Well, I finally saw red. Lots of it. His name is Patrick and he comes from Donegal, Ireland. He’s a rugby player for the Donegal Dragons. The team is over here playing a few exhibition games. I read all about the team in the paper this morning. Great photos. Well, any way, I had saved that section of the newspaper and was parusing the team photos and noticing this very handsom player, when someone with an Irish accent said “S’cuse me, are ya still open?”
I wasn’t sure if my imagination was working overtime, or if the voice was real. Slowly, I put the newspaper down and turned. There he stood. 6’3” brilliant red locks, emerald green eyes, decent tan and definite rugby muscles. I took a breath and prayed my voice would not crack. “Yes, I’m still open. You just made it before closing.” I was sure that after this one I would be worthless for several hours.
He sat down and said, “After tomorrow’s game we head for some place called El Paso. I hear it’s a desert. I want you to cut my hair really short. I don’t want to roast.” While he spoke I ran my fingers through his long, thick, curley, red hair. He had long loose curls all over about 4 to 5 inches long and he had thick, wide, red sideburns that reached to the jawline. He kept pushing his curley bangs out of his eyes. He also wanted this done quickly - - no shampoo.
I took out my trusty Oster and put the #1A (1/8”) on and clicked the razor on. Where to start? I went to the back and gently tilted his head forward. Starting just behind his right ear, I moved the razor slowly up towards his crown through the thick mass of shiney brilliant red curls. I moved slowly up the back of his head redusing the thick mass of 4” to 5” curls to 1/8”. The beautiful locks fell onto the cape and onto the floor like bursts of flame.
Slowly, I made it around to just behind his left ear. After I reached the his crown just behind his ear, I tilted his head to the right and started buzzing the left side of his head. Slowly I move the razor around his ear toward the front and a huge mass of red curls fell onto the cape in his lap. Then I moved the razor slowly up the left side of his head and watched as those beautiful curls fell to the floor.
I took off the attachment blade and went after his left sideburn. It was very wide and thick. I moved the razor slowly from his jawline to the top of his ear. Then, I moved over to his right sideburn and slowly removed it. I put the attachment blade back on and started mowing down the remaining locks on the right side.
I once again took off the attachment blade and cleaned up the sides and back giving him a crisp defined line all the way around. I took out my shaving cream and applied that around his ears and back of his neck. Slowly and carefully I shaved right up to the hairline all the way around. Then I shaved his face. He was very cooportive and seemed pleased in more ways than one. (So was I and I was hoping he would not notice).
Next, I put the 1/8 “ attachment back on the Oster, turned it on and started in on the top. I tilted his head forward so all the locks would fall in his lap. Slowly I moved the clippers accross his head front to crown mowing down 4 to 5 inches of thick, red masses of curls. Those red curls fell into his lap in a mound. Front to back from his right and finaly to his left. Just to be sure what was left of his hair was all the same length, I went all over his head again with the 1/8” attachment on.
I moved my hand kup the back of his head and over his crown and to the front. He was mezzmerized (or shell-shocked - - I wasn’t sure). I removed the cape and brushed him off. He slowly got up and rubbed his hands over what was left of his hair. He smiled real big and shook my hand, paid me and left.
Well, that was that or so I thought. The next day there was an envelope for me at the front desk. Front row mid-field tickets to the game that day. Yes, Casey and I went. The Donegal Dragons won. (Patrick had two goals and I scored too - - but that was later and on a different field of play with Casey.)
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