A visit with Pete and Jack Part I by P.J.

---

Part I
Hi folks, It’s Jack. It’s been a hot minute since you’ve heard from us, (actually over a year I think) so I thought I’d update you. There’s been a few things happening.

I completed my study and thesis. I’m now a full professor. It feels great. It’s finally spring here in far northern New York. I’m nearing the end of my first full year of teaching. I’ve also moved into Pete’s loft above the Barber Shop. I guess that means we’re officially a couple now. I’m also working Saturdays in the shop when Pete needs the extra help. I still don’t do any clipper cutting unless it’s a baldy cut for the guys starting boot camp at the Army base. That’s O.K. though. I hate seeing a nice head of hair peeled off and a sad bald-headed guy leave the shop. They never really look happy about it. Oh well.

Pete has kept my plush auburn mane at a somewhat respectable (well for him I guess) length too. It’s usually just touching my shoulders on the sides, a bit longer in back, with a nice thick chin length fringe. It’s getting a bit long now, I’m due for a trim. Pete still threatens to give me a #1 butch every now and then too. He usually acquiesces after a lively night in the sack with me though. He loves hair play a little too much I guess.

Pete’s actually let me cut his hair too. He’s currently sporting a plush layered style with it just touching his collar in back, ears about half covered, with a nice thick fringe, side parted and brushed back during the day with a bit of product to hold it. I usually mess it up a bit after we close though. I can’t resist. I’ve surprisingly gotten quite good at scissor cutting. I even have a few regular clients now. Who wooda thunk.

It’s just about the end of the semester, exam time, and spring as finally sprung in the frozen north country. I’ve been walking back to the Shop from campus every day this week. The fresh air feels wonderful.

Since Covid, the town has been doing street improvements. One of them has been to add trees and benches to Main Street, along with giant cement flower pots. All a definite improvement.

All week I’ve seen a blonde-haired guy sitting on a bench across from the Shop. He has amazing long blonde hair. I think he’s one of my students from last semester. I haven’t had the time until now to stop and chat. Since it’s Friday, I finally have a few minutes. Today he has his hair in a bun though, damn.

I strolled up to the bench and nodded a greeting. With his bright blonde mane tied back in a bun, I didn’t recognize him till I got close. "Hi, it’s Charlie, isn’t it." I asked. Sitting down next to him. "How’s it going? All done with exams yet?"

"Oh, Hi Professor Jack. Um, yes, I’m all done. Almost ready to graduate actually." Charlie replied, a tentative smile on his face.

"You seem a bit unsure Charlie. May I ask why?" I replied, admiring what I could see of his plush mane.

Charlie squirmed a bit on the bench. Looking at me sheepishly. "Well, I still have a couple of personal things to take care of before the ceremony. My parents will be here, so…" he tailed off without finishing his thought. His hand reached back to check the thick low bun. "Can I ask you something Professor Jack?"

"First off, please just call me Jack, I’m not teaching you anymore. O.K.?" I asked politely. "And sure, absolutely, ask away. What’s on your mind?"

"Well, I’ve been sitting here every afternoon after my exams. I know when we talked last semester you’ve told me that you get your hair cut by Pete, across the street there at Pete’s Cuts. Every day this week, I’ve seen you walk down from Campus and head on into Pete’s. I never see you come out, even after the shades are pulled and the lights are turned off. The other thing I notice is that the young guys going into the shop mostly have decent long heads of hair. Most of them come out bald though. Some of the young guys have great looking haircuts when they leave, but not many. I really need to do something about my long hair before graduation so I was thinking of talking to Pete about cutting it but, truthfully, I don’t want to get scalped. I do like your hair though. It’s always looked nice." He started to color up a bit. "I’m not trying to hit on you or anything, I just think your hair looks great, that’s all. I assume Pete cuts it?"
I chuckled. "Well, first let me clear up a couple of things for you. I think you already know this, but in case you didn’t, I’m gay, Pete and I are a couple. Second, it’s a few days before the new class of recruits starts basic training at the nearby Army base. There's always a few guys that come see Pete before they report for training to get their induction cuts instead of waiting till induction day. Pete is the only off base barbershop that is Army approved. Some like the more private setting for getting their induction cut. It’s less humiliating than the base barber shop. Especially if they have long hair. And finally, yes, Pete does cut my hair. I’m sure he could do a great job on yours too if you ask. I do also work in the shop on Saturdays if you’re interested in having me cut it for you." Jack glanced at the heavy bun that was low on Charlie’s neck. I remember you had great hair when you were in my class, I’m sure it’s longer now though. Did you have something in mind?"

Charlie reached back and released his mane from the bun, shaking his head slowly as the lush locks unfurled to their full length. It was down past his shoulder blades, thick with nice body without looking bushy. Pretty much all one length.
I remembered Charlie having shoulder length (ish) hair when I had him in my class. I also remembered the conversation regarding where I had my hair cut. I’d shown up to class with my shoulder blade length locks cut back to approximately the length I have it now, courtesy of Pete when we made our partnership official. He made it clear that he wouldn’t have a shaggy haired partner. After some heated debate, I submitted to a heavy pruning (at least for me). I do still miss my thick shoulder blade length locks. I remind Pete of that fact regularly too. But I digress. As Charlies lush locks fell out of the bun, cascading down, I at once wondered what he’d look like under the cape, my fast feed Osters striping him to the scalp like a new recruit. I also wondered what it would be like to get my hands in that lush bulk, and give him a slight trim. Yikes.

"Oh, my, I can see where you might want a trim before graduation, especially with parents coming and all." Jack smiled warmly, admiring Charlie’s mane.

"Well, um, that’s the thing, I don’t really know what I want. It’s been at least 8 years since I’ve been in a Barbershop. I think the last time was just before I started High School. Before that my mom usually trimmed it for me when it got too long. I was hoping that Pete might have some ideas…or maybe even you. I didn’t know you also worked there. The baldy cuts I’ve been seeing kind of put me off going in though." Charlie looked hopefully at Jack.

"Hmm" Jack replied. "It’s getting on towards closing time. How about if I go with you and we walk over? We can wait if Pete has any other customers, and we can both talk with Pete. See what he might have in mind. I have couple of ideas myself too. Sound good?"

Charlie exhaled loudly. "Yeah, that would be great actually. Thank you."

Jack and Charlie rose and walked across the street. Jack lagged behind slightly. He held the door for Charlie. He wanted to get a chance to get a good look at Charlies impressive mane. He knew he would have to keep a sharp eye on Pete if Charlie was going to leave with any amount of that mane intact. Pete was definitely in boot camp mode lately.

As they took seats in the waiting area. They both looked at the guy seated in Pete’s chair under the cape. Pete was in the midst of removing his plush shoulder length mop with the balding clippers. There was a hefty pile of thick dark brown hair in the guy’s lap. From the front he still had plush thick locks hanging over his face, and long bulk on the sides. Pete was just finishing stripping all the hair off of the back. Starting on his left side. The guy sighed heavily as the continuous cascade of his precious locks fell into his lap, exposing more and more of his newly bald head.

Charlie gasped. "UH, I don’t know about this Jack." He started to get up to leave.

"Charlie, Jack barked, sit back down, relax, that isn’t going to be happening to you, trust me on that O.K."?"

"Good God, that’s horrible" Charlie exclaimed quietly. "I have all the respect in the world for our military but, let ‘em have at least enough hair to tell what color it is, wow."

"They do let them grow it out a little after basic training." Jack replied smiling grimly.

A young guy they hadn’t noticed sitting in a waiting area chair too piped up with "It’s a shame though isn’t it" he smiled at Charlie. The young lad had thick chestnut colored hair, long, pulled into a low pony tail. "Glad I won’t be having Pete cut mine like that. I do have to get it cut shorter though."

"Not sure I trust Pete after seeing this "Charlie chirped.

The young lad replied "Oh, I know Pete will do what I want. I’ve been coming here for several years now. Pete’s a great barber. He might tease a bit, but he does a great job with us long haired guys too."
Pete had been listening to the conversation. "What, you mean you guys don’t want yours cut like this too?" He chuckled. "Jack, can you pull the shades and lock the door. It’s pretty late, if these two don’t want baldys, they’ll be my last customers."

Pete finished the induction cut in short order. The poor guy rubbed his newly bald head, paid Pete, and left the shop. He’d been careful not to make eye contact with any of us, his eyes glistening in the shop lights. Poor bugger.
Pete walked over to the other guy and greeted him warmly. "Patrick my boy, I haven’t seen you in here for a while. Hop up in the chair and let’s see what we can do with this mane."

Pete turned to Jack. "Jack, your friend here will be my last cut of the day. I assume from this earlier reaction he won’t be getting an induction cut right son?" Pete said, smiling innocently.
"Pete, this is Charlie, one of my former students" Jack said. He’s here for a trim."

"Nice to meet you Charlie," Pete said extending his hand. "Jack, how about you get your friend shampooed and conditioned while I work with Patrick?"

Jack jumped at the chance to get his hands into Charlies thick mane. "Yeah, sure, of course. Come this way Charlie" Jack led Charlie back to the wash station.

Pete walked back to Patrick. "Now then, what can I do for you today?’ he said, as he caped Patrick up.

Patrick removed the pony tail clasp, shaking his plush locks out. "Pete, I need to get a shorter cut. It’s been really fun growing it out but…all good things must come to an end, right? I don’t want a buzz cut or anything. I don’t get to enjoy it when it’s tied back, I like to wear it loose. It gets in the way while I’m working and I can’t have that. I don’t need to have it chopped short, just not constantly in my eyes. Got any suggestions?" Patrick sighed heavily.
Pete studied Patrick for a bit, playing with his thick locks, picking them up and watching how they fell.

"Well, if you like it on the longer side and just want the fringe shortened, do you want to keep a center parting? I can give you a graduating fringe length cut, starting in the center of your face with shorter fringe, just over your brows, gradually getting longer as it drops down on the sides, and into the back. You tell me how long you want to keep the back." Pete pulled up a pic on his phone to show Patrick.
"Oh, wow, hmm" Patrick said, studying the pic and playing with his fringe.

"I can adjust the fringe starting length too" Pete said, brushing the thick fringe back.

"Um, O.K. I guess." Patrick hesitantly replied. "But I don’t want it to look like a bob or a bowl cut though. I kind of like it actually. It’s a bit retro but definitely unique. It’s not short either. And…it’ll grow out if I don’t like it right? Let’s do it."

"Alrighty then," Pete said smiling. "it’ll be good to use my shears again. Seems like today has been an all induction cut day.

Meanwhile, Jack had gotten Charlie settled in the wash chair. "Charlie, I’m guessing you washed and conditioned your hair today, right?"

"Yes, I really don’t want it shampooed again. It gets a bit frizzy and ‘big’ if you know what I mean." Charlie replied quietly.

"How about we just condition with a lite conditioner then? Pete really just wants to get it good and wet to remove any wave the bun may have imparted on it so he can accurately cut it for you. Sound good?" (And for me to get some touch time with this amazing mane, Jack thought to himself. Pete knows me well)

As Jack wet Charlie’s hair down and worked the conditioner through, they chatted. Jack asked" have you any idea what you want Pete to do yet?"

Charlie laughed. "Ha, well, part of me wants to just have him trim a couple of inches, and do a little layering if he thinks he should. My dad, of course is probably expecting me to have a short back and sides. He’s convinced I need a tight ass cut like that in order to land a decent job after graduation. He gave me no end of s**t over the semester break about going with him to his barber to get scalped, but I resisted, obviously. He wasn’t happy when I came back to school, mane intact."

This of course peaked Jacks interest. "Ah, the old school white collar conservative attitude huh. What is your major if I may ask? And have you done any job searching?"

Charlie smiled "I’m mechanical engineering with a concentration in jet propulsion. Funny story about the job search too. I knew that they were having job fairs on campus this semester. I was working hard on a lab project when one of my professors called me. He asked if I could come over to the job fair, they were holding that day. I warned him that I wasn’t looking very presentable and that I was in the lab. He practically ordered me to come anyway. So, not to piss him off, I went over and met him in the lobby. He introduced me to several recruiters, expounding on my intuition, ability and work ethic. So, there I was, now thoroughly embarrassed and not looking my best, fielding questions from these three guys. I profusely apologized for my shaggy appearance too. They all commented that I was never going to be judged on how I looked, it was what I knew and what I wanted to learn that interested them. I was intrigued too, that they were all representing Canadian based companies. One guy in particular specifically commented that I had great looking hair. He hoped I didn’t feel It had to be cut short to work at his company. The others all agreed with his comment. I should add that these were all guys in their early to mid-thirties if I had to guess. They were casually dressed and all had great looking longer hair.

The be all and end all is after several more Zoom interviews, I received three offers, Airbus, Boeing, and Bombardier. I went with Boeing. They were the ones who specifically stated that I shouldn’t cut all that amazing blonde hair off if I was going to come work for them. I’ll have to work out the working papers issues to work in Canada, but I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait to see my dad’s reaction when I show up at graduation with long hair still.

Long winded answer Jack, but I know I want a different look, I just don’t want it to be a short cut. I love the long locks and I’m ready to put some effort into achieving a style if you will."

---