The Sacrifices Parents Makes by Manny

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When Ryan and Bryan got home with their heads shaved down to the wood, the parents were in total shock. Their father clapped his hand over his mouth in disbelief and blinked his eyes, as if he were seeing an apparition.

"OMG! Is that really you?! What the hell happened? BALD to the bone!" Mr. Manlach exclaimed.

The twins burst into laughter, loving his reaction. They twirled around to show off their new, minimalist look in its entirety.

"Eggheads!" Mr. Manlach gasped and then joined in the laughter.

In fact, he laughed harder and longer than either of the twins. He couldn’t resist rubbing their sand-paper like scalps.

"How am I going to tell you two apart?" he asked, having always depended on the different locations of their hair style parts. "What possessed you two?!"

Ryan began to weave a story about how their just got tired of long hair and all the compliments….how they wanted a big change. They had reasoned that growing their hair down past their shoulders during college was a "once in a lifetime" experience and it seemed natural to try the other side of the spectrum, down to the wood!

Bryan was laughing hard as Ryan spoke because he knew it was a total fabrication! The explanation was so far from the twins’ humiliation at the hands of the bikers in Kentucky who mocked them for being pretty boys and took swift action by hacking off their girly hair.

"I’m just astonished," their father said after he regained his composure.

"Here’s the kicker," Bryan added. "We actually like it like this! No hair, no fuss. It’s a clean, bold look. We may not grow it back at all."

"Boys! Please! You both have fantastic hair! Grow it, flaunt it. You wouldn’t believe how much I enjoy mine, the confidence it gives me," Mr. Manlach said.

"Oh, yes we would! And the vanity it fuels, the self-absorption," Ryan quipped in a derisive way.

Mr. Manlach got a hurt look on his face. His son couldn’t mean that! They had an excellent relationship. He was certainly kidding. Ryan had always pushed the envelope….

There was an awkward silence.

Bryan quickly changed the topic and described some of their travel highlights out west.

But Mr. Manlach couldn’t stop thinking about the clear putdown. Vain?! He’d never thought of himself that way.

Finally, he excused himself and retreated to his study to mull things over.

Bryan chewed out Ryan for saying such a cutting thing.

"You know it’s true," Ryan retorted curtly.

"Yes, but he’s a good father. You need to apologize to him," Bryan insisted.

When Mr. Manlach did not come out of his study for several hours, Ryan was convinced he had gone too far and indeed needed to apologize.

He knocked gently on the door. Mr. Manlach’s study was his private space, a sanctuary. The boys rarely ever went in it.

"Dad, can I come in?" Ryan asked meekly.

"Yes, son," Mr. Manlach said with a weary voice.

"I want to apologize. I shouldn’t have said that about you," he confessed, bowing his head slightly as a sign of humility. "You’re a wonderful father, and I love you so much!"

Mr. Manlach smiled weakly.

"Thank you, son," he said at last. "And, I’ve been thinking…."

Ryan’s eyes grew wide. He could not imagine what his father would say next!

"The fact is, you just spoke the truth. Why should you apologize for speaking honestly? I’m the one who should be apologizing to you for my reaction. It’s no secret; sometimes the truth hurts. I’ve been mulling things over for the past several hours and have been trying to work up the courage to apologize to you," Mr. Manlach said in a contrite tone.

"No, Dad!" Ryan insisted.

"I’m thinking I need to learn a few lessons from my boys. Your whole lives, I’ve been coaching and teaching you two. But, you’re men now, and I need to acknowledge that," Mr. Manlach said.

Then he asked, "Can I give you a hug?"

As the two embraced tightly, Mr. Manlach began feeling Ryan’s stubble. His hand moved all over his son’s clipped scalp.

Mr. Manlach continued, "I want…"

His voice faltered. "I think it’s time…." He swallowed hard.

"What, Dad?!" Ryan asked, growing alarmed.

Mr. Manlach broke away and ran his fingers through his hair. His lovely sandy mane that gave him so much pleasure.

"Down to the wood!" he said, breaking into a smile. "Just like you two! It will be a hard but needed good-bye to your vain, self-absorbed pretty-boy dad!"

"No, your hair is gorgeous. You are a lawyer! It would be…." Ryan exclaimed.

Then he started laughing at the thought of his father shaved bald. "….it would be….hilarious! You, BALD!"

"Come, let’s tell your brother!" Mr. Manlach exclaimed. "There will be three eggheads in the family instead of two!"

Bryan was aghast at the dramatic turn of events. His father, shedding his prized mane?! It certainly would be fun to watch the clippers being into his thick mane of sandy waves.

But, Bryan’s enthusiasm was curbed by guilt. The made up story. His father had to know the truth.

"Dad, don’t do anything drastic. Especially till you hear the real story of how we got these bald heads," Bryan said.

"I assume you went to a shop somewhere and had the barber shave off all your hair. It was down to your shoulders, right? What courage that must have taken!" Mr. Manlach said. "I can only imagine the carpeting of hair on the floor of the shop at the end!"

Bryan set the record straight, quickly pouring out the story of the bikers inflicting the unwanted makeover. He repeated much of the taunting praise over their girly hair in an affected southern accent: "Your hair has such a great color and looks awesome dancing about your shoulders. I bet you spend a lot of time on those tresses, don’t you? Do you comb each other’s hair? I bet you do. It’s obvious that you must really love those precious locks of yours."

Ryan admitted, "I was probably talking about US when I said you were vain and self-absorbed, Dad."

"Like father, like sons?" Mr. Manlach asked, shrugging his shoulders.

Then, Bryan took over again. "We really would like to cut your hair, Dad. We’ve been after you for years now to let us give you a significant haircut. Short, with electric clippers!"

"Pare that helmet hair down, especially that forelock," Ryan laughed, batting at it playfully.

"But not shave it all off," Bryan clarified.

Then he continued, "Remember how you teased us growing up, about giving us flattops? It would send a shiver down my spine. But, I could never tell if it was fear or thrill."

Mr. Manlach gulped, imagining where things were heading.

"I think it’s time the first of our tight family trio sport one! A crisp, deep pile flattop! And, as Ryan’s and my hair grows out, we’ll join you with flattops of our own," Bryan proposed.

"LOVE it!" Ryan whooped, high-fiving his brother.

Mr. Manlach’s heart pounded at the suggestion he get a flattop! OMG! What would it be like to stride into the office with a totally new look?

He thought a bit and finally decided, "If I was prepared to sport an egghead, why not do what you’re suggesting? In fact, I’ve frequently wondered how a flattop would look on me. Every day when I commute to/from work there’s a barber shop in the subway station arcade that advertises they specialize in flattops. So many times I’ve been tempted to walk in and ask for one! But, to lose this forelock….it’s been like my security blanket for ages."

"But, Bryan, we have absolutely zero experience in cutting flattops. I’m not sure I want the responsibility of butchering Dad’s nice hair. Let’s have it cut at the barber shop Dad mentioned," Ryan remarked.

Mr. Manlach ran his fingers through his plush, silken locks. So soft, so comforting, so reassuring. By this time tomorrow evening, most of it would be gone. His hair on top, very short and standing erect. The padding of soft layers around the sides and back, shorn off completely.

"Agreed! But, we want to watch your transformation, Dad!" Bryan exclaimed.

"Sure, it’ll be a father/sons bonding experience," Mr. Manlach said, clapping a huge bear hug around both twins, beginning to feel excited about ditching the executive coif.

He couldn’t resist another chance to rub their stubble. Maybe, one day….clipped down to the bone, as short or shorter than their hair?!

The boys drank in his affectionate caresses.

"Tomorrow, on the way home from work," Mr. Manlach said. "Meet me at the Rosslyn Station barber shop at 5:30 p.m."

The next day, the twins were at the station 20 minutes early, very eager to watch their father’s radical makeover.

Then, they spotted him, ambling slowly toward them, in full business regalia. He was wearing an expensive double-breasted suit that had been hand-tailored and fit him to a tee. In his hand he carried an expensive Aramani attache case with his monogram carved into the leather. His crowning glory, his executive coif, was perfectly swept back in lovely waves that rippled all over his head and tumbled luxuriously down the sides and back.

"You’re here already," he said as he walked up to the twins.

"We wouldn’t miss this for the world!" Bryan exclaimed. "How was work?"

"I couldn’t think about anything except this appointment," their father replied nervously.

"Excited?" asked Ryan.

"Terrified!" Mr. Manlach replied. "Come on, let’s get it over with quickly. My legs feel like jelly."

Mr. Manlach took the lead, walking through the attached plaza toward the swirling red and white pole of the barber shop. Through the long plate glass window, a uniform row of barber chairs upholstered in red vinyl and trimmed in silver came into view. Three older Korean barbers were clad in watching white barber jackets that zipped up the front, cutting clients’ hair. A younger Asian fellow, sporting a tight white tee-shirt and jeans, was also cutting hair.

The shop was a beehive of activity. Once Mr. Manlach and the twins took their seats, every barber chair and every chair in the waiting area was taken. It was the busy, after work hour crowd.

"Maybe we should come back another time," Mr. Manlach suggested in a low voice.

"Good try, Dad," laughed Ryan. "I’m not leaving here until your rear is parked in that chair and your pretty boy hair is scattered around the barber’s feet! Have you practiced your instructions?"

"About a thousand times," confessed Mr. Manlach. "Just saying the words makes me feel butterflies in my stomach!"

There were no big dramatic haircuts being given. Several middle aged men getting their business cuts trimmed and a kid sitting atop a board that straddled the arms of the chair, also getting a trim. The young barber had a young client who was having his ivy tightened. To the side, near the trash can, was a big pile of cut hair behind a broom.

One by one, the four barbers finished and four new clients were called to their chairs. Mr. Manlach was next!

"I wonder which one is the flattop specialist?" he asked the twins.

But, there was no choice. One of the old men finished and called out, "Next!"

Mr. Manlach stood and removed his suit jacket. "Can you hold this for me, boys?"

He walked slowly to the barber chair, showing no emotion, and climbed the sturdy metal footrest.

Bryan thought his father was so brave!

Once seated, Mr. Manlach squirmed a bit in the chair, which faced away from the mirror. The twins had a prime spot to watch their father’s transformation and take a few photos.

The barber introduced himself as Mr. Lee and snapped open the cape. The snowy square of white sailed through the air; Mr. Lee pulled it snuggly about his client’s neck. On went the clip! Things were moving quickly.

"So, what will it be for you today, sir?" the barber inquired.

Mr. Manlach swallowed hard and then blurted out, "A flattop, please."

The barber began brushing the abundant wavy mane, studying it carefully and smoothing it down with his hands.

"A flattop?" he repeated, as if he hadn’t quite understood the instruction.

"That’s right. There is a sign on the window. It’s the shop’s specialty, I thought," Mr. Manlach remarked a bit tersely.

"Yes, yes, of course," the barber replied. "But that is going to be quite a change, sir. I just want to make sure there’s no misunderstanding. Sometimes my English isn’t so good."

The boys snickered over the hesitant start. They imagined their father was wondering why he had ever gotten involved in this craziness.

"On top, how long?" the barber asked, as he began to brush the forelock straight up, fully revealing the awesome length. The lock was at least six, maybe even seven inches long.

Mr. Manlach was getting a little antsy with the delays. "I don’t know, maybe an inch."

"For a flattop, that’s too long," the barber said decisively. "What about half an inch?"

"Fine!" Mr. Manlach said tersely.

In a flash, the barber lopped off the captive forelock with a pair of shears. Over six inches of shimmering waves fell to the cape. Mr. Manlach jerked involuntarily on account of the stealth assault his executive look had just suffered.

The twins were gleeful. "No backing out now, Dad!" Bryan exclaimed as he snapped a picture of the forelock on the cape and Mr. Manlach’s awkwardly short bangs.

"You have very nice hair," the barber commented as he continued cutting all the length off the top.

Sheaves of beautiful sandy-colored hair fell to the white cape. Mr. Manlach swallowed nervously.

"How am I looking fellows?" he asked nervously.

Simultaneously they gave different answers. Bryan opted for "better." Ryan offered "scalped" to playfully twist the knife!

At that moment, the young barber looked at the twins and said "Next!" He had had his eyes on them ever since they came into the shop.

"There’s nothing up here to cut," Ryan laughed. "We’re just here to watch our Dad get his very first flattop."

"Oh, I thought perhaps you wanted a lather head shave," the young barber explained. "They’re quite the rage with guys your age, and we do them here. Steamy moist towel, followed by warm foam and a straight edge. You’ll come out shiny and smooth as a cueball."

Ryan got a smile on his face. "That’s tempting, but I would miss the show with my father’s transformation."

Just then, Mr. Lee switched the clippers on and pushed Mr. Manlach’s head down.

"Now, the real cutting starts," he quipped.

"What’s all this I see on my lap?" Mr. Manlach croaked. "The damage looks real enough."

"The balding clippers are going to take things down a whole lot shorter, sir. Are you sure this is what you want?" Mr. Lee asked.

"Yes, he’s certain," Ryan said with authority. "Give him a zero on the sides and back and a landing strip on top!"

"A landing strip is the way to go," Mr. Lee agreed.

Mr. Manlach was silent over this escalation, a bit taken aback that Ryan had made that decision for him. His consolation was the secret thrill of feeling the clippers graze the top of his head. He’d always wondered how that would feel, and today he would find out.

"Let’s come back some other day for lather head shaves," Ryan suggested to his brother. "Chromedomes, smooth as silk. I wouldn’t mind that cute young barber scraping me clean!"

"That would be awesome….but we told Dad we’d let our hair grow out so that we three would have matching flattops," Bryan reminded his brother.

"You’re always are so considerate, Bryan," his twin remarked, not exactly conveying a compliment by his sarcastic tone.

The rest of Mr. Manlach’s haircut transpired in almost total silence. The only thing the barber said was, "now sit up straight and hold your head very still" as he began taking the top down, closer and closer.

Finally, it happened. The naked teeth of the clippers grazed the top of Mr. Manlach’s head and carved out a slight landing strip.

"Perfect!" Ryan called out from the waiting area. He jumped to his feet to examine it more closely.

The strip on top was as white as the sides of his father’s head. Both contrasted greatly with Mr. Manlach’s tanned face. That skin-tone contrast looked a bit awkward, Ryan thought.

Mr. Manlach sat immobile while Mr. Lee clipped and clipped, meticulously ensuring that every single strand was exactly the length it needed to be.

The barber asked Ryan, "Beveled sides on the top for Dad?"

"Go for it!" Ryan replied.

Again, Ryan was speaking for him! How different from not so long ago when he was determining the twins' hair length, Mr. Manlach thought.

Finally, the haircut seemed to come to an end. Mr. Lee took a duster and loaded it with talcum powder. Then he began whisking all over his client’s face and ears and neck and collar. Power was everywhere!

The tickling sensation lightened Mr. Manlach’s spirit a bit, but he still dreaded seeing his new look.

Mr. Manlach reached out from under the cape and discreetly found the first lock to fall, his prized forelock. He fingered it aimlessly.

"I hope he’s not planning on taking that home," Ryan whispered to Bryan.

As if he heard, Mr. Manlach tossed the forelock to the checked linoleum floor of the barbershop just as Mr. Lee began loosening the big metal clip.

"I hope you like it," the Korean barber said, almost apologetically. He gave Mr. Manlach a brief massage as if to relax him before the big reveal.

"Go ahead, let me see," Mr. Manlach said in a decidedly unenthusiastic tone.

The chair swiveled slowly.

Everyone held their breath.

Mr. Manlach was speechless. He stared in disbelief at the man in the mirror. He gulped and try to moisten his dry lips.

All he could do was nod to indicate he was processing his new reality.

Mr. Lee could tell things were not exactly to his client’s liking. "I told you it was going to be a big change. Here, let me show you the back."

The barber held up a hand mirror and showed off both sides.

"There’s nothing to see back there," Mr. Manlach lamented.

"We’re proud of you, Dad," the twins said as they swarmed around the chair to give him support.

"Thanks, guys," their father finally eked out.

Ryan touched the plush top lightly and then fingered the landing strip. "This is my favorite part," he noted with a giggle.

Mr. Lee began taking off the cape. "I’m sorry, sir, if this isn’t what you had in mind."

"No, don’t be sorry. It’s a fine haircut. And, it’s what I asked for," Mr. Manlach replied, again feeling like his sourpuss reactions were causing others to apologize when they had no fault in the matter.

He touched the back of his hair head.

"I’ll get used to it, I’m sure. How long for it all to grow back?" he asked nervously.

"Give it a year," Mr. Lee replied casually. "It was very long in front."

"A year?!" Mr. Manlach stammered.

He looked at all his hair on the floor as he fished for his wallet.

"How much do I owe you, Mr. Lee?" he asked.

"Flattops are $20, but only if you’re satisfied," the elderly barber said.

Mr. Manlach handed him two twenty bills.

"Good job, sir. Thank you very much. It’s been a memorable day," he said, and finally smiled.

It was a relief to have it over! And, his sons were so enthusiastic about his decision.

He turned to look in the mirror again. He did look younger, and certainly more commanding. The dense pile on top was exquisite. Perhaps once the hair grew enough on the sides to cover that white scalp?

Mr. Manlach put on his suit jacket, still looking at himself in the mirror.

The jacket didn’t seem right with the flattop. He took it off. "Let’s go, boys."

"That was generous of you, Dad. Mr. Lee was thrilled with that tip," Ryan commented as they left the shop.

"Thanks for being a great example to your sons!" Bryan added.

"The sacrifices parents make…." Mr. Manlach muttered as they walked toward the car.

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