THE RIGHT PRINCIPLES OF A YOUNG MAN (2) by Gottlieb

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Sorry, but English is not my native language. The English text of this true story is the result of the work of a translator. For a better understanding of the context, I recommend reading the first part, entitled THE RIGHT PRINCIPLES OF A YOUNG MAN.

THE RIGHT PRINCIPLES OF A YOUNG MAN (2)

After I came out of the door of the new barbershop near the bus stop, where my mop was cut very short in the style of a fairy tale prince after I was caught snooping, I met an older guy in front of the door. He complimented my new haircut and told me that it suits me. I was flattered by this and we agreed to meet soon for coffee or a beer. That moment came in less than a week and our meeting took place in style - on a bench in front of the barbershop, where we met for the first time.

It was still very warm outside in early September, summer still did not want to give up its reign. So we went for a beer, we both agreed that we would be more refreshed than drinking hot coffee. After introducing ourselves, I learned that his name was Karel and that he was nine years older. His head was adorned with short, dark brown hair, combed over his forehead into an equally short side part. Karel had it very short around the ears and in the back, similar to mine after the last haircut I had done while spying from the bench. He took care of his short hair regularly, having it cut every four weeks. In return, I told him about my very short hairstyles, which my father required, and the one-centimeter "buzzcut" haircut I received from Marko's father during swimming competitions, about the "mullet" haircut by a strict and malicious barber, and about the haircut I had during the war. I told him that I lacked strict supervision over the observance of the correct principles for very short haircuts, as my father had insistently demanded. Without strict supervision, I did not observe the discipline that was necessary, my hair would become a disgusting mop, and then I would not find enough courage to eliminate it. I know that very short hair suits me, that it is very practical in many ways, but that I cannot help myself. I lacked someone to supervise my very short hairstyles.

After listening to my messages, Karel suggested that he would supervise and take care of my very short hairstyles regularly from now on, if I wanted to. And that if I gave him a free hand, I would not have to worry about my hair growing into a mop. I gladly and with great relief agreed, because I knew from experience that following the principles was unfortunately not my strong point, and that it would be better that way. We agreed to meet in three weeks and to stick to four-week deadlines, during which we would get regular haircuts. What more could I ask for? I was thrilled!

I couldn't wait for the three weeks to pass, to go to the barber and have Karel oversee my very short haircut. At the barbershop near the bus stop, we were welcomed as regular customers, and after a short while it was my turn. The hairdresser covered me with a barber's apron and asked how I wanted my haircut. But before I could say anything, Karel said: give him exactly the same "fresh haircut" as last time. It happened immediately - the scissors in the hairdresser's hands came to life and the hair from the front of my head fell to the floor. The eagerly awaited restoration of the tousled short hedgehog began on my head, even with shorter, similarly tousled bangs. This was followed by the concert of the electric clipper, energetically and precisely removing the slightly ingrown hair around and above the ears and on the back of the neck. I felt that from the nape of the neck up to the crown, not a single hair was left that should not be there. The hairdresser was really very skilled. In a moment, just like last time, I saw that I had both sides cut high and it looked the same on my smoothly shaved neck. I was very satisfied and felt good. I was also glad that Karel had forced me to follow the correct principles for very short haircuts for my brown, fast-growing hair.

After I had cleaned myself of the remnants of the cut and shaved hair with a razor, I got up from the chair. In the mirror, I saw that Karel liked my new, very short haircut that he had given me. I gave him a place in the barber's chair, where Karel headed without hesitation. He himself told the hairdresser that he wanted to cut my hair as short as I had been cut. The only difference is that he wants to keep a short side part above his forehead, but he also wants to shorten it appropriately. I liked that Karel makes sure that his hair doesn't start to grow to an unwanted length. In this case too, the hairdresser performed a quick and effective concert for scissors, a comb and an electric clipper with attachments. At the end of it, I saw Karel with his version of a very short "fresh" hairstyle, which suited him nicely. I had to admit with understanding that after the very short haircut, Karel seems even more likeable to me than before.

To my great satisfaction, we went together for regular haircuts in the following months to a proven hairdresser near the bus stop. The hairdressers knew us well and each time they cut us very short, each to their own version of a "fresh" haircut. We took turns in the barber's chair, once I went first, the second time Karel. During our visits, we saw a lot of very nice short haircuts, we liked to share our impressions over coffee, which we drank in the cold months. We had the same taste and the same interests. We were both very satisfied and I thought that I would wear this very short "fresh" haircut with a shorter hint of ruffled bangs forever. In the meantime, autumn, Christmas and New Year holidays passed, winter and spring came. The date for our regular haircuts arrived on the calendar. So we headed to the hairdresser's together, where we greeted the hairdressers and then sat on a bench, waiting for a barber's chair to become available. I watched carefully as the hairdresser skillfully cut the young boy's hair above his ears with an electric clipper. I just found it a bit strange that this time Karel didn't comment admiringly on her actions.

In the meantime, the hairdresser finished cutting the young boy's hair, who looked very good with his very short hair. After the hairdresser's invitation, I took a seat in the barber's chair and a barber's sheet was fastened around my neck. At that moment, Karel stood up and told the hairdresser to cut me a little more than usual today. I should have a maximum of a centimeter of hair left in the front, the bangs should disappear completely, and the hairdresser should cut and shave higher around my ears and the back of my neck. The goal is to have a classic short "hedgehog" without bangs at all, with the parts above the ears and above the nape of the neck cut high. Karel said that it was spring and therefore there was no reason to have longer hair. The change in the assignment surprised me a little, but because I had given Karel free rein to decide on my haircuts, I didn't mind at all. I just remembered that Marko's father had cut me short a few years ago when I was at their house for swimming competitions. But my hair was two millimeters longer in the front, because of the twelve-millimeter attachment attached to the electric clipper... Before I could figure out that two millimeters is practically no big difference, I heard the hairdresser tell Karel that the even shorter haircut he requested for me was clearly a good choice, and then it began.

The hairdresser turned on the electric clipper, which uncompromisingly cut my front hair as intended, including the bangs that had ceased to exist. Then I heard the buzzing of the electric clipper without the attachment around my ears and high above them, practically to the top of my head. The clipper itself also traveled to the same height from the nape of the neck to the area between the ears. I perceived not only its buzzing sound, but also vibrations, both of which were pleasant and exciting. After the buzzing concert ended, it was time for a slow and careful shave with a razor and cleaning of the foam and remnants of the cut hair. When I saw myself in the mirror, I felt great gratitude to Karl for demanding this change in the assignment, and for making sure that I followed the correct principles of young man's hair care.

After leaving the barber's chair, I sat on the waiting bench and wondered what haircut Karl would choose for himself? I was surprised when Karel said he wanted a very short haircut just like mine. The hairdresser made sure to ask if Karl should also cut his short hair above his forehead completely, and after a positive answer, the same procedure began that I had just gone through. The electric clipper energetically and precisely cut Karl's front hair to the required centimeter, including the hair above it, which fell to the floor. Then he shaved with a clipper without an attachment around the ears up to the top of his head. Karl's neck was also shaved to the same height, from the nape of the neck to the top of his head. When it was finished, we both had the same short, very short haircuts, and our satisfaction was truly great. Without hesitation, we agreed that we would maintain this hairstyle option together for the whole summer. We thanked the hairdresser for perfectly fulfilling Karl's wish - I must not forget that in my case, he is the one who supervises the young man's adherence to the correct principles of hair care - we paid and went for a beer. Spring has arrived, and we, the young men with freshly cut hair, really enjoyed the first spring beer. It was better than the coffee we drank together before spring arrived...

Have you had, or do you have, someone who supervises the regular cutting of your hair very short? Someone who won't let you have a nasty mop of unkempt hair on your head? Write to me about your experiences and experiences!

Write to me here, or at haircut@centrum.cz.
I'm looking forward to it and thank you.

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