JimB
Buzzed at the barber shop ….. Then ……
By JimB ©opyright May 2016
As we walked to her car, I wanted to ask her about what she said to Mr. Paul.
“What say we got get lunch at Ramond’s,” she asked me.
“Ramond’s,” I inquired.
“O’ yes, I forgot you are not from around here,” she replied. “Ramond’s is a some what a classy restaurant.
“We’ll have the pork chops. They are their specialty.
“They come with small roosted potatoes, asparagus tips, some veg’s, and a glass of green tea.
“For desserts we’ll have a slice of their apple pie and a small glass of brandy.
“How does that sound?”
“Aunt Bernie.” Terri replied questioning. “You know I am thirteen!
“I can’t have brandy. It is against the law.”
Aunt Bernie reaches over and pats her on her left hand, “I won’t tell if you won’t!
“Besides, ladies prefer a small brandy with their dessert.”
When we got home she was quit.
“Why don’t you warm the coffee”, she told me. “I have to make a run the to the “lady’s room.”
I smile and told her, “Don’t be long, I have to do so, too.”
When she walked in the kitchen I had two cups of coffee poured.
She sat and we looked at each other.
“Can I ask you something?” I inquired.
“Sure.” She replied as she got up and got another cup of coffee.
“When you stepped out the barber chair”, I began. “You said “Been awhile since I felt this.” to Mr. Paul.
“What did you mean?”
“When I divorced that rat Harris Jones,” she began. “You weren’t born then.
“I had long hair to the middle of my back. He like me with long hair!
“Well, a few months after the divorce I decided I wanted a change.
“I had my investments, my grandfathers had started for me when I was born.
“They both were stock brokers.
“My dad left me with a nice insurance he had taken out on his self.
“One for me and one for my mom.
“When she passed away a few years later, I inhered her estate.
“YES, you godmother this filthy rich, to say.
“We had come out to this area often. I like coming here because it was quite and the air is fresh.
“So, when I found out this peace of land was for sale, I purchased it.
“Of course I had to look around for things, places, I needed to go to. One was a place to get my hair trimmed ever so often.
“There, as you see, are no beauty salons, only Paul’s Barbershop.
“I need a trim.
“After a few months the weather started turning warm, warmer than in New York City.
“My hair was sticking to my clothing, my back. It got wet fast.
“So, I decided …… Not married ….. Why have long hair.
“I went to Paul to see if he could cut my hair in a nice Pixie.
“While I was sitting waiting for my turn, he had a boy around ten years old, in his chair and he was buzzing his head.
“Then, I heard his mom say, “OK young lady, your turn!
“And, this girl around your age stood up and walked to Paul’s chair.
“She said nothing and just like it was nothing he buzzed her head.
“Then, their mom got in the barber chair and her head was buzzed.
“Two more customers and it was my turn.
“Paul caped me and before he could asked what I wanted.
“I told him “I wanted the same hair cut”.
“Fifteen minutes later all my hair was on the floor and I felt funny but I loved the cut.
“Kept my head buzzed for twelve years, even when it got cold and others were letting their hair grow.
“Then, about five years when the gray started showing, I started letting it grow.
“But, why did you get it buzzed …..,,” I asked.
“When you came in Thursday, I smelled the retention pond,” she continued.
“Yes, I smelled it.
“So, I decided you need another lesson for doing something you were told not to do.
“I called Paul Friday.
“I was going to get my hair cut to the shoulders.
“But, while sitting there and watching Paul buzz your head it brought back those day, years I had the buzz cut.
“So, when I took a seat I told him to “buzz me.”
“Okay, I understand.”, I told her. “But, I did not thing I smelled that much.
“I only took a hand full to smell the water.
“But, the Allen girls?
“Who are they? How is their hair cut?
“I mean, I have asked a few people and they just smile and go about.”
“Just hope things don’t get to that point.” she told me.
Went we started going to Mr. Paul every ten day and got buzzed I heard a few boys saying they had seen the Allen girls around.
When I asked about them, they walked away.
For some crazy reason I could not get the “Allen girls” out of my mine.
Specially, when Aunt Bernie and I went to Mr. Paul for our haircut.
“Terri, tomorrow we will go into Morgan Town for a few things,” she told me. “If it doesn’t take too long, on the way back we will stop by Mr. Paul for a haircut.”
I started to ask her but let it go.
The run to Morgan Town was short. The stores did not have what Aunt Bernie wanted but she was able to order some at one store.
They said they would call her when it came it.
With that we head home.
“Want to get your hair cut today or Saturday!” she asked me.
She never asked me before. In fact she said we would stop by Mr. Paul for our hair cur if we were not too long in Morgan Town.
I shrugged my shoulders, “Yes, that would be okay.”
When we got to Mr. Paul’s barbershop there were two boys walking out. I waived to them and they waived back.
“Must be slow,” I told Aunt Bernie.
As we pulled up a lady, with two girls, walked into the barbershop. Aunt Bernie took notice but did not say anything.
When we entered Mr. Paul said his “hi” and continued cutting Mr. Stafford’s hair. The other two barbers also had customers in their chair and waiting.
I noticed the two girls I saw when we pulled up. They looked like twins.
They were dressed a like, they talked at the same time like twins. They had the same color hair and it was short, almost like mine, and Aunt Bernie.
“Hi, Margret.” Aunt Bernie said to their mother. “I don’t think you know my god daughter, Terri!”
She shook her head “no” and Aunt Bernie introduced us.
“Terri,” she said. “Met Mrs. Allen.”
I started to ask but Aunt Bernie nudged me and I said, “Nice to meet you.”
“These are my twin daughters”, Mrs. Allen said. “Simpson and Sanders.”
Again Aunt Bernie nudged me.
Aunt Bernie and Mrs. Allen talked, then Mr. Paul called, “Sanders you first, this time!”
I wondered what it was about them as she walked to the barber chair.
They were dressed like I was. They did not look like there was anything wrong with them.
Sanders …… Simpson …..
Crazy first names.
She sat in the barber chair.
“The usual?” Mr. Paul asked her mother. She looked at Sanders who then looked at Simpson.
“The usual,” she told Mr. Paul.
He turned and took hold of the clippers from under the shelf.
Without any hesitation be began buzzing her head. She was getting the same haircut I was going to get.
So, what was the deal!
When he was finished buzzing her, he took the cape off. He took hold a towel form the shelf and tucked into her collar of her blouse.
He tossed another towel into the sink of running warm water. Ringing it out some he turned and wrapped her buzzed head.
The winding sound of the lather dispenser sounded.
He turned and removed the towel, tossing it on the shelf.
Then, he began lathering her head. Her whole head, not just the hair line.
She just sat there. She looked at her sister. They smiled at each other.
After sharping his straight razor he began shaving her head …… He was shaving her head ……
Not the hairline. Her head was being shaved. Her whole head was being shaved.
I looked at Aunt Bernie, she just looked at me and when “surzzzz”.
I sat there watching Mr. Paul shave her head as if it was nothing.
But, it was a girl, not a boy.
When he was finished, he lathered her head and shaved her again.
WHY!
She got out the chair and her sister, Simpson, took the chair.
She was caped and her head was buzzed.
Then, Mr. Paul lathered her head and began shaving her head, too.
I leaned a little and looked at Sanders. She looked just as beautiful as she did with hair. Maybe her eyes showed more.
And, she looked like she liked her head shaved.
I looked back at Simpson’s head shaving and I began to wonder.
Wonder why! Wonder how it felt!
When Mr. Paul finished shaving Simpson’s head she stepped from the barber chair. Sanders got up and walked to her.
Their mom stood up and opened her purse. She gave each girl some money.
“I’ll met you at the coffee shop,” then she stepped into Mr. Paul’s barbers chair.
“Crew cut.” she said to Mr. Paul. “A short one this time.”
I got up and walked to the magazine rack, which was by the door. I took a quick glance out the picture window and saw them walking.
They turned and looked back.
I got a lump in my throat.
When I sat down Mr. Paul was pushing the clippers up Mrs. Allen right side, working his way behind her head.
The door opened, it was Simpson.
“Mom, can we get a slice of cake!’ she asked her mom.
“Yes,” she told her. “Get a table with three chairs.”
She looked my way. Our eyes met. I saw something.
I felt something, something I felt when Aunt Bernie had my head clippered that Monday.
But, this feeling was different.
I looked at Aunt Bernie. Simpson was still standing in the door and looking at me.
She smiled. She brushed her fingers over her head.
She pointed at me.
Aunt Bernie looked at me. She saw Simpson.
I started brushing my head with my fingers.
Simpson walked away.
Mr. Paul was now cutting the top of Mrs. Allen’s hair short using a comb and passing the clippers over it.
The End !!!!! By JimB ©opyright May 2016
