Next part 2 by Barbershop memmories

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So, there i was, sat mesmerised, watching the boy in the chair as his haircut continued.
The back and sides were now reduced to bristles and sometimes looked like just bare skin when the sunlight shining through the barbershop window caught his head at different angles as Fletcher manipulated it.

I couldn't beleive my luck, for the past two years during all my visits to get my haircut, (well hair trimmed), only once had i been lucky enough to be there at the right time and witness something like this as nearly all boys around my age all had long hair.

On that occasion as my usual center parting trim was about half way through, a boy about the same age as me who was next in line sat in the chair right next to mine, i wasn't taking much notice until i heard his answer to the barbers question of " what are we having son".

Crew cut please.
Good choice the old barber said to him as he picked up the clippers and said, number 3 or 4 for the top.
I don't know said the boy, i'm starting at senior school, it's what my Dad told me i had to ask for.

I see, in that case, number 3 i think, and put a guard on the clippers.

His haircut now had my full attention plus, i had the best view possible as i could see everything going on in the huge mirror that ran along the wall in front of the 4 chairs in the barbershop (gents hairdressers)as he was right next to me i could also just look to my right and see perfectly what was going on without looking like i was staring when the back of his head was being done. What luck i remember thinking.

CLACK... the clippers bust into life.
Just keep your head still for me son and look straight in the mirror, said the old barber, in an authorotive but gentle calming manner, then with his left hand steadying the back of his head he placed the guard under his fringe and then ran the buzzing clippers over the middle of his head, front to back.

Oh my God, this fantastic i remember thiking to myself.
He made 6 or 7 passes front to back reassuring the boy all the while, saying things like, "good lad" " thats it", "nice and still for me".

The boy sat right next to me now looked like a bald old man, all the top of his head was now only about 8 to 10 mm with the back and sides still quite long,
He was also looking quite shocked and a little bit sad but never the less he just sat there quietly and never said a word.
Part of me felt sorry for him too.

Don't look so worried son, it'll be fine when it's finished.
The old barber was obviously a kind and decent man.
The boy turned his head and looked up at the barber.
So,, this isn't a crew cut then,oh great i thought you'd finished the boy said.
The old man started to laugh as did the guy who was cutting my hair, he stopped cutting my hair and said " no wonder he looks so worried Dad, poor kid doesn't know what a crew cut is, both of them laughed again.
I to found this quite amusing.

The old man then said to the boy, a crew cut is a great haircut for a lad your age, i always cut the top first and then cut the sides and back.
Oh good said the boy, who was now looking a lot happier, i want the back and sides cut really short as well.

Really short eh, said the old man.
Yes please the boy answered.

When the boy told the barber he wants the back and sides cut really short he ment really short, as in, the same as the top, i thought to myself.

The old barber, to my delight, took this to mean something quite different.

Ok son now put your head right down for me, with his hand on the top of the boys head to steady it he ran the clippers with the same number 3 guard on up the back and over the top reapeatedly and quite quickly then the sides , in no time at all it was all the same length. He then brushed his head and face down with a soft brush.

Then he opened a drawer under the counter and took something out.
Oh WOW, i thought to myself as i realized what he had in his hands.

It was a pair of manual hand clippers.
He picked up a can of 3 in 1 oil and put a few drops of oil on them.
I was mezmorised, watching in the mirror so intently.

Hows that for you.
Eh.
Is that ok for you.
Oh, erm, err, crap i thought to myself, i had been so focused on what was happening to the boy in the mirror sat next to me that i hadn't realized that my haircut was finished.

Their was no way i was going to miss out on this, it was something i had often thought about, it was like a fantasy come true.
He was showing me the back with a hand held mirror.
Erm, could i have a little bit more off the top, and the back just a little bit shorter please please.
Yea of course, no problem.
Phew!.

These are just the ticket and they've just been sharpened, the old barber said to the boy, they cut a bit closer than the electric ones, really short just like you asked for.
The boy looked at the barber via the mirror in front of him, and gave a little smile.
He then did something i had never seen or heard of before.
You're still looking a bit nervous and unsure he said to the boy so i'm going to turn you round away from the mirror, is that ok the barber said to him reasuringly.
The boy looked up at him and nodded.
Now don't worry, you'll be fine.

Once again i found myself completely engrossed, Watching him in the mirror.
He really doesn't know whats about to happen i thought to myself.

Manovering the boys head to one side with his hand, he started on the right side of his head, a rapid click clacking sound began as he very expertly glided them all the way up the side of his head starting at his temple moving round towards the back folding the top of his ear down with his thumb and clipping a good 2 inches above the top of his ear then behind his ear, each pass up the side of his head always ended the same way with a flick of the wrist.

The right side of his head was finished and now looked very pale, almost white, and comletely bald as if it had been shaved with a razor.

Ok son, put your head right down for me again theirs a good lad.
With his hand holding the boys head firmly but gently accross the top his head the barber pushed it down a little further until his chin was touching his chest.
The back of his head and neck was now in a horizontal position and the rapid click clacking started again as he drove the hand clippers several times all the way up the back of the boys head.
In no time at all the back of his head was done.

The back and one side of his head looked almost white due to the bottom of his neck and face being quite tanned and there was a perfectly straight and horizontal looking line that ran around two thirds of his head where the bald skin on the back and sides met the short hair on the top of his head it looked amazing and it wasn't even finished yet.

Normally, during any haircut of mine, i am always a little nervous and feel very self conscious even though its just a trim i get but i was so engrossed by this boys haircut i wasn't bothered about my haircut at all.
The left side was clipped the same as the right so after the manual clipping was all done he gave the boy a good brushing down.
There was now a very definate straight line all the way around his head.
The back and sides where so short, i had never seen anything like it and now the top almost looked quite long in comparrison.

We just need to blend it all in now now, and get rid of that line ok son, nearly done.

He took the clippers off the hook and took the guard off them. CLACK, the clippers burst into life and he started clipping and blending away the sides.
The line which was about 2 inches obove the top of his ears started to disappear but at the same time crept even higher.
It was the most amazing thing i had ever seen, as he bent the boys head foreward to blend the back the clippers seemed to go even higher still.
When all the bending was complete there was another thorough brush down.

The boy had always had his back to the mirror since the manual clippers began and had no idea what his haircut looked like.
I was dying to see his reaction, i hoped he liked it as much as i did.

I'm going to blend the top from the back to to the front with a 1 and 2 guard for you but i'll turn you round first so you can watch and see how good you look, would you like that.
Again he looked up at the barber and nodded without saying a word.
The barber turned the chair round.
The boys eyes widened and his mouth gaped open a little, at the same time the barber put a number 1 guard on the clippers and started runing them over the top at the back of his head, then a 2 guard clipping further towards the front leaving the very front a 3 .
Hows that for you. He looked shell shocked
And again he said nothing, just nodded.
WOW. I thought to myself.
Dave and me next.

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