Friday about seven," Scott replied. “If you are not doing anything on Saturday why not come to Tommy’s birthday bash with punk boy?"
“I am with my mate Saturday, but should be able to come to the party," Adam told Scott. “See you in the pub on Friday."
Adam walked out of the tattoo studio and looked at the tattoo on his arm which was covered by a film. Adam checked his phone and started to walk towards Franco’s traditional barber shop.
“May as well get the haircut to complete the second stage of my new look," Adam thought to himself.
“After a short walk Adam arrived at Franco’s to find the door locked with a notice in the window saying that they were closed until Monday for a holiday.
“F***! I guess a Turk can do the haircut I want," Adam thought to himself as he walked back into the city centre.
Adam walked down a street where there was three Turkish barber shops and found one that had a teenager with hair over his ears and collar was just getting into the chair and get caped up.
“This one will do," Adam thought to himself as he pushed open the door and walked in.
“What are we doing for you today?" The barber asked the teenager.
“Grade one on top with a very high razor blade fade," the teenager confidently replied. “Take the fade as high as possible."
“If this boy can get his long hair done like that there is no reason why I cannot get the haircut I want," Adam thought to himself as he saw the barber snap on the grade one guard.
“You are sure this is what you want?" The barber asked the boy.
“Absolutely," the boy replied.
Adam watched as the barber lifted the boys fringe with a comb and put the clippers at the hairline in the centre of the boys head.
“Grade one with a very high razor blade fade?" The barber said to the young boy as he pushed the clippers through the boys blond hair and depositing about three inches of hair on the floor.
“No going back now," the teenager grinned as the barber made a second pass with the clippers over the top of the boys head.
“I am going to do it, no backing out," Adam thought to himself as the barber moved to the side of the boys head and removed the bulk of hair from there before doing the other side and the back of the boys head.
“Looking better already," the boy grinned.
The barber placed the clippers down and picked up a smaller set and outlined where the fade would end before taking off the small amount of hair below that line with the clippers before blending it in with the grade one that the boy had done. The barber then picked up and electric razor and shaved the back and sides of the boys head making sure he did not miss any before switching the shaver off and placing it back on the bench.
“How does the young man like his new haircut?" The barber asked the boy as he showed him the back and sides of his head.
“Perfect," The boy replied with a massive smile on his face.
The barber removed the cape from the teenager and the teenager stood up rubbing the back of his head.
“Wow, it feel so weird not having any hair on the back and sides of my head," the teenager said to the barber as he handed him a twenty-pound note. “Keep the change and I will be back to get it freshened up soon.
“You are next sir," the barber said to Adam as three young men walked in.
“Could you hold on a minute, I just need to take this phone call," Adam lied as he put his phone to his ear. “Hi Uncle, yeah I will be five minutes," Adam said. “Sorry I have to go my Uncle need me in the shop," Adam lied as he grabbed his jacket and walked out of the barbers shop. “Why the f*** can I not say those words when I go into the barbers?" Adam thought to himself as he saw one of young men get caped up by the barber.

Adam arrived home and sat down on the sofa and got his phone out as he heard it beep and saw it was a message from his mum saying she would be late home and not to forget that she would be leaving early the next day for a works get together and would be back Sunday night.
“Why is she always working late now?" Adam thought to himself as he pulled his jacket on. “I will go and see punk boy and then get some chips."
Adam walked the short distance to the yard of ale and walked in to see Lewis serving a gentleman.
“How is punk boy?" Adam said to Lewis as he took his jacket off and walked to the bar.
“Doing ok thank you curly," Lewis replied. “Had some ink done on you I see."
“Yeah, it was Scott that did it," Adam said to Lewis. “Like it?"
“Yeah, but it is small to what I have got," Lewis grinned. “Come through to the storeroom and I will show you."
Adam followed Lewis through to the storeroom and watched as Lewis stripped off his polo shirt to reveal a dragon that covered virtually all of his back.
“F***ing nice!" Adam shouted out as he saw the tattoo. “Must have cost a bit."
“Sure did, it was my twenty first birthday present to myself," Lewis said to Adam. “Scott is starting work on my chest on Saturday."
“I think my next one will be a spider on the underarm where my snake and dagger is," Adam told Lewis.
“Go for it," Lewis grinned as he put his polo shirt back on and walked out of the storeroom with Adam. “Or go big on your back or chest, you have a great physique."
“I go to the gym and do loads of weights," Adam told Lewis. “You are pretty fit as well."
“I have my own gym set up here out in the garage," Lewis replied. “You are welcome to use it anytime."
“Thanks, I will keep that in mind," Adam told Lewis.
“I could do with somebody to motivate me, it is boring doing weights and the treadmill by yourself," Lewis said to Adam.
“How about a session tomorrow?" Adam suggested to Lewis.
“Yeah, ok then," Lewis grinned. “I am usually an early riser and in my gym by seven."
“Scott invited me to Tommy’s birthday bash on Saturday," Adam told Lewis. “Maybe I will go large as I saw a wicked dragon tattoo a bit like yours while I was waiting."
“Prepare yourself for a hangover on Sunday then," Lewis laughed. “Do you want to try the stallion? It is fresh on today."
“You have persuaded me," Adam said. “Would you like to have a pint?"
“I finish in twenty minutes, so we could maybe go into the city and go to a couple of pubs there?" Lewis suggested. “Get away from my father."
“Sounds good to me," Adam replied. “Can I ask where you got your ears punctured?"
“My sister works for Jodie’s piercing rooms," Lewis told Adam. “Are you thinking of getting your ears done?"
“Maybe," Adam replied.
“Ok punk, you can go now," Lewis’ father said as he walked behind the bar. “Are you Nigel Downham’s son?" Lewis’ father asked Adam.
“The one and only," Adam grinned.
“Me and your father used to hang about when we were younger, I am sorry to hear that he died," Lewis’ father told Adam.
“Thank you," Adam replied.
“Don’t wait up, me and Adam are off into the city," Lewis told his father as he put his studded leather jacket on.
“Don’t forget it is delivery day tomorrow and we need to go to the cash and carry to get stuff," Lewis’ dad reminded Lewis.
“Yeah, I know," Lewis said as he walked out of the pub with Adam.

Adam walked out of the house and made his way to the bus stop where he saw Brody waiting for him.
“Alright dude?" Adam said to Brody. “Want to see what I had done?"
“Of course, dude," Brody replied.
“What do you think of this then?" Adam said as he took his jacket off to reveal the tattoo. “Pretty good don’t you think?"
“Is that for real?" Brody asked Adam.
“Sure is, I am already considering what to have done next," Adam grinned. “I think I remember you saying if I got inked you would do the same."
“Yeah man, first thing I need to do is go and get a haircut," Brody replied. “And then we will go and look at ink."
“Over the road then." Adam said as he went to cross the road.
“Nah dude, I need to go to one in the city," Brody told Adam as the bus arrived.
“Why in the city?" Adam asked Brody with a puzzled look on face.
“You will find out," Brody grinned as they sat down.
Brody and Adam thanked the driver as they alighted the bus and started walking down the road before turning left into another road.
“Woah hang on the only barber in this road is Evan’s who deals mainly with the American airbase staff," Adam said to Brody.
“Yeah, I know," Brody replied as they approached the barber shop.
“Get your butt in there!" A man with an American accent told his son.
“But pa, I promise I will not do it again, please don’t make me get a haircut here," his son pleaded.
“I said get your butt inside or I will punish you more! The American told his son as he opened the door.
Without saying another word, the boy walked into the barber shop followed by his father, Brody, and Adam.
“Good morning, Howard, you don’t usually bring your son here for his haircut," one of the two barbers said as he got off the chair and motioned for the boy to take a seat.
“Jared has been caught smoking weed with a couple of his so-called mates," Howard told the barber.
“Oh, I see," the barber replied as he secured a neck strip around the boys neck before securing a cape round the boy. “So, what are we doing on this young man?"
“Give him a high and tight recon with the back and sides white walled," the boys dad told the barber.
“But dad, I will look ridiculous at school with that haircut," the boy said to his dad. “I promise I will not touch the weed again."
“You are going to the military school on base from Monday, so you will fit in just fine," the boys dad said. “Proceed with the haircut if you would be so kind."
Brody and Adam watched as the barber picked up his Oster clippers and changed the blade to a grade one before switching them on and started to run them over the top of the boys head. Adam noticed the boy was trying to hold his tears back as he watched his long light brown hair being reduced to three millimetres of hair on the top of his head.
“Why are you getting your haircut here?" Adam asked Brody as the other barber removed the cape from his customer.
“You will find out in a minute," Brody replied as he removed his jacket and placed it on the hook and walked over to the chair and sat down.
Adam watched as the other barber changed the blade on the clippers to the 00000 and started to peel off the hair from the side of the boys head.
“Why not get in that chair when he has finished and get your haircut how you want it," Adam thought to himself as another man with his son walked in.
“So, what are we doing with this hair today?" The barber asked Brody as he ran his comb through it.
“I would like a horseshoe flat," Brody told the barber. “Leave about an inch of hair for the shoe."
“That is going to be massive change," the barber told Brody as he picked up his Oster clippers.
“Yeah, I know," Brody grinned.
“I cannot believe what I just heard," Adam thought to himself. “Brody loves his luscious brown hair."
“Doug, I need your 00000 blade as my replacement has not turned up," the barber told Doug.
“Nearly done here, Clint, so start the lather machine up for us," Doug told Clint.
Adam watched as Clint started the lather machine up as Doug finished shaving the boys hair with the clippers and removed the blade and handed it to Clint.
“You are sure about the horseshoe flat?" Clint said to Brody as he attached the blade to the clippers.
“Yeah, I have wanted to get this cut but all the other barbers in the city apart from Franco don’t know what I was talking about," Brody replied.
“To many bloody Turkish barber shops," Clint muttered as he flicked the switch on his clippers. “One horseshoe flat from the best flattop barber in the city coming right up."
Adam watched as Clint ran the clippers up the side of Brody’s head depositing over three inches of hair into the cape. Clint continued to run the clippers up the side of Brody’s head leaving white skin where his brown hair used to be. Adam also kept his eye on the boy who was having the back and sides of his head shaved smooth by Doug.
“How is that?" Doug asked Howard as he removed the cape from his son.
“Perfect, he will be back every month to get it redone," Howard replied. “Son, get that stupid earring out of your ear this instant!" Howard told his son.
Without saying a word, Howard’s son removed the earring and placed it in the waste bin. Howard thanked Doug as he paid him before walking out with his son.
“You are next, you can do it, just sit in the chair and say it," Adam said to himself.
“You are next young man," Doug said to Adam.
“Come on stand up and walk over to the chair," Adam said to himself. “It’s ok I am just here with my mate," Adam said to Doug.
“Oh, I see," Doug said to Adam. “Come on Michael jump in the chair," Doug said to the boy. “Usual short back and sides, is it?" Doug asked his father.
“He wants it skin faded with a four on top with a high fade," the boy’s father told Doug.
“A popular choice with young boys lately," Doug said as he placed the cape around the boy and secured it.
Adam turned back and saw Clint switch the clippers off and start to reduce the top of Brody’s hair with scissors before rubbing in some butch wax on the remaining hair on Brody’s head before drying it to make it stand erect. Clint switched off the hairdryer and picked up his flattop comb and started to reduce the hair down to an inch before picking up the edger clippers and perfecting the horseshoe on Brody’s haircut. Clint then spread hot lather over the shaved parts of Brody’s head before shaving the horseshoe. Finishing the horseshoe, Clint checked Brody’s head and got the flattop perfect before removing the cape.
“How does that look?" Clint asked Brody.
“You sure know how to do a horseshoe flat," Brody grinned. “It is perfect, thank you."
“So, what is the plan now?" Adam asked Brody as they walked out of the barbers. “Go and look at some designs for your ink?"
“Not today dude," Brody told Adam. “I need to sort some stuff out with my girl."
“She will be in for a shock when she sees you haircut," Adam grinned.
“It was her that made me decide to get it done," Brody admitted. “Her bro is deep into psychobilly and got me listening to it."
“So, you went for the haircut just to please her?" Adam asked Brody.
“Nah, dude, I wanted a fresh look, and you should see her bro’s hair it is a proper psycho haircut with blonde strip down the centre just like a skunk," Brody laughed. “Look hit me up in the week, ok?"
“Yeah ok," Adam sighed. “I may as well hit my Uncle up and see what he has planned for me next week."
Adam walked to his Uncle’s shop and saw Closing down sale banners in the window.
“What is going on?" Adam said to his Uncle as he walked into the shop.
“Sorry, but the landlord has just decided to increase my rent by fifty percent, and I just cannot afford it," Adam’s uncle sighed. “If you want any of the stock just take it on Monday when you come in."
“I know a few things I want," Adam said to his uncle. “See you Monday."
Adam trudged off back to the bus stop and waited for the bus to arrive when his phone rang.
“Hey, curly are you up for the party tonight?" Lewis asked Adam.
“What time should I come over to the pub?" Adam replied.
“I have booked a taxi for six so Scott can freshen up my hawk," Lewis told Adam. “So, get here for about five."

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