Winning haircut part 2 by Barbershop memmories

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After assembly i walked out with Thomas.

I was just dying to find out all the details and the reason behind what i can honestly say was the most severe and drastically cut Boys short back and sides i had ever seen.

Meet me at the art classrom at home time and i'll walk home with you, no one in your class will pick on you if you're with me, i told him,

He nodded, Thanks Chris.

It is really short though, what happened,, you only got it cut about a week ago didn't you, i said in a kind of sympathetic manner.

I'll tell you all about it when we walk home.

He told me the full story, i listened to him intently and sympathetically and managed to eek out every last detail by now and then interupting him with questions..

That choir master of your's sounds like a bit of a wierdo to me don't you think Tom, i said as i left his house.

See you tommorrow.

Yea, see you tommorrow.

So,,,, here's the first half of what happened.

I was in the choir competition yesterday and also the soloist competition.

At a meeting last week Mr Baxter our choir master told all our parents that appearence and smartness were very important as a percentage of the marks were awarded for presentation,

He told them that the senior judge in the competition this year was Peter Stanley lyons who was his old choir Master at Wells cathedral school and boy what a stickler he was on smartness, especially hair.

Then he began to tell them his favorite story, ive heard it five times now.

He tells it every year to the new boys.

Wells was a boarding school, i was in my first year as a senior.

It was friday the 12th of july 1955, my 12th birthday.

I was walking past Mr Lyons study and bumped into him as he came out.

Sorry Sir, i said.

Baxter isn't it.

Yes Sir.

Didn't i tell you to get your haircut over a week ago.

Yes Sir but we break up for the summer holidays on monday so i thought it wouldn't matter that much.

When a Master tells you to do something you do it boy,, is that clear.

Yes Sir, sorry Sir.

You will go right this minute and get a haircut, and it had better be short, do you hear me.

He paused and looked around at all the parents sat in front of him,

Can you imagine that happening now.

They all laughed and nodded in agreement.

I thought i'd be clever and said, but please Sir i don't have any money.

Go to Smiths, give him your name and tell him i've sent you, he'll know exactly what to do and put it on account.

Well i can bet you can all guess what i did.

He asked his now, very captive audience,

One of the dads shouted out, " went to a different barber shop and paid "

EXACTLY.

Everyone laughed again.

Well,,, when i left the barbers i was sporting what, by todays standards would be considered a very short haircut indeed, however it was nothing like the severe clipping i would have received at the hands of Mr Smith.

I'll just keep out of his way,, i'll be ok.

OR SO I THOUGHT, he said, gesturing to his audience.

Once again everyone laughed,

Lyons has been asking if you're back,, he wants to see you you in his study,, a boy said to me as i walked into the building.

GULP.

I knocked.

ENTER,

He looked at my hair.

Did you go to Smiths.

Please Sir eer erm no Sir.

I can see that BOY!!,, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SMITHS WITH A MOP LIKE THAT.

SO Who cut your hair.

Please Sir, I went to my usual Barbers.

But you said you had no money.

Please Sir, i,i remembered about a 10 shilling note i have in my drawer.

Are you trying to tell me that you forgot you had a 10 shilling note.

All the parents where in hysterics,
They were laughing at everything he said,

I've heard the story about 5 times,, and i never even found it funny the first time i heard it.

I mean.. What's so funny about it?.

Yeah i know what you mean,, it's parents init,, they're just wierd,, i said to him.

I on the other hand wasn't finding it funny,,

But very, very interesting indeed.

So, what happened next.

Well then he went to tell them how Mr Lyons told him that he had been told a week ago to get his hair cut.

That he was told to go Smiths Barbers, and to make sure it was cut short,, non of which, he had done.

But worst of all.

That he lied about having no money.

Then he told them that he recieved 6 of the best and next morning Mr Lyons marched him back down to Mr Smiths and got the most severe clipping of his life.

Then looked over at the parents and said.

And i bet bet 1 or 2 of you here now can remember what that was like, eh.


A few of the Dads nodded and laughed one or two of them even bowed their heads down and ran the palms of their hands up the back of their heads.

But i'll tell you something he said.

Looking back..

I don't Think i've ever looked smarter than i did on that day when i left Mr Smiths Barber shop.

And with that in mind, and knowing Mr Loydes old fashioned values.

Might i suggest that that a trim wouldn't go a miss especially for l or 2 boys here in front of me now...

Thomas next.

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