NEXT part time at Hanks by Barbershop memmories

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FANTASTIC.

Fantastic was the first thing that came into my head when he said " how's that for you kid.

The front stood straight up and was only about half an inch long and looked perfectly flat accross top, gradually ĝetting shorter and shorter finally reducing to just mere bristles as it reached the middle of my head above my ears, it looked just perfect,

I was still sat in the chair running my hand up the sides, back and over the top of my head at the back, tilting my head down so i could see the top in the mirror in front of me with a big satisfied grin on my face.

No one has a haircut like this, it's brilliant, i thought to myself.

Pretty cool eh kid.

COOL, Yeah COOL, that's a great word Sir, i said, looking up at him.

I looked up at the price list on the wall, it said, Boys cut 75p.

So how much is it i asked.

Like i said Kid, you're my first customer so it's on the house.

So does that mean it's free.

Yeah, he said, laughing a little,
Thats what on the house means.

Oh wow,,, great,,, Thanks very much Sir.,, I didn't perticularly like having to call my teachers at school, Sir, Well some of them anyway, but for some reason calling Hank Sir, didn't make me feel the least bit awkward, it just felt kind of right to me somehow.

How old'you say you were Kid.

13, it's my birthay on Tuesday, i'll be 14, i'm one of the oldest in my year at school, why.

Do you have any kind of part time job?

No, not yet, i'm, gonna try and see if i can get a paper round.

How'dya like the idea of maybe working in here saturdays.

My head went into a spin,,, i was lost for words, this can't be happening, does he really mean it, i thought to myself.

Well?,, whad'ya say, He said.

Err,,,. Yeah, i blurted out exitedly,,, in a very high pitched voice,,, quickly calming myself down and trying to sound more casual,,, erm, but what would i do here i asked,

It was something i suggested in the last place i worked, offering coffee and tea to the waiting customers,, the trainee did it on weekdays then the owners son, he was 14 same as you, he started there working the Saturday making the tea and sweeping up, the tea and coffee turned out really popular and pulled in a lot of new clients when word of it got round,,. So, now i've got my own buisness,, i'm gonna do the same thing here,,

You seem like a pretty smart Kid to me, polite,, and respectful,, thats something else i really like about you and pretty rare in a Kid your age these days, you're just what i'm looking for,
So, what do you think Kid,,. You can make tea and coffee i take it.

Yes Sir course i can Sir, i said very politely, now knowing his appreiciation for good manners.

So,,, we have a deal then.

Yes sir, i said, with a big smile on my face, i just couldn't beleive my luck.

Just one thing Kid.

Oh,,, what's that i asked feeling a bit worried, i knew it was to good to be true i thought to myself.

Your name,, i don't even know your name.

Oh, Christopher,,, its Christopher but everyone just calles me Chris.

Then Chris it is, come on, i'll show you out back,,, i got up out of the chair and followed him through a doorway at the back of the shop which had thin multi coloured strips of plastic dangling down and led into a small kitchen,
Tea, coffee, and thats the boiler he said pointing out each one in turn on top of the worktop, and theirs milk in the fridge there, you can make me a coffee if you like, before you get off, milk 2 sugars and start next saturday 0 900 hours ok,, yeah, great, i said, at that very moment the shop doorbell tinkled, i followed him back into the shop,

A woman was holding the door open as she ushered in her 3 sons, come on hurry up, the parade starts at eleven she said to them.
I looked over at them, it was obvious by their uniforms that they were in the scouts, two of them where obviously twins, they were almost identical and looked about 9 or 10 years old, i recognised the older one from school, he was in the year below me. As He looked accross at me he seemed to recognise me and began to look a little nervous and not to happy about being there so i looked back at him, smiled and gave him a friendly nod in an effort to make him feel more at ease.
By the mid 70's. It was pretty rare for a boy his age to be wearing short trousers and i think me being there was making him feel very self conscious.

Take a seat and i'll be with you in just a mo Hank said to her, before the door had chance to close fully, it opened again and a man with his 2 sons entered.
Hank turned and looked at me,, d'ya have to be somewhere kid or would ya like to start right now,, what,, right now,, err yeah, i don't mind,, ok err, Chris, just follow my lead and do what i tell ya ok.
I smiled and nodded, do you still want that coffee, milk, 2 sugars. Yeah, cheers kid,

I went back through the dangly blinds into the kitchen and started to make his coffee,

Because there was no actual door it meant i could clearly hear everything that was being said in the shop.

What happened to Mr Fletcher the Mum with the 3 boys asked.

He's retired now Maam, i'm Hank, the new owner, he told her.

Oh my, you're American aren't you, i do love the American accent, you Americans are always so polite,
Why, thankyou Maam, thats kind of you to say so, and, may say, that's 3 fine looking boys you have there.

He's a real charmer, or maybe all Americans are like that, i thought to myself as I walked back into the shop with Hanks coffee,.
Where would you like it Sir, i said, trying to stay in keeping with Hanks polite manner,

Hank was now standing by his chair with the marroon cape folded over his arm,
Ahh, thanks christopher, just put here on the counter there.

Right then, what can i do for you Maam.

We haven't got to much time their's a parade today to celebrate the packs 30'th year and there'll be group and individual photos, so could you give these 2 the same haircut, just a simple short crew cut type haircut so there's no hair sticking out below their caps for the photos.

Yeah, Sure, no problem, same lengh all over yeah.
Yes, fine, so long as it doesn't take to long.

Don't worry Maam 15 minuetes max to do the pair of them, what about the other guy.
Oh err we're really running out of time, oh just do his the same.

ok. What number guard would you like,

I don't know, is one guard any quicker than the other.

No guard is quickest, i can have all 3 done in 15 minuetes, maybe less, great, do jason first then the twins, go on Jason, quick now in the chair, i just need to nip accross the road to make a phone call, won't be long.

Jason sat in the chair and Hank quickly had him caped,
The Oster clippers burst into life, he placed them at the front of his fringe and ran them quickly right over the middle of his head then again front to back within seconds the whole top was almost bald then the same up the right sibe side then the back then the left in less than 3 minuetes his whole head was copletely bald and looked almost white, poor jason looked completely shell shocked, ok who's next Hank said as poor Jason got out of the chair rubbing his head then quickly put his scout cap on, within 10 minuetes all 3 where done and sat back on the bench seat with their caps on as their mum came back in,

No hair below their caps, exellent she said.

To be continued.

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