Well, word has spread that I’ve opened up a shop on the south side of town. Casey added an old bell just above the door so it would ring when some one opened the door.
Mark (see story #3 The Construction Project) came by and brought a sign to put out in the front yard that was in the shape of a barber pole and read “Cal’s Corner.” He also brought a good portion of his construction crew with him. To say the least I was thrilled! I cleaned up his high & tight on the house.
While I was finishing up Mark’s high & tight, the bell from the door jangled and in walked a guy with light brown curly hair. I told him to come in and have a seat and that I would be with him shortly. Mark tried to pay, but after what he had done for me I refused to let him. He said he’d be back in a week.
I turned around and smiled at the new guy and told him he was next. (I would have thought that it was obvious since he was the only customer in the shop, but you never know.) The new guy said his name was Mac and he lived just down the street & had seen Mark put up the sign and then all the crew with him. Everyone going in a bit shaggy & coming out cleanly crisp. Mac went on to say that there had not been a barber shop near here in since he had moved in a couple of years ago. (Yeh, some of them are talkers.)
As he rambled on, I ran my fingers through his very curly hair. Mac had light brown curly hair that was very soft and about 3” long on top and the sides and tapered longer in the back to about 5” of curls. Now when he first sat down I thought that someone had given him a very good perm, but after a thorough investigation I came to the conclusion that he had natural curls.
Mac was about 6’ tall and looked like he went to a gym once or twice a week. He had green eyes - - a rich olive green. He was maybe 24 or 25, but who cares - - he’s a stud.
I managed to break in his history of the area and asked him how short. He ran his fingers through his hair and said that he wasn’t sure. I suggested a short tapper cut that would leave curls on top but leave the sides and back short.
Mac thought for a moment looking in the mirror at himself like he was trying to imagine what he would look like with that cut. He said no, his whole life he’d had these curls. His mother trimmed his hair and never wanted to cut his curls. Mac then said that he wanted a change. A short cut - - no curls. (I was more than happy to oblige.)
I got my Oster out and put the #1 (1/8”) attachment on and clicked the razor on. It was obvious he had never had a razor cut. His eyes got big and he took a deep breath. I started on his right side. I tilted his head slightly so what I clipped would fall in his lap.
I moved the razor slowly up the side of his head. A cascade of 3” light brown fluffy curls tumbled onto the cape in his lap. I continued to buzz around his right ear all the while the cascade of curls continued to tumble onto the cape. Moving around to the back, I tilted his head forward and moved the clippers up to his crown.
The cascade of curls grew since his hair was 4” to 5” long in back. Gobs of curls fell to the floor as I slowly moved the razor up the back of his head to the crown repeatedly across the back. Then I moved around to his left and again tilted his head so the curls would fall into his lap.
Once again the cascade of 3” curls continued to plummet onto the cape in his lap and as I moved the razor around his left ear I could tell he had relaxed and was really enjoying this. (So was I and I was trying very hard not to show.) I finished up buzzing the left side of his head. I clicked off the clippers so they could cool down. (They still had a lot of work to do.)
I got out the shaving cream and lathered up around his ears and the back of his neck. I took out my best straight razor and slowly went around his ears and the back defining the edge. While I was at it I shaved his face and removed what sideburns he did have so there was a clean straight line above his ears. Then I rubbed on some Wintergreen tonic around his ears and back and face.
By this time my trusty Oster had cooled down, so, I decided it was time to heat them up again. I tilted his head forward so the curls on top of his head would fall into his lap. Leaving the #1 (1/8”) attachment on, I started on his right and ran the clippers through a mass of brown 3” curls back across his head towards his crown. The cascade of curls had turned into an avalanche.
Slowly I repeated moving the clippers through that beautiful mass of light brown 3” curls back across his head towards his crown. (He was so into that he could not hide his excitement and he was a bit embarrassed. I smiled and hoped that he could not see my excitement though my longish barber’s shirt.) I moved around to his left side and finished off the last bit of those beautiful curls.
Then I went over his entire head again so what hair he had left would all be 1/8”. I then took off the #1 attachment and put on the #000 (1/50”) and got out my best comb and tapered the sides and back from 1/50” around the ears and back of the neck to 1/8” at the top. When I was done I rubbed my hand up the back of his head and his crown. He smile real big. I brushed the loose bits of hair and took off the cape.
Mac stood up and rubbed his hands over his head and said he really liked it and would be back. He paid me and went on his way. I started to clean up when I heard someone clear his throat. Turning around I saw Casey. Of course, I closed shop and “cleaned up” his do and then some. Say good night Casey.
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