Short, Shorter, Shortest. by MattM

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Even as a teenager, I always liked my hair on the short side. Never more than a couple inches on top, and usually buzzed close on the back and sides. It's dirty blonde and fairly straight. My mom was a former hairdresser, so she'd always cut it for me. I sometimes thought of going shorter on the top, a total buzzcut, but just never had. So one hot Memorial Day weekend when I was 16, as my mom was caping me up for a haircut, I asked, "Can I have it shorter this time?" "How much shorter? Do you want it buzzed off?" she asked. "Yes", I replied. "Okay", she said. "I'll use a #3 this time, and if you like it, next time I'll use a #1. Deal?" I agreed, and soon the clippers buzzed to life. She began on the sides and back like always. A fair amount of hair was coming off; it'd been awhile since I'd had a cut. When she finished with the sides and back, she paused before doing the top. "Are you still sure?" she asked. "Yep!" I replied. "Okay! This is going to be different!" she said, and laughed as she pushed the clippers right down the center of my head. Boy! did the hair come off now! i enjoyed watching it fall on the cape and floor, and feeling the clippers on the top of my head for the first time ever was great, like getting a massage. All too soon it was over, and my mom was dusting my head. Before taking the cape off, she held the mirror up in front of me. My, it was short! Shorter than I'd ever had it before. It was cool to see the top buzzed for the first time, no bangs or anything, and when I ran my hand over it it felt just as cool. And not having to comb my hair or being able to mess it up was a huge bonus too. My dad was a firm believer in boys having short hair, so the new cut wasn't any problem with him. And on Monday, my new buzz was well-received in school too. I decided I really liked it.


A month or so went by, and my hair had grown in a good bit, moreso since it grows fast. It was time for another haircut. As she put the paper strip around my neck and caped me, my mom asked, "Do you want it buzzed real short this time?" "Yes", I nodded. "Okay", she said as she attached the #1 guard. "This is going to be really short!." The clippers once again buzzed to life and she began around the sides and back. Again, a fair amount of hair was coming off. This time when it came time to do the top, she drove the clippers down the center of my head without hesitation. Boy did the hair fly! My head was really feeling lighter and cooler, the clippers on top feeling even better this time. After going over my head once more for any missed strays, she turned the clippers off and exclaimed, "WOW! You're ready to go see a recruiter!" When she held up the mirror before taking the cape off, i could see why she said that. There in the chair sat a boy with almost no hair. I looked just like a new Army recruit, and I loved it. Running my hand over my spiky, cropped head felt awesome. As she swept up my hair, my mom showed me the full dustpan and said, "Talk about buzzcut! Look at that! All of your hair is in this dustpan!" With that, she rubbed my head with a good-natured laugh and sent me off to the shower. This time even that felt different. Shampooing was so easy, and I didn't need much, and my head was dry with one swipe of the towel. Later that evening, I was sitting on the couch watching tv and rubbing my head. My mom came in and asked, "How's your hair feel?" "Great!" I really like it like this.", I said. "I do too", she said. "I'm really getting used to you in a buzzcut."


The following weekend, I went into the kitchen for a drink, and my mom had a chair, the clippers, and cape out again. I asked her why, and she said, "Well you want to keep this buzzcut, don't you?" "Yeah", I said. She responded, "Well then have a seat! Since it's so short, it needs a regular buzz to stay looking sharp. So from now on, I'll cut your hair every week, okay?" "Deal!", I enthusiastically responded. This time just a little fuzz came off, but the clippers felt as good as ever, and I was thrilled that I was going to be able to get a buzz every week now.


Time went by, and every weekend I was given a fresh buzz. I looked forward to it. I even kept it for senior pictures, and was the only boy in my class with such short hair, which I liked. The following spring it really got hot again. Over the winter we had laid off my haircuts for a few weeks, and I had over an inch of hair now, the longest it had been in forever. I was ready to be buzzed again, so I sat in the chair and was caped up just like always. There was a Bruce Willis movie playing on the kitchen tv, and suddenly my mom asked, "Would you want it all off like him?" "What?" I asked. "Would you want me to shave your head?". she asked as she held up the clippers with no guard attached. "Go for it!!!", I enthusiastically replied. "Okay, goodbye hair!", she chuckled and began buzzing away. The clippers felt cold and more tickly this time, and I could feel the vibrations on my scalp more than ever. In short order she's finished the sides and back and moved to the top. As she ran the bare clippers over the top of my head, I couldn't believe it. Talk about a good feeling! In another couple of minutes, all of my dirty blonde hair was on the cape and floor. Mom went over my head with the clippers once more, and I could feel her hand going all over my head as she checked for strays. "Well, I have a bald boy now!", she announced as she turned off the clippers. She held up the mirror, and I was amazed. I could see the kitchen lights reflecting off my head. I reached up and felt it, and it was like fine grain sandpaper. Well what do you think, baldy? Is it a keeper?" she asked. "Sure is!" .I replied, "Thanks mom!" You're welcome. You look very handsome." she said. And every week from then on I sat in the chair and got skinned. i kept the skinhead for the rest of my senior year and even prom and graduation. When I went away to college I went to a barber for awhile, but the cost got to be too much, and eventually I bought my own clippers and started doing it myself. But when I'm home, I still have mom cut it for m; it's an enjoyable experience for us both.

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