College Bet by Tall n long

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It was my freshman year of college. I was studying agricultural communications and animal science and loving the college atmosphere and my classes. I had great friends but Matt was by far my best friend at college. I grew up on a farm and Matt worked on one and we both love it. For the last 2 years I had sported somewhat of a buzzcut. A number 6 on top with a number 2 taper. My freshman and sophomore year in high school I had grown my hair out to a Justin bieber style, why I don't know. But I had always wanted to try longer hair and who knows maybe even a mullet. Matt had almost the exact same buzzcut as I had at the time.

One day we were talking and it was about the time of no shave November and neither of us were partaking. I made the comment that I wouldn't mind growing my hair but I can't grow a beard. With that Matt said what if we grow our hair out? I jumped on it and said how about a bet to see who can grow their hair out the longest? Matt jumped on board and then we started hashing out the stakes and rules. What we came up with was: 1. We both were to go get identical haircuts to start. 2. We then grow our hair for no set time but the first person to want a haircut loses. 3. The bet only ends when someone wants a haircut or needs a haircut for only a job or internship. 4. The winner gets to choose the losers haircut for which he must keep the haircut for 3 days and the loser must pay for steak dinner. 5. If the bet continues past the end of spring semester the bet continues but neither can get a haircut over the summer.

We shook and the bet was off. So we drove downtown and found a gametime barbershop with hot women to cut our hair. We both walked in, sat down, and asked for a number 6 on top with a number 3 on the sides. 20 minutes later we walked out shorn and the bet was on.

Days went by, then weeks, and then months. As time went on I started thinking about what type of haircut I would make Matt get when I win. I was not going to lose. I decided that whenever Matt gave up and I won I would tell the barber to set him up with a horseshoe flattop, shaved with a razor up the sides and down the landing strip.

About 5 months into the bet my bangs were past my eyebrows and my hair covered my ears and touched my collar. Matt was in the same boat. I started poking fun asking when he was gonna quit. He would laugh and say not til you do! We got along great we would go hang out, go to the rodeo arena where his horse was and ride or drive down to the big city with friends and enjoy a day.

At the first of May school was over for the semester and it was time for us both to head home. We both lived out of state so we both had long drives ahead of us. Before we both left I asked Matt if he was sure he didn't want a haircut now and end the bet before we had to go home. Again he laughed and said he was good!

For the next three months we stayed in contact and both worked at home on the farms. From time to time we would bring up the bet. Both of us were tired of the heat and the hair making us hotter but neither of us was ready to quit. In September we went back to school. Matt came back with his blonde hair looking like a surfer (being from California I guess it's appropriate). Mine was dirty blonde, thick, and I had started parting it down the middle because my bangs were always in my eyes.

September continued as normal until I started dating Lauren. Lauren grew up close to home and we showed livestock together for years! It was the running joke in both our families that we would get married. I had a crush on Lauren for years and finally asked her out. Lauren knew of the bet between Matt and I and even though she liked short hair she put up with me. October came and went and so did November. We had been growing our hair out for over a year now.

December, January, February, march, and April passed and we were still going strong on the bet. Neither of us thought it would last this long.

On night I was over at Lauren's watching a movie. Lauren looked up at me halfway through and gave me a kiss. She then proceeded to ask me if I would be willing to lose the bet. "Honey I love your long hair actually but it's so shaggy, I know about the bet and if you don't want to lose that's fine but maybe you can talk to Matt into letting you get a trim?" I really didn't want to lose but I was really sick of it being so long. Over the next few days I thought about the bet and finally went up to Matt and told him my situation. "Matt I'm sick of looking somewhat homeless." I told him what Alyx said and he actually understood and he understood that I like my hair somewhat long and shaggy. He said he would take it easy tomorrow. But I had lost the bet.

The next day after classes Matt picked me up and drove into town and pulled up in front of a fancy looking salon. I was nervous and didn't know what to expect but we walked in and Matt told them I had an appointment. Wow he had it all planned. A cute blonde named Alyx took me back and Matt followed. I sat down and she caped me up. She asked what I wanted and Matt stepped in. He whispered in my ear "here is your easy deal." Matt told Alyx, "first we need to bleach his hair blonde like a surfer and then give him the best surfer haircut you can." Damn Matt, he was gonna let me keep my long shaggy hair but make me walk around with bleach blonde hair which was not in style (guys did not dye their hair like they used to in the 90s) until either it grew out or I payed to have it dyed back to my original color.

So Alyx came back with hair dye and started applying it generously to my hair. At this point both our hair was halfway down our shoulder blades in the back. Matt would from time to time tie his back in a ponytail like he did today.

When Alyx finished I moved to the dryer where Matt couldn't resist taking a few pictures and posting them to Facebook. Comments exploded on them.

Then the bleach was washed out and Alyx started chopping away. I was looking forward to the cut but not the hair color change that would be so obvious.

20 minutes later Alyx was drying my hair, then straightening it to give it the full surfer look, and then sprayed it with a bit of hairspray and then spun me around to face the mirror. I was shocked! It didn't look bad but I would be mocked for days about the blonde hair. I got out of the chair and went up to pay and Matt jumped in the chair. Apparently he was tired of long hair. But he told Alyx to just trim it up about 4 inches and give it a razored look. 30 minutes later we both walked out looking better than when we walked in. We then headed to dinner where I paid. Alyx loved the haircut but hated the color so 3 days later I had it dyed back to my original color.

Both Matt and I kept longer shaggy hair for the remainder of college. Matt had been dating a girl, Hannah for the past 2 years and had just proposed a month ago. Alyx and I are still together and I need to go engagement ring shopping soon. The day after graduation, Matt and I were driving through town and he pulled into the same gametime barbershop where we got our haircuts before the bet. "I'm gonna go get a haircut real quick. Want one too?" Matt asked. We both walked into the barbershop, sat down, and asked for a number 6 top and a number 3 on the side.

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