NO CHOICE SHORT BACK AND SIDES by KEN MCLATCHIE

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In the mid 1970's I can remember a traditional barbers...yes well it was a hairdressers but there was a separate section marked gents at the entrance ..3 chairs,2 or 3 barbers ,one of the barbers called Rab was notorious for a regulation short ,back and sides despite what haircut you asked for.
I was curious ,I had fairly long hair over my ears but I longed to have my hair rumped by a no nonsense barber.
One Saturday my best friend said he was going for a haircut...he had fairly short hair but also balding ..he said he was going to this particular barber shop...I was excited just to watch..when we entered the gents area it was very busy ..3 barbers working so he decided not to wait...I was disappointed ..but we went for a coffee and then returned to the barbers...this time it was empty apart from one guy in a chair ...his haircut was finished so my friend got in the chair and asked for a trim...I was like itching to also be in a chair but perhaps not...the next thing Rab appeared ..next for the hair please...the urge was too great to refuse...I sat down ,white cloth around my neck and a blue striped cotton cape was place over me,I could feel his cold hands around my neck as he tucked me in...the only words spoken were...it's not a bad day before he parted my fairly long hair and went for the oster hair clippers ..it was like complete submission..my hair was being clipped very high around my ears and them head pushed forward to remove ALL the hair from my neck..he then went over again with the osters to make sure my neck and sides were completely stripped of hair...then the scissors to blend in to a really really short back and sides and I could feel it ...but more to come,he scalped the top with scissors and then the thinning shears..another going over with the osters on a fine blade...do you feel better sir?...then stroped the open razor and cleaned up around my ears...god I was coming ...the hand mirror revealed the result..scalped short back and sides without asking...then he said do you want the hair soaked or dry...I asked dry but he just went and picked up a dispenser and rubber very cold oil into my hair..my whole scalped head went cold..but it felt fantastic...then a very sharp part and my hair slicked ...what an experience...I left the shop knowing I had had a severe barber shop haircut

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