Opening a Barber Shop by Scott the Haircutlover

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Opening a Barber Shop

When I was 16 I was the star pitcher on my baseball team. I was 6’ had the modern mullet cut about three inches in back with a blurry fade on the sides and back. My hair was a very light blonde. MY eyes are blue. There was no doubt when I was junior in high school I was going to get a full ride somewhere. I got may cut freshened up before every game as part of my ritual to prepare for dominating my opponents. It worked too, I didn’t lose a game my Junior year of high school. I dated girls, had some fun with them, but something was missing from all of that that I didn’t understand.

Senior year was a night mare. I kept my same haircut and continued to keep it fresh. I became close friends with my barber who was in his mid twenties and a super cool guy. But one day when I was throwing at practice I felt my elbow give out. After an MRI it was bad. My baseball career was over just like that! Then the unthinkable happened, my parents were lost in a car accident. I went into deep depression.

I moved in with my Aunt who lived close by so that I could finish school. My grades really dropped off and I let myself go. Hadn’t had a haircut in months. Stopped shaving. I started to get mixed up with the wrong crowd. Colleges weren’t even talking to me anymore. My future was uncertain. It was a very dark time in my life.

One Saturday morning I woke up, went to the bathroom, did my business, then just stood in front of the mirror for I don’t even know how long. I was looking at my appearance, myself deeply, asking myself "Who have you become, you need to snap out of this funk!" I ran my fingers through my hair that hadn’t been cut in months. Graduation was just a few weeks away and I was about to turn 18. I had heard there was a party tonight and I thought I might be a good idea to go and mix with people who were a positive influence. These were my old friends that were always reaching out to me but I always kinda blew them off just explaining I wasn’t in the mood to hang out. As I stood there I knew I couldn’t go to the party looking the way I did. My teenage fuzzy face looked absolutely awful. I turned on the hot water and started to get my fuzzy face damp. Then I started shaving it and started to see the old me coming back. Once I was finished, I showered and was feeling some positive energy for the first time in a long time. I was back in front of the mirror looking at my slightly wavy blonde hair. It had never been this long. I started to try to style it. I bushed it straight back, then did a thing where I parted it in the middle and did that curtains thing. I tried to just make it messy and look cool. NOTHING was working. Well, I thought, guess I need to go see Jarrod. Jarrod was the barber that I mentioned before.

I got dressed putting on clothes that weren’t wrinkled and actually fit. My top was a tight black t shirt and put on some nice khaki shorts. I told my aunt I was going out to run some errands. She said wait a minute! I turned and she smiled. You look very good with a clean shaven face Tyler. I blushed and smiled. She said "There is my nephews beautiful smile!" I told her I was going to get a haircut. She just said be safe honey and I was off.

I pulled into the familiar parking lot you used to visit almost every week. It brought back some emotions that I didn’t expect. I wasn’t going to be pitching that day or ever again! It brought back some sadness, but I was determined to get past all that had happened to me the last several months. To my surprise, since it was a Saturday morning, there was no one in the shop when I walked in other than Jarrod. He smiled when I walked in and came over and gave me a really long hug. Jarrod said "Tyler I know you’ve been through a lot. It is so good to see you! You know I’m always here for you anytime you need to talk, hang or whatever you need." I teared up a bit and thanked him. "Jarrod, I have been going through a lot as I’m sure you have heard. I am ready to move on with my life and find happiness. I am going to a party tonight where a lot of my old friends will be and I couldn’t go looking like this!" We both laughed and he agreed that I needed to get cleaned up.

I sat in the familiar chair. The smells of the shop hadn’t changed. This ritual that I used to perform was a positive thing it in my life. It gave me joy and confidence, and I wanted all of that back that I could possibly find. When Jarrod put the cape around me and the tissue around my neck it felt so good. He started combing out my light blonde hair and it was time to decide what I was going to do with the cut. I could tell he was taking his time, and he knew I was enjoying being back in his chair after so many months. I was staring at myself in the mirror. He was combing my hair over and over again. It felt so good. I hadn’t even thought about what cut I wanted. Jarrod finally spoke "So you want the same thing?" I said "No I don’t want the mullet anymore. What’s good? What would be a style that would give me confidence and something that would turn heads?" Jarrod smiled "Tyler I am 100% sure you turn heads no matter what haircut you have. You are one of the most handsome customers that I have. Let’s just take some off and see where it takes us." I smiled at Jarrod in the mirror and said "I am in your hands!"

Jarrod wet my hair down. Combing it straight back and then sectioning off the top. He picked up some clippers and started with a #2 on the sides. He took it up much higher than the cut that I used to get. I watched intensely as he did his work. Next he went around to the back and shaved the back up just as high. It had been a very long time since I had no hair down my neck. He worked around to the other side and shaved it up to the same height. I was loving the new look so much, but I had very long hair on top still. Jarrod asked "Liking it so far?" I replied enthusiastically "Yes very much so!" He said "Ok I am going to cut the top shorter and see how you like it." I cleared my throat and said "Why did you stop buzzing?" Jarrod had a bit of a shocked look on his face "Are you saying you want a buzz cut?" I smiled and said "Why not?" Jarrod undid the clips he used to section off my hair. He picked up the clippers with the #2 still attached and started running them over the top of my head. The light blonde hair piled up on the cape as he made pass after pass. Then he took the guard off and started shaving my head to the skin on the side and back giving me the tightest fade I have ever had. I smiled as the transformation was looking better than I could have imagined. Jarrod put hot lather on the sides and back and shaved it smooth. He showed me the back holding a mirror up showing me the back. I was thrilled with the new look and felt like a new person. Jarrod said "This might sound weird Tyler, but I think doing this gave you some of that confidence back." I looked at him "You’re right! I feel liberated."

When I got back home my aunt was shocked! "Tyler you shaved your head!" She looked me over and then smiled saying "I like it. You look very handsome." I thank her, hugged her, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. I thanked her for all that she had done for me and let me work out my issues on my own, yet was always there for me the last few months when I need a shoulder to cry on. It was a nice moment.

After dinner I went up to my room. Took a shower and washed what hair I had left on my head. When I got out of the shower I prepared to do my hair and then laughed at myself remembering there wasn’t anything to do to it. I got dressed and headed out to the party. I felt a nervousness about my new look, but didn’t actually care what people thought anyway.

When I arrived several of my friends came up to me. They hugged me and rubbed my head. They told me that I looked amazing! They told me that the old Tyler was back! It wasn’t about the look it was about the confidence that I had now. The were so happy the old Tyler was back in there lives. I was happy too. What had happened to me will never go away. I miss my parents every day. I miss pitching and dominating my opponents, but there was more in store for me. I had a future and I knew it!
As the party went on we were playing teen games when I noticed a guy that I hadn’t seen before. He was the same height as me. He was really good looking. Who was this guy and why did he keep looking at me? We will find out in the next chapter……

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