Up to you part 1 by Ryan

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I was new in town, just out of college. As always, there are challenges to a new town, such as where to get your haircut.

It was the middle of summer, and my hair was getting pretty long, as it was a long shag haircut to begin with. So, not sure where to go to get it cut, I looked online. The only place within a walking distance (at the time I didn't have the money to buy a car yet) was a old style barbershop, so I decided it couldn't be all that bad and went there.

As I walked into the barbershop, I was astounded by the feel. It felt like I wandered into the 1950s, and I must admit, I was overwhelmed for a moment. There were three chairs, two taken, and the other about to be sat in by a man about as young as me who sported a slightly shorter version of my haircut.

"Good morning." Said one of the barbers to me. "I'll be done in a few minutes, then it'll be your turn." He said, going back the the person he was working on.

I took a seat and couldn't help but watching the man about my age, in the early twenties, getting sheared. He looked nervous. "Aren't you going a bit short?" He asked.

The barber chuckled. "You asked for a flat, so I'm giving you a flat." He said, continuing the cut. I was fully engrossed in the man's haircut, seeing how the sides were reduced to stubble. As the man was getting close to done with the haircut, I was called to the chair by the barber.

"So what'll it be today?" He asked, as I sat in the chair.

"Well I'm new in town, but I was thinking of getting a haircut like that man over there." I said, motioning to the young man, getting up from his chair, now sporting a pretty short head of hair, about a 3/4th inch amount of hair on top.

"Sorry to tell you, kid, but I just don't think that haircut will suit you." He said, grabbing a pair of clippers. The I told him it was Up to you. He nodded. "Alright." He said turning me away from the mirror, and putting a cape around me. "I know something that'll look great on you." He said, but then was silent. I couldn't see whatever he was figeting with so I just rolled with it. Then I heard the sound of the clippers. I gulped. Was I up for this?

"So your new in town?" He said, as he pressed the clippers to the back of my head, and before I answered, reached pretty far up the side of my head. "What's your name?"

"Keith, and yea." I said, barely being able to get words out. He did the same thing to my sides, running up pretty far up the sides. He then switched guards. He rubbed his hand against the back of my head for a second, revealing that it was almost all gone, hardly more than stubble. He then proceeded to shorten even further the majority of the sides and back, carefully tapering them.

"So, Keith, where do you come from." He asked me. I couldn't truly reply. I know guys get way shorter haircuts, but I never pictured one even this short on me, and he hasn't even started on the top yep.

"I-I'm from Maine. Decided to move to Florida because I got a good job offer." I answered, in which he didn't reply. He began cutting the top, longer and longer as it came close to the bangs. He turned me to the the mirror, quickly combing my hair down, which like that were cut in an obvious angle. Then he rubbed a sweet smelling pomade through my hair, and combed it and parted it, with a very dignified part indeed.

"Almost done." he told me, and he lathered shaving cream along my ears and nape. He made quick work of shaving, and de-caped me. For the first time I truly looked at the mirror. I didn't recognize myself. My usual long, light brown hair was now short, parted, and dark brown, you could see skin up the sides, which were a moderate contrast to the longer, inch or so long top. I paid him, even with a tip. I hastely left the barbershop, and made way for home.

~to be continued~

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