French Shave by Chris

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I am French and live in the suburbs of Paris. In June I decided to go to visit my brother in the capital for a couple weeks, I was 17 and was finished with school, but my brother Phillipe who was 18 still had a couple weeks to go. I arrived at the train station on a Saturday morning and my brother came to pick me up; as it was close to 12 noon we decided to go to Mc DonaldÂ’s for a quick bite and started talking about the family news and I asked him what plan he had for us for the afternoon.

He apologized but told me that a friend of his and himself and him had plan to get there haircut. I was really surprised as my brother had been wearing his black hair long and tight into a pony tail for the past 3 or 4 years. "You cutting your hair?" did I ask laughing!!! "Yes it is time for a trim!!" he answered quite nervously I did not pay attention and told him that since I did not have anything else to do I would come with them.

To tell you the truth I am very different from my brother. He is more the laid back type, long hair, usually unshaved... Me I am more active and I love my hair short and neat, at this time my hair were cut into a crew cut on the longish side. My brother told me that he was supposed to meet his friend, Saly in front of a Turkish barber shop.

We took the metro and got there around 3 PM. The shop was located in a small alley way among 3 or 4 others shops. Saly who was waiting for us in front of the alley is Turkish and had his hair cut very short; the type of haircut young Turkish people usually wear, a short buzz cut N1 or N2.

We talked a few minutes and Saly asked my brother if he was ready and told him that the shop was pretty busy and that the barber he knew would not be ready for them for an other 45 minutes. With the conversation I understood that Saly was also going to get a haircut, which seemed strange to me because he had almost no hair to be cut. We arrived in front of the shop, very small but with 6 barbers cutting.

The shop was packed and we waited outside along with other young guys. The action in the shop was fantastic, barbers were doing all kinds of very short cuts, usually skin fades some of them with the sides totally shaved; I was looking at them like hypnotized and fascinated. As a few guys left the shop we got in and sat down.

Saly went to see one of the young barber, shook his hand, the barber looked at us and said he would be ready in a few minutes, he asked Saly if I was also here for a cut and I decided that I might as well get a little trim. While seated I asked my brother how he was thinking getting his hair cut but he told me it would be a surprise. The barber was now ready. Saly asked my brother if he wanted to go first but Philippe told him to go ahead. I felt my brother was very nervous.

Saly sat down and without a word the barber took the clippers and started shaving his head to the scalp. I was starting to be exited as it was the first time I saw this happening and I was really enjoying the whole scene. The barber turned of the clippers and as I thought he was finished he prepared the shaving cream and lathered his head. He then shaved his head very carefully and after 5 minutes.

Saly stood up and rubbed his hands on his bald head. He turned to Philippe and said : "Ready?" My brother stood up and said "Yep, I guess" He sat down, the barber attached the cape and said "So what are we doing today?" I was chocked when my brother answered "Same as Saly" I could not believe what I was hearing.

The barber asked my brother if he wanted to keep his pony tail and he said "Yes, for souvenir of the old days!" The barber removed the elastic holding the hair, took a comb, straitened my brothers hair and put back the elastic very tight.

He then took the clippers and started right in the center of his head. I could not really see anything happening as the hair were still tightened but after a few passes I could see the scalp of my brother showing. There was no hair left on the top of his head.

It was amazing seeing the barber holding the pony tail with one hand and shearing Philippe’s hair with the other.

After a few minutes, there was no hair attached and the barber was holding the pony tail to my bald brother. "Do you want it shave with the razor too?" the barber asked to my brother who was now amused to see his head without his usual mop. "Sure I might as well!!!" answered Philippe.

The barber repeated the process he used on Saly’s head and shaved Philippe head even more carefully. Philippe stood up, I could not resist on rubbing my hand on his head; he was looking great. By this time I had completely forgot I told the barber that was getting a hair cut too!! But suddenly I saw the barber holding the cape and looking at me.

I was so exited that the barber did not even have time to ask me what kind of hair cut I wanted. I sat in the chair and said "Shaved head number 3 coming up!!" I heard my brother laughing in the back.

The barber did not hesitate one second, he run the clipper right in the center of my head and continued on the sides and back, then came the shaving cream. He started shaving me. I was shivering, the sensation was incredible. After a few minutes I stood up.

My brother said : "Not too bad brother!!" "You look pretty good too" I answered. We paid and left but guess how met two weeks after at the same place!!!

Since then my brother and I go for a shave every occasion possible.

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