Joe asked me to tend the barbershop in the old hotel downtown while Joe and his friend went on vacation. Joe also hired someone to watch the front desk. Some guy named Peter.
I'm about 6' tall with blond hair and blue eyes. Even though I graduated from college two years ago, people still ask what classes I'm taking. I try to keep my hair fairly short. I have a crisp taper around the sides and back but, I keep the top long enough to run my fingers through (or at least someone's fingers).
It was slow that first day, until about 8:30 that evening. A guy came in and checked in at the desk. He and Peter chatted while getting the necessary paper work done. He must have asked about getting a haircut, because Pete looked my way, smiled that smile and pointed towards the shop. The man nodded and headed for the elevator.
After the guest left, Peter sauntered over and said “He wants a special cut.”
“Oh?” I responded hesitantly.
“Yes, I told him you could fix him up just fine” Peter was smiling wickedly.
I was about to respond when the phone rang at the front desk and Peter ran over to answer. While Peter was on the phone, my first customer of the evening came in. He was tall, but not too tall. Long thick brown hair he had pulled back into a pony tale in the back that reached half way down his back. Rich deep blue eyes. Nice tan - not over-baked - just right. He was in his late twenties / early thirties. He had on a light blue oxford shirt on with khaki slacks.
He smiled and asked for a shampoo and cut. He came in and sat down. I unfastend the leather clasp holding his hair. Volumes of thick wavy locks seemed to expand after being held tightly in that clasp. I ran my fingers through his hair and I was impressed that it was so very clean and tangle free. When there's that much hair very often its more rats nest than fashion statement. While I was prepping him for his shampoo we chatted. His name was Casey and he worked for a computer software company in California and had been asked to move here to start up a local office. Didn't know anyone and was staying at the hotel until he could find an apartment.
I turned the water on, (making sure it wasn't too hot), and started wetting it down. As his hair got wet it became a rich chestnut brown. I did a light shampoo / conditioner because his hair was already so clean.
I tilted the chair back up to an upright position. When wet his hair was even longer stretching down almost to his waist.
I gently gathered his chestnut locks and brought them out behind the back of the barber chair. I commented that it must take a lot of work to keep his hair so clean. Evidently, not for him at least - - he went to a salon in Belvedere, CA twice a week and they did the manual labor. (Tough job huh!)
"Should I trim the ends and clean up the back of the neck or did you have something else in mind?" I asked as innocently as possible.
He took a deep breath, "I was thinking of a shorter cut." Obviously he had thought about it. I has been thinking about it since he came into the hotel. This was not an easy choice for him to make.
"Well, why don't we take six inches off and see what you think" I said. I wanted to say "Why don't I just chop it all off and be done with it." I didn't want to scare him away, so I didn't say that.
He bit his lower lip. "I could give you a layered cut so it reached your shoulders. You could still tie it in the back with your clasp." I said as nonchalantly as I could. "Or I could give you a nice short summer haircut. It would be so nice and cool on those hot California afternoons." By this time, I was ready to beg.
He said nothing. Just looked at me and smiled. "Belvedere, CA is just north of San Francisco. It doesn't get very hot there very often." Well, there went the summer cut. "I'm tiered of all the maintenance and upkeep. So, you cut it to make it as easy as possible to manage." Where's that #0000 when I need it?
I turned around to get my tools and saw Peter watching and listening. He smiled and winked. That was totally uncalled for. How I am I supposed to concentrate while Peter is messing with my mind? I would deal with him later.
Starting on his right side, I took my very best pair of scissors and gently lifted his beautiful thick locks. I cut just below his ear so he wouldn't feel naked until I was ready for him to. I placed the locks in his lap. In the back I started right above his shoulder and cut strait across. It was so soft and silky. I placed it in his lap and realized that he was enjoying himself almost as much as I was.
Going around to the left side, I cut just below his ear and once again placed the long lock in his lap. This time he sighed looked at me. I stopped for a moment and looked into those deep blue eyes and - - whoa - - had to take a deep breath of my own.
Since I was in front, I moved in to get at those bangs which were down around his chin. I combed them forward and started to cut just above the eyebrows. By the time I had cut across, he was so hard I thought he was going to explode on the spot. Not to mention I was having major control problems of my own.
He looked so much different. So helpless and insecure. And I helped him get there. I went for the heavy-duty equipment. The guy had evidently gone to salons his whole life and never seen real electric clippers. (Those wimpy things they use in salons to "clean-up" are not real electric clippers.)
I clicked the clippers on. I put a #3 on and started in on his right. Slowly I pressed the clippers up the side of his head to the temples. The long locks fell into his lap and on to the floor. I kept moving the clippers up and watching the hair fall. Then I would go to the next section and slowly press the clippers up and watch the hair fall.
In the back I tilted his head forward with one hand and started moving the clippers slowly up the back of his head to the crown, watch all that beautiful hair tumble to the floor.When I was done in the back I brushed my hand up the back of his head. He moaned audibly this time. I had some clean underwear in the back somewhere. Actually, I was in need as well.
I moved to his left side and slowly I pressed the clippers up the side of his head to the temples. The long locks fell into his lap and on to the floor. I kept moving the clippers up and watching the hair fall. I didn't recognize him as the same person who had come in.
I put a #1 on and went back around to his right side. Slowly I pressed the clippers up the side of his head. I moved slowly around to the back and kept moving the clipper up to the crown. Then I moved on around to his left side and finished.
Then I put the #000 and took down the sides around the ears and the nape of the neck. Blending in as I went along.
He had long and wide sideburns so I got out the shaving cream and lathered sideburns around the ears and the back of his neck. I took the straight razor and slowly and carefully shaved off his sideburns so he had a straight line at the top of his ears that curved around to the back and neatly across the back of his neck around to the left side where I slowly shaved off his long, wide sideburns. Then I took a towel a soaked it in hot water squeezed it out and put it around his neck and ears. I took out a minty tonic and splashed that on as well.
I turned my attention to the top. I put a #4 on the clippers and started at the front and cut a path right down the middle. Lush locks fell every where. I proceeded to buzz from front to crown until it was all about 1/2 inch.
Then I got daring - like what I had already done wasn't. I put a #1A on so I could take it down from 1/2 inch to 1/8 inch, and started on his right side, buzzed very slowly front to crown. I repeated this over to his left side, leaning in and pressing up against him. (I had to make sure everything would be even.) I brushed my hand across the top of his head slowly front to crown. The bristles made me tingle head to toe. All he could muster was a moan.
Next I blended side and back with the top. I took a step back and admired my work.
"Well, I think that about does it." I said while my voice cracked.
He still couldn't speak. Did I put him into shock? I undid the cape and pushed the hair on the floor out of his way. He stood up and stared into the mirror and rubbed both hands all over his head.
He paid me and then turned to me and said. "Can I see you when you get off work?" I had already gotten off several times that evening. Normally, you don't get involved. But, since he was new in town I said yes.
At midnight he showed up dressed to kill in a pair of bicycle shorts and a tank top. Muscles I had brushed up against earlier were now very much visible. He shut the door, pulled the blinds and locked the deadbolt.
I took a deep breath to protest, but he placed his right hand over my mouth and his left hand on my ass. I don't remember too much after that. When I woke up the next morning, his buzzed head was resting on my chest in his hotel room.
He did finally find an apartment - - mine. Eat your hearts out kids.
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