Support of small entrepreneurs. by Domko

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Support of small entrepreneurs.
Growing up in the seventies was a wonderful carefree time. But it was not all good. Most teachers and parents did not like the boys' long modern hair.
I was the oldest boy in our family, my name is Michael and I was 14 years old, my younger brother Eric was 11, Hugo was 9 years old and the youngest brother Peter was only 7 years old.
It was Friday and the soles of my shoes came off. My father took me to town to have it glued at a shoe repair shop. We passed through the city center where there were many shops and there were also central repair services. But my father led me further, to the old street where there were several private shops and repair shops. My father always said: small entrepreneurs should be supported.
We were near the old shoe repair shop when Dad noticed that Mr. Wilson's old barbershop was open again. I used to go there when I was little, but for 6 years now my brothers and I have been going to the modern Unisex barber shop in the city center.
The father approached the new barber, about 40 years old, who was dressed in a white jacket and black pants. He looked very elegant with a very short hairdo. He introduced himself as Sergeant Ryan. He told his father that until now he was a military barber and now he has been the owner of this barber shop for 2 months. He said to the father, if you want to cut this boy's hair, we have a "Happy Saturday Boys' Morning 50% Off" and pointed to the advertisement on the glass window by the front door. If you bring it tomorrow, you will save on the discount. The discount applies to all children and students under 18 years of age. Father said that he has 4 boys and I am the oldest of them. The barber said he would be happy if we all came. He boasted that some of the boys were here for the second or third time. At that, a 12-year-old boy came out of the shop, he was dressed the same as a barber and had short hair. He had the client's hair in a basket and was carrying it to a large waste container. The barber said that it is his nephew Aden who is helping him and who would also like to become a military barber. Dad talked to Sergeant Ryan for a while, then we said our goodbyes and went to the shoe repair shop. My father agreed with the owner that my shoes will be repaired tomorrow.
On Saturday morning, father said we would all go get my shoes. We didn't understand why my younger brothers were also coming for my shoes. When we came to the old alley with small businesses, I saw a boy in a white jacket and black pants. It was Aden with even shorter hair than yesterday.
Dad stopped in front of Sergeant Ryan's barber shop and told us to come in. The barber shop had the old furniture as it had been under Mr. Wilson. Two boys, aged about 7 and 9, were sitting on the waiting chair with their mother. Both had fairly short hair, about 1/2 inch. Also sitting there was a boy of about 15, his hair about 1/8 of an inch covering his ears. Another gentleman was sitting on the waiting chair, probably waiting for the boy in the barber's chair. His haircut was before completion and his hair was very short like the barber's assistant Aden had today.
The father asked the barber how long it would take to cut his sons' hair and pointed to the 4 of us. He said that in over an hour we would be getting our hair cut. His father asked him if he could still go shopping during that time. He said he would pay for our haircuts afterwards. Mr. Sergeant Ryan agreed and asked if he would give us a standard boy's haircut. Father agreed. Father came to us and determined the order in which the barber would cut us. I'll go first, then Eric. Hugo and the last Peter. Our hair covered our ears, our bangs covered our eyes, and the back hair covered our shirt collar. Neither my brothers nor I knew what kind of hairstyle it was.
A moment later, the younger and then the haunted boy was sitting in the barber's chair. Then also the boy, whom I estimated to be 15 years old. Meanwhile, an old man came to the barbershop with a boy of about 10 years old. I understood from the conversation that he was the gentleman's grandson, who had relatively long hair.
After 30 minutes of arrival, I was sitting in the barber's chair. Sergeant Ryan asked me my name. Michael, sir, I answered. The barber said: Michael now I'm going to give you a standard boy's haircut. He tilted my head, on my forehead I felt a heavy clipper with cold metal teeth. The machine turned on and I could feel it shaking on my head. The barber cut and turned my head, I saw long hair falling on the sheet. In about 5 minutes, the barber turned off the clipper and I had the opportunity to look in the mirror. I didn't recognize the boy in the mirror. He had only 1/4 long hair on his entire head. As Sergeant Ryan brushed the sheet from my hair, he took a smaller clipper and very fine teeth. He bent my head forward until my chin touched the sheet. He started cutting my hair from my neck all the way to the nape of my neck, then he cut all my hair on the right side and then on the left side as well. In the mirror I saw white skin on the sides with a very fine little stubble of about 1/250 inch. As my father said in the barber's chair, my younger brother Eric replaced me. Who in 10 minutes had the same hairstyle as me. I realized that the barber's assistant, Aden, and all the boys, myself and Eric, were given the same haircut by Mr. Sergeant Ryan, and according to him it was a standard boy's haircut. Erick and I rubbed the backs of each other's heads. It was a very strange feeling to feel the fingers on the scalp. It was a humiliating boy's haircut in the 1970s. The youngest brother Peter was already sitting in the barber's chair.
The boy who was then cut by Sergeant Ryan also got the same short haircut as all the boys before him. We all had only 1/4 inch long hair on top of our heads and then just white skin.
Dad was happy with our haircuts and even more pleased with the price for our haircuts. He said he paid less for all 4 haircuts today than 1 haircut at the Unisex barbershop downtown. Mr. Sergeant Ryan told dad that we must like our haircuts because we rub the backs of each other's heads. He said the #000000 cuts the nape and sides of the boys' heads, which is the softest clipper he has. He did not forgive the remark that he would like to see us in 3-4 weeks. Boys should have at least 2-6 weeks between haircuts, rarely up to 2 months. I was quiet, but I thought that I never want to step here again for a haircut.
Mother was surprised with our new haircuts, but Dad said how much money he would save on our haircuts, so she was glad he took us to Sergeant Ryan's barber shop.
Classmates and friends had a completely different opinion about our new hairstyles. They laughed at us for looking like new soldiers.
Mr. Sergeant Ryan gradually gained more parents with the Saturday discount, and more and more boys with the same haircut began to appear in the city.
The only advantage of the new hairstyle was that I didn't have to use a comb. Father's decision to visit Sergeant Ryan's barber shop every Saturday after his paycheck didn't make either of them happy. The hair grew 1/2 inch and we were already sitting in the barber chair to get a standard boy haircut.

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