Mr. Merino's Makeover for Movember by Manny

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Nelson was a bit apprehensive about his new crewcut as he dressed for school. There was almost no hair left! Nothing to brush or style. That meant he was ready much more quickly than normal.

But, Nelson dawdled at the breakfast table so that he would get to homeroom just as the bell rang. He didn’t want to engage in a lot of chit-chat and have to explain his new look before school started.

"I’m sure everyone will like your haircut," Nelson’s mother said, trying to reassure her anxious son.

"I’m not," Nelson sulked.

"Well, it certainly is short," she murmured. "A big change from that Beatles look you had going."

"It was Dad’s offer of Great-Aunt Margaret’s classic Cutlass Supreme for ditching the long hair that did it," Nelson said as he got up from the table.

Then, he added, "I cut it short for you too, Mom. I know you didn’t like the mop."

Nelson’s mother smiled. She appreciated her son’s sincerity and his sacrifice. He was a good kid, and she was glad her aunt’s 1973 Cutlass was going to stay in the family. What fun she’d had on road trips with her spinster aunt in that flashy convertible!

As he walked to school, Nelson kept feeling his clipped head. Running his hand up against the grain gave him shivers. He gave himself a pep talk. Walk in with confidence and rock the crewcut. Your line is going to be that you wanted it short -- that’s what you asked for and that’s what you got…and that’s how it’s going to stay?!? Yes, that’s how it’s going to stay!

He picked up his pace and felt energized instead of insecure.

Nelson burst into his homeroom just as Mr. Merino was finishing attendance.

There was a gasp from most of the class, followed by some loud snickers and cat-calls.

"Who’s the new boy?" one guy shouted.

"His name is Baldy!" shrieked another.

Mr. Merino was visibly surprised by Nelson’s haircut. It was SOOO short!

"I was just about to mark you absent, Nelson," Mr. Merino murmured as he stroked his luxurious mustache.

Then, locking his stare onto his student's clipped pate, the teacher added, "By the way, I like your new haircut."

"Thanks, Mr. Merino," Nelson said. "I was tired of the mop and told the barber to mow it off. It feels great like this, and I’m keeping it short!"

Nelson’s tone came across as more convinced than he actually felt.

"You shouldn’t have cut it," his friend Felix murmured in a disapproving tone. "You look like a 12-year-old, goody-two shoes."

"Oh, shut up," Nelson snapped back.

As they were leaving homeroom, Mr. Merino suggested that Nelson, "Stop by after school, if you have a few minutes."

Nelson smiled. He wanted to have another heart-to-heart with his favorite teacher.

All day long, Nelson endured gawks, criticisms, lamentations, and compliments (some genuine and some feigned). The worst came in physical education, when a group of guys pinned him to the floor in the locker room and took turns giving him Dutch rubs. He felt so vulnerable and helpless as they vigorously manipulated his clipped pelt.

Finally, school was over and he headed straight to Mr. Merino’s room.

"So, what do you think?" Nelson asked, shyly, as he entered the room.

Mr. Merino seemed a bit flustered. "Is that what you wanted? A crewcut?! I was rather astonished to see you so utterly shorn this morning."

Nelson’s façade cracked. "Sort of. Maybe not this short, but it was my decision to get it cut. And, I knew from the barber I got, it was going to end up very short."

Nelson told about the sweetener his father threw in to seal the fate of his leonine mane -- his great-aunt's convertible 1973 Cutlass Supreme!

"Ah, that explains it," Mr. Merino laughed. "The golden age of muscle cars! I hope you give me a ride in it just as soon as you get your permit."

"Of course! I’m supposed to have a licensed driver riding along with me when I take it out," he replied.

Then, Nelson pressed his initial question, "Well, do you like my haircut?"

"I’ll be honest," Mr. Merino said. "I thought you had amazing hair. So full and glossy…and it gave you such a carefree, cool look. But, I realize how hard it was to control and all the pressure you were under. The crewcut is different. It reveals your face, fully, and its handsome features. But, at the same time I guess it gives you a more youthful, perhaps more innocent, look."

His teacher’s babbling amounted to saying, in a round-about way, was that no, he did NOT care for the short haircut.

At least he was being honest. Nelson liked his teacher for that. Why should be pretend to like the crewcut if he didn’t?

Nelson studied Mr. Merino’s dramatic, over-sized mustache and the shock of wavy black hair worn swept back from his face and very full on the sides. It was styled in a longish, yet still professional manner, but with definite panache.

"How old are you, sir?" he asked.

"Thirty-four," Mr. Merino replied.

"And, would you like to look more youthful?" he continued.

"Sure," Mr. Merino replied. "At my age, that’s the goal, I suppose. I’m already losing the battle to maintain a flat stomach; unfortunately, my trim figure is giving way to a slight bulge. I keep waiting for a few strands of salt to begin invading my pepper, but I’m safe on that front, so far."

"I think shaving off that mustache would knock about ten years off your appearance," Nelson said boldly.

Mr. Merino winced. Nelson could tell he hit a raw nerve!

"Shave off my mustache?!" he stammered.

"Yeah, why not? It’s good to shake things up, sometimes. Like I did," Nelson said.

Then, he added, "And your hair cut shorter, too. A lot shorter."

Mr. Merino stroked his large, showy ‘stache nervously, in a seemingly protective manner.

He squirmed a bit before saying, "Funny you suggested that. I’ve been toying with taking it off! To raise awareness about prostate cancer. Have you heard of Movember or No-Shave November?"

"No," replied Nelson.

"For those who don’t have one, growing a mustache serves as a conversation starter. The idea is to prompt discussions about the importance of regular cancer screenings for men with a family history, like me," Mr. Merino said. "I thought I could put a twist on Movember by shaving off my mustache instead of growing one."

"I think you should do it! And, I know the perfect barber. Off comes the stache’ and that hair shorn close, like mine!" Nelson exclaimed.

"A crewcut?" Mr. Merison sputtered. "Last time we discussed hair length, I was contemplating a center-part with feathered sides and a mullet! Remember, my 1970s teen idol, David Cassidy?"

"So, why did you ask me to stop by after school?" Nelson asked pointedly.

Mr. Merino seemed a bit flustered and unsure how to answer.

"Uh, I guess, I just wanted to hear more about your trip to the barber shop," he replied. "I was fairly shocked when you walked into class this morning with almost no hair. It’s amazing how you can look one way when you sit down in the barber chair and look so dramatically altered when you stand up! Like a magic trick. Oh, there are mirrors...but no smoke!"

"Some boys pinned me down in the locker room this afternoon and had a blast giving me Dutch rubs," Nelson said in a tone of dejection.

Remorse about the haircut was beginning to set in.

"Tell me about this barber. I’m interested," Mr. Merino said, hoping to change the subject and get Nelson out of his developing funk.

"OMG! He had his eye on my hair from the second I stepped into the shop with my father. Can you believe he announced to everyone that as a rule of thumb he always cut hair short?! And, he mouthed off that if it was cut too short, well, guess what…? And I quote, ‘HAIR GROWS!’ Like it was tough s**t for the poor guy under the cape who got scalped. ‘He’ll have a little extra time before his next visit,’ this Kevin guy remarked in a cocky, flippant tone. Oh, and he had on the most amazing pair of jungle boots that complemented his camo pants," Nelson stammered.

"Sounds like he’s quite a character, your demon barber, Kevin," Mr. Merino laughed.

Nelson continued, "But, it was odd. Him saying all that made me want to have him cut my hair. How do you explain that? The more he stared at me and taunted me about my hair, the more I wanted him to mow it off."

"It was like a dare, and you took him up on it. Boys like to exhibit braveness when the testosterone kicks in, especially after puberty," Mr. Merino guessed. "Were you excited as you headed to his big chair?"

"Yes! And, I told him about you, and how YOU need a makeover! He wants to take off your mustache and to give you a flattop!" Nelson blurted out.

Mr. Merino winced and pawed at his hair protectively.

"You told him about me?! Me, on the receiving end of a total transformation?" Mr. Merino stammered.

Now, it was Mr. Merino’s turn to squirm behind his big teacher desk.

"Flattops have always fascinated me," the teacher reluctantly confessed. "It’s the ultimate haircut that screams out macho man -- a huge contrast to that sissy, feathered look styled over the ears and collar."

"Let me take you," Nelson almost begged. "For Movember! I’ll have my driver permit by then! Imagine riding over to the barber shop with the top of the Cutlass down….your locks flying about in the wind. And, I’ll be the one to tell Kevin what needs to be done. Your mustache comes off first, followed by your thatch of wavy black hair. Oh, you’ll end up with a big landing strip on top! Or, perhaps save the taking of your ‘stache for the grand finale?"

Now it was Nelson who was babbling, caught up in fantasizing about Mr. Merino's makeover.

"OMG!" Mr. Merino exclaimed, gripping his desk.

He stared at Nelson, unable to speak for a few moments.

Then, he blurted out, "YES! I’m in! For the whole makeover!"

"You’re the best!!" Nelson exclaimed. "Let’s get a campaign going for Movember here at school. I’ll help organize it, along with my scout troop, and you can be our sponsor."

Nelson resisted the urge to jump up and clamp a tight embrace around the man he admired more each day.

"I can’t believe I just agreed to that!" Mr. Merino said to nervous giggles. "My mustache! My hair!! On the chopping block."

"And, a flattop!!!" Nelson shrieked.

Nelson could resist no longer. He sprang forward and thrust his fingers into Mr. Merino’s silken mane of dark, glossy hair.

"No David Cassidy-look for you! No sir!! All this falling in the wake of Barber Kevin’s clippers," Nelson purred. "He will have no mercy, and begging to spare any length will only make matters worse."

Then, Nelson’s eyes locked onto Mr. Merino’s cherished ‘stache.

"And no more showy mustache either!" he giggled. "It's coming off! Completely!"

His teacher enjoyed the friendly taunts and was receptive to the brief moment of affection that Nelson showed him.

Within, Mr. Merino trembled at the thought of being taken down by Barber Kevin. The way Nelson described the eager barber -- so assertive and dominant -- increased his excitement. Mr. Merino felt anxious, but eager, to have his old look stripped off. He had not been without an ostentatious mustache since he first grew one in college.

In the following weeks, excitement about the Movember campaign grew. Mr. Merino easily convinced the principal to waive the ban on facial hair for male students during the month. But, only if they participated in the efforts to raise awareness about early screening and cancer detection.

Movember was going to be kicked off at a special rally where Mr. Merino’s new look would be unveiled to the students. Nelson would drive him to the barber shop first thing in the morning, before the shop opened for normal business hours. Barber Kevin had been primed in advanced so that his clippers, shears and razors would be ready for Mr. Merino’s makeover.

After the deed had been done, the newly shorn Mr. Merino would be driven to the school, enter through the back door of the auditorium stage, and trotted out in front of the assembled students. He’d declare the start of the Movember campaign, explaining why he’d shaved off his treasured mustache, as well as the importance of early cancer detection. Then the boys who were part of the campaign would be called up onto stage and given a round of applause.

Nelson blew the horn of his 1973 Cutlass Supreme outside Mr. Merino’s apartment. The high school English teacher emerged with his helmet hair perfectly coiffed and his luxurious mustache looking as prominent as ever.

However, by the time they’d reached the first stop light, the wind had wreaked havoc on Mr. Merino’s hairstyle. It was blown wild in every direction.

"Your hair!" Nelson laughed. "It’s like you stuck your finger in an electric socket! Or, perhaps you’re channeling Albert Einstein?"

"Very funny," Mr. Merino said. "At least my mustache is perfectly in place."

"Aren’t you going to miss it?" Nelson asked.

"Probably, but I’ll get used to a more-Spartan look, I hope," Mr. Merino replied. "I’m puzzled, though, as to why you were so eager to have it shaved off, and my hair cut short too."

That was a good question, and even Nelson didn’t fully know the answer.

"Curiosity, I guess. Your dark, wavy hair and big showy mustache are in such contrast to my blond hair….and I couldn’t grow a mustache for all the tea in China," Nelson suggested.

"Not wanting me to have what you can’t have?" Mr. Merino asked, intrigued by the idea.

"I like the role reversal," Nelson laughed. "The teen nagging the adult about his long hair and wanting him to visit the barber."

Mr. Merino joined the train of thought, "Then, the teen driving the adult to the barber shop and instructing the barber to transform him. Hmmmm, I’ll have to think about the meaning of this."

"You’ll like Kevin. Maybe some chemistry will develop between you two," Nelson suggested.

"Chemistry?" Mr. Merino stammered. "I have no idea what you’re talking about."

Of course, he did.... As they entered the barber shop, Mr. Merino instantly realized that Nelson had been spot on.

"So, this is the man!" Kevin exclaimed giving Mr. Merino the once-over with a huge smile on his face.

Then, he put his arm around Mr. Merino’s shoulder in a possessive, authoritative way and whispered loudly, "I am going to transform you. You’ll not recognize yourself by the time I set down my razor and swivel the chair around for the big reveal!"

As Kevin guided Mr. Merino to the barber chair, he was very handsy, especially as he ‘helped’ the teacher into the red vinyl upholstery.

"Oh, all this hair!" Kevin continued, as he grasped the soft, dark locks. "It’s coming off. See those huge sets of clippers over there. It’ll be like bootcamp!"

As Kevin examined Mr. Merino’s face, a mental lightbulb popped.

"The perfect shape! You need to be scraped clean! I’m not just talking about this beautiful mustache...so pampered, so manly...being scraped off. You’ll look swell with a bald-to-the-bone head. Cueball! Chromedome! Nothing left!!" Kevin exclaimed.

"I thought I was getting a flattop," Mr. Merino stammered as the cape fluttered into place.

"That’s what I thought too, until you walked in the door. But, I’ve decided. Every last bit of hair is coming off your head. So what if you feel vulnerable without this power hair helmet and showy facial hair? It’ll be good for you. The only question is where to start," Kevin said, as he examined the length of Mr. Merino’s copious locks.

He extended the bulky forelock straight up from Mr. Merino’s head.

"Here’s where our adventure begins," Kevin said in a determined voice, quickly taking a pair of shears from his tunic pocket and hacking the forelock off, right at the scalp.

The barber held up the six-inch lock and snickered.

"Bye-bye professional look!" he chortled, dropping the hair onto Mr. Merino’s lap.

Mr. Merino squirmed beneath the cape as Nelson hooted and snapped a few photos.

"Nothing but silken smooth scalp left on your head, Mr. Merino!" Nelson exclaimed. "You won’t have to worry about your blow-dried style getting mussed up in the convertible."

Kevin grabbed the balding clippers. "Time for some bootcamp barber action!"

The huge set of Oster’s whirled to life, and Kevin displayed the hungry, chattering teeth right in front of Mr. Merino’s huge dark eyes.

Then, he grabbed Mr. Merino by the hair in back and yanked his head like he’d done so many times to the marine recruits at Parris Island.

"Hold tight!" the barber warned as Mr. Merino's nervous gaze was forced upward toward the ceiling.

He pushed the clippers straight back, from forehead to cowlick, down the top of Mr. Merino’s hair. An explosion of cut locks showered down in all directions -- to the shoulders, lap and floor behind the chair.

Mr. Merino’s excitement beneath the cape was intense. After dreaming about this for so long, it was finally happening. And having it done by an aggressive barber, with testosterone pulsating through his entire body, was a huge plus.

"Look at this virginal scalp!" Kevin laughed. "It will be a true cueball -- very round and very white!"

Then, the clippers were employed for a second drive down the top.

Mr. Merino felt the thick clumps of cut hair streaming down his face. It was a sort of catharsis, shedding his fussy style. He was going back to the basics...being taken there, actually.

"Ever had a shaved head before?" Kevin asked Mr. Merino.

"No," the caped client eked out.

"Ever wanted a shaved head before?" Kevin continued.

"No," Mr. Merino said again, prompting a laugh from all three.

The unabated clipping continued, with each drive shifting the balance from hairy to baldy.

"Are you enjoying this haircut as much as when you took that Beatles-style mop off Nelson?" Mr. Merino asked.

"Oh, he looked like such a precious little fairy sitting in the waiting area, fondling his pretty tresses nervously!" Kevin replied in a mocking tone. "Daddy had dragged him in for a good shearing, but he was resistant."

"Did you think he’d give into the transformation?" Mr. Merino asked.

"Let me put it like this," Kevin said, pausing the haircut. "I can’t remember a moptop like that ever leaving the shop with his pampered locks intact. Oh, no, once they’re in the waiting area, the next stop is my chair here!"

The clipping resumed, with Kevin carefully stripping away the dark hair that lapped over Mr. Merino’s ear.

"You’ll love the feel of the lather and razor across your scalp," Kevin cooed in Mr. Merino’s ear. "The chair reclined and you dreaming of your new cueball. A new look and life without hair…."

Kevin turned his attention to the showy mustache. He fondled it and smoothed it down across the entire, incredible breadth.

"This will be a real treat. How long has it been since your upper lip was naked?" Kevin asked.

"About 15 years, since I first grew the ‘stache in college," Mr. Merino replied.

"Tom Sellek would be envious of this growth you’ve got here!" Kevin laughed. "But, it’s coming off."

"How much of a mustache will you be able to grow out in November?" Mr. Merino asked Nelson.

"Huh, not much of anything," Nelson answered, half embarrassed.

"Peach fuzz!" Kevin taunted. "And blond like that, no one will even know you’re trying."

Mr. Merino laughed at the taunt and piled on, "You’ll tell someone you’re growing a mustache to raise awareness about cancer detection and the person will go, ‘uh, what mustache? I don’t see one.’ Ha, ha, ha!"

Nelson reddened, and struck back, "Without that bushy hair, your ears sure stick out funny, Mr. Merino."

Oh, the humiliation! Mr. Merino's laughs quickly dried up.

"Don’t be upset if people start calling you Dumbo," Kevin laughed as he flicked one of the ears. "Some of the nicest people I know have awkward, unsightly ears like his. Without your mustache, though, I’m sure your big schnoz will detract attention from the ears."

Mr. Merino squirmed uncomfortably on account of the taunts and grew taciturn. He shouldn’t have mocked Nelson’s inability to grow facial hair.

In an uncharacteristic manner, Kevin scaled back his mean jabs, "Hey, there, just kidding about the ears. You’re even more handsome with no hair. Honest to god."

Kevin stroked the sandpaper-like stubble that now graced his client’s entire scalp, and Mr. Merino broke into a shy smile.

"I think you’re ready for the lather!" Kevin exclaimed. "Let’s face you to the mirror so you can see how handsome you are with this induction cut before we move on to the next phase!"

Kevin slowly swiveled the chair around.

Mr. Merino’s mouth fell open at the site. A bald head with thick dark stubble, along with nicely shaped ears that did NOT protrude. His mustache looked even more enormous on account of the induction cut and completely dominated his face.

"Well? Reactions, so far?" Kevin insisted.

"I’m bald!" Mr. Merino stammered. "Cue-bald. So happy to see that my ears are, in fact, normal! Maybe we should leave it like this…."

"Oh, no!" Kevin chortled, reaching for a moist, warm towel. "We have so much more work to accomplish. Especially this huge thing here…."

The barber stroked his luxuriant mustache lightly, then draped the towel around Mr. Merino’s stubble.

"This is staying behind with me," Kevin laughed. "In fact, I have a mind to shave it off right now!"

He reached for a little edger.

"The smaller the machine, the shorter it cuts," laughed the barber as he snapped it on, sending a piercing wail through the shop.

Then the harvest of Mr. Merino’s mustache began.

He clutched the arms of the chair beneath the cape. He knew there was no point of trying to save his 'stache.

Nelson was on hand to snap more photos.

"It’s coming off, sir!" Nelson stammered in amazement.

"Like a strip-tease," Kevin laughed. "First these lavish sides that extend into the cheeks beyond the edges of the lip."

Kevin pruned the showy mustache down a bit on either side.

"Short enough?" the barber asked Nelson.

"No, sir! I think he might rock a Hitler-like width," Nelson replied.

Kevin laughed loudly as he complied, taking the width of Mr. Merino’s mustache dramatically shorter.

Mr. Merino cringed as he watched the gloriously thick mustache fall to the small edger.

"Oh," he gasped.

"Sit still! No talking!" Kevin chided. "Okay, it’s all coming off."

And with a few more quick runs with the edger, most of the bulky mustache was history.

"I feel naked…." Mr. Merino whimpered as he surveyed his new, sparse look.

The towel came off and Kevin began working heavy, warm lather into Mr. Merino’s scalp. His strong fingers stimulated and soothed his client.

"Let’s recline this chair a bit, for better relaxation," Kevin said.

Mr. Merino began to experience a sort of nirvana as the razor scraped across the tender scalp.

"Oh, that feels divine," he murmured.

The scraping of the lather continued, and Kevin’s handsy manner increased the pleasure.

"You’ll never want to go back to hair again," Kevin cooed softly in Mr. Merino’s ear. "You’ll be a regular in my chair. I’ll keep your scalp smooth and silken."

"Bald to the bone," Mr. Merino whispered back. "It might be a good look for you too, Kevin."

"I’ve thought that many times, now that my hair has begun to thin a bit," Kevin confessed.

Then, Kevin turned to scrape the mustache clean.

"No more Tom Sellek look for you, my new friend," Kevin taunted.

"I was always hesitant to part with it, but, now, there's no more wavering about the matter, thanks to Nelson," Mr. Merino said wistfully.

"Nelson, why don’t you do me a favor, since I opened the shop early just for you? Run down to the coffee shop and get us some coffee. Just black," Kevin said. "Here’s some money."

Kevin sat the chair up and wiped away all the lather with another warm, moist towel. Mr. Merino stared at his new visual in the mirror. The harsh neon of the barber shop bounced off his starkly white scalp. And, the tanned face made for an awkwardly white lip where his mustache had once been on prominent display.

Kevin grabbed the spritzer of witch hazel and slapped a generous amount on the naked head.

"OUCH!" Mr. Merino shrieked.

"Love to do that, jolt the client back into reality," Kevin chortled.

His hands continued to stroke and sooth the virginal scalp as he worked in the witch hazel.

"Come in back, I want to show you something," Kevin said as he removed the cape from Mr. Merino.

He was careful so that the mounds of cut dark hair fell to the floor instead onto the teacher’s professional clothes.

Kevin the same authoritative manner to lead Mr. Merino into the shop's private area.

"Your first kiss without a mustache," Kevin said as soon as the pair had stepped behind the curtain.

"Oh, Kevin, I thought you might…." Mr. Merino stammered.

He was thrilled, yet submissive to the masculine, take-charge barber.

Then, Kevin began unbuttoning Mr. Merino's dress shirt.

"Ah, a wonderfully furry chest. I thought you might have a bit more work for me," Kevin cooed.

"You should see my legs," Mr. Merino replied, grinning with excitement.

"It will be a challenge and a pleasure to keep you smooth as a cucumber, from head to toe," Kevin remarked.

Then, the bells on the door of the shop began to tinkle.

"Coffee time! I brought you one too, Mr. Merino," Nelson announced.

"Oh, we were just back here getting a broom and dustpan to take care of that!" Kevin said hastily as they emerged from behind the curtain.

He pointed to the vast array of cut locks around the chair.

"Why don’t you be a good guy and sweep up the shop," Mr. Merino suggested to Nelson. "We can enjoy our coffee and then head off to school."

Nelson loved sweeping up Mr. Merino’s cut hair.

As he swept, Nelson observed the two men bantering and generally absorbed with each other. Nelson felt content that he’d been a successful matchmaker!

There were three large dustpans of hair to dump into the big trash.

"Thanks, Kevin," Nelson said. "You did a great job on Mr. Merino's head! I can hardly remember his old, hairy look."

Then he playfully stroked his teacher's bald head.

"Oh, so smooth! And you do look younger, more innocent," Nelson commented.

As the two left the barber shop, Nelson commented, "You won’t have to worry about your hairstyle getting blown apart in my convertible any more, Mr. Merino!"

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