Plucking up the courage. by Shorterthebetter

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Plucking up the courage.
After years of thinking about it I eventually got the courage to sit in the barber's chair and say " crew cut please".
His answer surprised me " long one or short one? "
"Not too short " I answered.

Plastic guard fitted to the clippers , he combed my 3 inch long hair back and ran the machine from my forehead to crown, huge clumps of long hair clippings tumbled over my shoulders, this continued for 5 minutes and then the mirror was held up behind me "Short enough sir? That's a number 4 " I nodded my approval , and after paying made my way to a nearby bar.

Sipping a pint I ran my fingers through my newly cropped locks and kept on looking at myself in the bar mirrors. It was the first time in a few years that no hair touched my ears, there was a lighter patch of skin across my forehead where my now removed fringe had protected it from the UV rays. It was then I decided,I should have told the barber " make it a short one".

I left the pub and walked for about 10 minutes and found another barbers, hesitated , then walked in , the shop was busy with 3 waiting on the plastic chairs in the waiting area. There were 6 barber's chairs but only 4 of them occupied , as one barber finished he shouted " Next" as he took his payment from his client. To my surprise nobody moved , he called " Next one here" The first guy waiting indicated that he was waiting on barber no2 , the next young guy said he was with his pal who was being sheared by barber no4, and the last guy just nodded that I should go next.

Nervously I made my way to the chair, the barber who was in his 50's nodded a welcome and as he tightened the cape tightly around my neck and pumped the chair up he said " when did you get this done ?"

"Ehm, yesterday" I stuttered.

He nodded and gave a knowing smirk as he picked up his clippers " Skinhead then? all off, a baldy? Or do you want a bit of fuzz? "

I panicked, this man was prepared to shave me ! I could leave here hairless ! he looked at me waiting for an answer " Fuzz ,yes , a little fuzz not bald please , leave some" I finally gasped.

CLICK , BZZZZZ He was behind me " Head down then", as I tucked my chin into my chest his left hand was on top of my head forcing my head further down and then the vibrating clippers touched the back of my neck and were run right up the back of my head to the crown," How long was it before you got the no4....YESTERDAY ? " he asked ,emphasising the last word.

The clippers started their 2nd run as I replied still staring at my lap and a tiny clump of 1/2 inch hair that had rolled down the nylon cape "Quite long about 3 inches" he gave a little nod and continued running the machine all over the back of my scalp.

As he released his grip I raised my head and tilted it from side to side trying to get some idea just how close he had taken me , but all I could see was the short crop which was less than an hour old and was about to be history already, as he fiddled with a guard for the cutting head of the clippers he gave a laugh
" Don't worry you'll soon be able to see and feel it! Now head back , look up to the ceiling "

I did as requested and as he placed the clippers on my hairline he hesitated , kept his left hand across my forehead and looked down into my eyes " What did we agree on , fuzz or a little fuzz? " before I could answer he adjusted the teeth of the clippers with the side lever " it was a little fuzz you asked for I remember now " and the machine was ploughed from my forehead to crown , 5, 6, 7 times I lost count, he continued to run the machine in every direction across my scalp and finally released his hold .

I momentarily closed my eyes then looked at my reflection . Carnage ! My scalp shone through the tightly cropped hair on the top of my head with the now No4 sides sticking out like some sort of clown's wig. The barber gave another laugh as he placed his left hand on the right side of my head "Soon have you tidied up , just got to match the sides to the back "

As the clippers touched my jaw I realised there was no guard on them, I was getting a zero skinhead ! The buzz changed to a Rasp as they hit my hair and I let out a gasp as they finished their first pass and I saw the shadow of hair they left in their wake. Up and round my ear he guided the machine as tufts of my hair were sheared from my scalp, the other side got the same treatment and then the clippers were returned to their hook. He brushed my whole scalp with a short bristled hard brush then asked "Short enough? I can take you down another notch if you want ? "

As I hesitated to reply he continued rubbing my scalp " it'll be back to this in a couple of days, yes? " I looked at the fuzz which now covered my scalp and thought 2 days and then I'll be back to this but I'll be as good as bald in a few minutes and I slowly nodded and breathed out "O.K. I've come this far just go for it"I

He reached into a drawer pulled out a set of dark red clippers and plugged them in as he switched them on I noticed that they were considerably noisier than the machine which he had just used ,I felt his hand on the back of my head and the teeth of the clippers were poised at the centre of my forehead " keep still please " he said and the tone of the machine changed to a Rasp as he guided them from forehead to crown over the centre of my scalp, as he lifted the machine clear of my scalp I let out another gasp " you've shaved me bald! "

I was staring at a one-and-a-half inch wide strip of skin running down the centre of my head like a reverse mohawk ! The barber gave little laugh "

Well you're not completely bald have a little feel, but these aren't called balding clippers for nothing"

I reached up and ran my finger across the shaved section and it wasn't completely smooth but no more than a shadow of bristles " relax and I'll even you up" I had no choice and nodded my acceptance , four more passes across the top then side to side and I had an old man's haircut, bald on top with closely cropped bristles on both sides and back , again the barber gave a chuckle " I can leave it like this if you want "

"Just finish it please" was my reply, and he did digging the teeth of the clippers hard against My scalp and in less than 3 minutes I was completely shorn, if anyone was asked to describe me it would be ' He was a baldy'.

As he loosened the cape and I got up from the chair my hand shot to my head and my fingers ran over my good as bald scalp which felt like sandpaper, I estimated it would be at least 2 weeks before it could even be described as a skinhead because for now I really was a baldy.

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