Embracing My Past

Note: This is a bit of a long story with three haircuts (one is a Men’s cut: not in detail and the other two are women’s cuts (both are bowl cuts: one as a child and one as an adult)) so feel free to skip to the sections Past (female cut as a child), Adam’s Shave (male cut) and My New Bowlcut (female bowl cut as an adult) if you want to only read the cuts 😊. Hope you guys like it💖!!!

Tomorrow was my first wedding anniversary. My husband Adam was a strict, no-nonsense husband, but he took care of me very well. He was perfect in everything he did. He was loving and sweet, but there was one thing about me that annoyed him a lot. It was my hair.

I had hip-length, long blond hair and I took great pride in it. Adam, however, thought it was impractical: it took a lot of time and effort. He always told me that I should get it cut short so we could spend more time together. Adam had a stern horseshoe flattop and got it trimmed every two weeks. During the summer, he would shave it off completely, saying that the heat and hair messes up with daily activities.

Looking at Adam’s short hairstyles, I had developed a hair fetish. I would run up to him every time he came home after his ritual cuts and feel his short stubbly hair and smooth back and sides. So I wanted to experiment with it myself to satisfy my fetish, I was going to ask Adam to accompany me to his barbershop tomorrow and ask for a full smooth shave. This would also please Adam and I would be killing two birds with one stone.

So that night before bed, I asked Adam, “Hey love, are you free tomorrow morning?”.

“Sorry darling, it’s Saturday so I am getting my haircut tomorrow morning at 8, it’s likely to be crowded but I’ll come to you as soon as I am done. But I have a surprise for us tomorrow evening for our anniversary“, he said apologetically.

“Ah, I remember now, I was going to ask if you would accompany me to your barbershop tomorrow morning… So can I come with you tomorrow morning?”, I asked sheepishly.

“Why? Do you want me to get a full shave?”, he smirked, clearly aware of my fetish.

“No no, I want to surprise you and get a new style for myself”, I said. My face was all shades of red surprised by his playful response.

“A surprise? What style are you thinking of?”, he eyed me curiously.

“It’s a surprise.”, I said shyly.

Adam cleared his throat and spoke kindly, “A surprise? You know I don’t like surprises but if you are getting a trim, you should just go to your regular salon.”

“Umm, no… I said I want a new style.”

“What style are you thinking of? I don’t like surprises and would like to know what you’re getting.”, he said sternly.

“Ah ok, I was going to get a head shave like you do during the summer. I want to surprise you for our anniversary“, I said meekly.

Adam was taken aback by my response and said, “Is it because of me? I know I loathe your hair but only because it holds you back. A nice and short haircut will do, you don’t need a full shave. But if that’s what you want, I will support you.”

“Oh, I know but seeing your short haircuts has triggered a fetish within me  and I thought it would be best if I shaved it off.”

“I know about your fetish but you hated the bowlcuts your parents made you get when you were younger, I doubt you’ll like your head shaved. Perhaps try a short haircut first before a shave? If you try a longer hairstyle and don’t like it, you can always shave it afterward.”

“Ah, you are right. Maybe a boyish cut with whitewalls like you? What do you think?”, I inquired curiously.

“I see you’ve done your research but no, I think you should try something a bit feminine so you still feel like yourself. As much as I despise your mop, you like it so you could try a bob or undercut. Or you should try a bowl cut, you look adorable in your childhood pictures and you should try and embrace your past before moving to more darling styles“, Adam advised.

“I hated the bowl cut my parents forced me to get. I had them until I was 15 but I am willing to try it now if you think I’ll look good.”, I said.

“Cool, a bowl cut it is then, let’s go and get our haircuts tomorrow“, Adam said.

We then went to bed but I couldn’t sleep at all. At last, I would be getting the dreaded bowl cut my parents would force me to get until I was 15 to keep me looking “sharp”. I remember one distinct memory when my mom went on a work trip and I had to get my haircut with my father, and he ended up cutting my hair even shorter.

Past …

It was summer break and I was 13. I was quite happy because I assumed that I could skip a haircut but my dad had other plans. On a warm Saturday afternoon after lunch, he told me to get ready and that I was going to get my haircut.

He said, “Come on kiddo, it’s haircut time, I’ll take you to the barbershop this time. Got to keep you looking sharp so that mum doesn’t give me trouble haha.”

“Ok Daddy”, I said.

We drove to the barbershop and I felt sad that I wouldn’t have the opportunity to grow my hair anytime soon. We pulled up near the parking lot and got out of the car. My dad took my hand and smiled at me, “I know you don’t like the bowlcuts mum makes you get but you look really adorable in them. One day when you’re older, you’ll like them and maybe even want to get one again.”

“I don’t think so Daddy”, I resigned.

We walked to Bob’s Barbershop and it was empty. One part of me was relieved as I didn’t want to see any boys from my class getting my haircut. I had always gone to the salon with my mum and the lady there was quite sweet. She would always give me a lollipop and would always gush about my cute bowl cut. My bowl cut was always cut to mid-ear level, with eyebrow-length bangs, and the back was shaved with a number 4 guard so I still looked feminine.

For some reason, I expected it to be the same at Bob’s Barbershop but only later would I realise how wrong I was.

Bob greeted Dad and asked, “Hey man, you are here early, I just cut your hair 2 days back.”

“I am here for my daughter’s cleanup this time haha”, my dad laughed. He continued, “Can you cut her hair in a bowl so she can look sharp again? It’s looking very shaggy now.”

“Sure, climb up the chair and I’ll have you looking good in no time“, Bob said in a no-nonsense strict tone and looked sternly at me. He looked very tall and bulky and I was afraid and quickly climbed onto the big red daunty chair.

Bob then quickly tied a tissue tightly and wrapped a big blue-red-white cape around me. He quickly took some big clippers and pushed my head down. He then started shaping the bowl cut with the clippers. The lady would use scissors and I felt the clippers very high with Bob but I was afraid to look up. I quietly closed my eyes and hoped it wouldn’t be too short. I felt Bob move my head and shape the bowl to the right. His actions with the clippers felt very precise and sharp. After shaping the right, he moved to the left and shaped my left side.

As much as I was afraid, curiosity took over me and I opened my eyes. There was a sharp bald line that was two inches above my ears on both sides. I started feeling scared. Bob then came to the front and took hold of my chin. He then used the clippers to trim my bangs.

He finished and moved back. Trim was a generous word, he had given me very short bangs, they were more than an inch above my eyebrows and I looked weird. Bob then took another set of clippers and gently pushed my head down and started shaving the sides. I hoped he wouldn’t shave it shorter so that it would still look good. Boy was I so wrong.

He quickly shaved the back and moved to the sides, I was skin bald! He had removed every trace of hair and I could see the skin on my head. I felt scared, this was not how the lady at the salon would do it!

After shaving the sides, my hair looked like a small rug on top of my head. It looked very weird but the shape was very precise. I expected him to uncape me but he surprised me by wrapping a hot towel across the back and sides of my head.

I must have looked very confused and Bob looked at me and said, “The towel softens your stubble so I can shave your head smoother. You have thick hair so I might have to shave it more than once to get you looking sharp again.”

“Thank you Mr. Bob”, I said because he really scared me.

“Haha, you are quite a sweet child”, Bob smiled but it did less to comfort me.

I looked at my dad through the mirror, he seemed oblivious to what was happening to me and was immersed in a magazine about cars. I was very nervous but accepted my fate.

Bob then came and removed the towel and started applying cold shaving foam on the back and sides. He then wiped his hands on another towel and then took a straight razor and sharpened it using a strip of leather. He then told me to stay very still and then started shaving the back.

The cold razor touched my bare scalp gently and it was the scariest moment of my life. It sent shivers down my spine. Bob seemed very precise in his actions and quickly shaved my back and sides. My bald head looked very pale in contrast to my face as I had tanned a bit over the summer.

Bob then took another new towel and wrapped it again. Well, I was really scared of the razor he used but resigned to my fate. He meticulously repeated the process again: applied cold shaving foam, sharpened the razor again, and shaved my already bald back and sides again.

He seemed satisfied after the second shave and then took out a comb and scissors from a pocket on his apron. This whole time he hadn’t used a comb or scissors to cut my hair. It seemed ridiculous and I giggled at the scenario.

Bob saw it and smiled, “I am just going to touch up your cut and give you some layers so that your hair looks sharp.”.

“Thank you sir“, I said feebly as I didn’t want to get on his bad side.

“You are a good kid”, he said and took a spray bottle, and started wetting my hair. He wet my hair too much and I felt cold water droplets falling down my face and my bald sides and back.

He combed my hair and started snipping my hair. Bob started cutting layers and it seemed to give some flow and texture to the rug on my head. It started to look more like a rug and less like a bowl. He then combed my hair again and made some final touches to my haircut.

He took a brush and brushed any fallen tufts of hair from my face and neck and took out a blow drier and blow-dried my hair. Bob then combed my hair again and took a bottle containing a weird-looking liquid and applied it to my back and sides. It stung a bit but it felt cool. He walked over to my dad and asked him if it was alright or if he wanted it to be shorter.

My dad was surprised and beamed, “Wow, it looks amazing and much better than her other haircuts. She looks much smarter now, I’ll make sure to bring her to you for her next cut.” Bob said, “Sure, pop in anytime, you can also bring her in every day, and I’ll shave her back and sides for free. She has very thick hair and shaving the back and sides every day will keep her looking sharp. A trim every week should be enough for the bowl. She’s a sweet child and didn’t give me trouble at all, unlike other kids.”

“Oh Bob, I possibly can’t accept that”, my dad said.

“No no, I insist”, Bob said smiling at me.

“Well then, I’ll drop her off every day in the mornings and you can shave her. She can then maybe sweep some hair or help you with some chores.”

“Sure”, Bob said.

I felt very shy and ashamed as Dad and Bob talked about getting my head shaved every day. I hoped Mum would at least ensure that I don’t get stuck with Bob’s version of a “bowl cut” for school after summer.

Bob then uncaped me and removed the tissue from my neck and I got down shakily from the chair. Daddy came and kept ruffling my hair and Bob asked me, “Do you like it, kid?”

“Yes sir, I like it, sir, thank you very much for cutting it.”, I said obediently wanting to stay on his good side as I would see him multiple times again for my haircuts.

Dad paid him and we left. The next day, Daddy took me to Bob at 7 in the morning and I was shaved twice like the day before. However, this time I saw many of my classmates and stayed until the afternoon to help him clean up the store. A few of my classmates smirked and made jokes at my hair but Bob’s stern gaze would shut them up.

Every day during that break, Bob shaved me in the mornings and weekly he would trim my hair. I got used to it and Mum was happy to see my style and decided that only Bob would be cutting my hair. So until 15, I was taken to Bob every day where he would maintain my pristine bowl cut. During weekends and breaks, I would stay back at the barbershop and help Bob with some chores. He was kind to me but he still looked scary to me especially when he would maintain my bowl cut.

After I turned 15, my parents decided I was mature enough to choose my own hairstyle and I finally grew it out and stopped going to Bob’s Barbershop.

Present …

Thinking about my past haircut, night turned to day quickly and this time I was excited to get a bowl cut. I was a bit skeptical but I wanted to satisfy my fetish and please Adam so I had to embrace my past.

I woke up at 4 and washed my hair quickly and blow-dried it for one last time. Adam woke up at 5 and I quickly made pancakes for breakfast and Adam came down to eat breakfast. We ate and talked a bit about if I was sure about cutting my hair today.

“Yes, I was thinking about it and I am sure I want to do it. I need to embrace my past and if I don’t like it I can get it shaved anyway.”, I said.

“Sure then, let’s go to the barbershop then”, Adam said proudly.

Adam drove us and I felt butterflies in my stomach. What would my friends and colleagues think? I consoled myself as Adam would definitely love it and he was the main person I wanted to please. I idly wondered what my mum and dad would feel, seeing as they maintained my “bowl” for 15 years, I expected them to be pleased too.

We arrived at the barbershop at it was surprisingly empty. I looked at Adam quizzingly and he said, “It’s still 7, they open at 6:30 so I figured we could go early and get it over with sooner.”

“That’s a good idea”, I said.

We walked hand in hand and entered Mark’s Barbershop.

Adam’s Shave

“Hi Adam, ready for your cut early today?”, asked his regular barbershop Mark.

“Of course Mark, I’ll get a full head shave today. My wife would also like to get her hair cut into a bowl cut. You can start with me and then do my wife’s hair.”, Adam said.

“Sure thing, hop on Adam“, said Mark as Adam sat on the big red barber chair.

While I would look out of place and shy in such a scenario, Adam was confident and winked at me from the mirror.

I blushed and sat in the waiting area. I saw Mark quickly wrap a tissue around Adam’s neck and cape him.

“A head shave today right?”, confirmed Mark.

“Yes, it’s our wedding anniversary today so I want to look sharp, and nothing beats a smooth head shave.”, laughed Adam.

“Yup, keeps the missus happy, one head shave coming right up”, declared Mark and fired his clippers. He started in front of Adam’s head and shaved the top first.

Adam looked like a balding man and I giggled. Mark saw me laughing and paused, “The opposite of your regular flattop”.

“Haha, true indeed”, Adam laughed too.

Mark then quickly used the clippers to shave Adam’s back and sides. He then took a hot towel and wrapped it around his bald head.

Adam seemed relaxed and closed his eyes as Mark removed the towel and applied shaving cream. He took his straight razor and sharpened it. Looking at this, I was astonished at Adam’s calmness. I would always be fretting and afraid whenever Bob shaved my bowl cut when I was younger.

Mark quickly shaved Adam’s head and wiped it with another warm towel. I saw Adam’s bald head and it looked as beautiful as I imagined it. Mark quickly applied talc to Adam’s entire head and playfully took a blow drier to remove any stray hair from Adam’s face.

He quickly brushed Adam’s face and neck and uncaped him. Adam confidently got down and rubbed his head. “Love it like every time Mark“, Adam mused and paid and tipped the barber.

My New Bowlcut

“Come on next madam”, yelled Mark.

I dainty got up and walked towards the big scary chair. After seeing Adam’s relaxed demeanor, I decided to enjoy my haircut too. I sat down on the big red chair but this time it felt comfy instead of intimidating. Mark quickly put my hair up in a bun using a clip and wrapped a tissue tightly around my neck and caped me. He then undid the bun so my long hair fell down beautifully and confirmed with Adam, “A bowl cut for your missus?”

“Yes, a traditional bowl cut, like the one you would give kids.”,  Adam explained.

“You got it“, piped Mark. He looked at me and smiled, “Excited for your transformation today?“.

“Yes, I am a bit nervous but I am ready for my new hairstyle“, I said. As opposed to Bob, Mark seemed very easygoing and jovial. It made me a bit more comfortable and less jittery.

“I am going to comb your hair now”, Mark explained and started brushing my long hair. 

He brushed my hair for a few minutes and then took out some big clippers from a drawer. “I am going to line up your bowl first before shaving the back and sides”, explained Mark.

“Sounds good!”, I exclaimed. Mark started shaping the bowl from behind and I felt the bowl quite high. I was really nervous about what everyone would think but I decided to be in the moment and enjoy the process. Mark worked precisely and meticulously while talking to Adam about the latest soccer game. He started shaping the sides and I saw my long cherished hair fall to the floor. 

It felt really nostalgic, seeing the familiar bowl shape form on my back and sides. Mark then moved forward and combed some hair in front to cut my bangs. He quickly clipped the bangs and I saw that they were about two inches above my eyebrows. The bowl shape also seemed to be much higher than the one I had during my childhood.

“Is this length alright Adam? I can go shorter if you want.”, asked Mark.

Adam came near me and inspected the pending haircut. “I think you can go half an inch shorter, it’ll be more practical”, stated Adam.

“Sure”, said Mark and started reshaping my bowl. He worked with patience and precision and I noticed a man with two boys with shoulder-length hair enter the barbershop.

“Take a seat and I’ll be with you”, said Mark.

“Sure”, said the man. He looked at me and exclaimed to his kids, “I know I said you were getting trims but look at the sweet lady getting a sensible haircut. I have decided that both of you will be getting bowl cuts.”

The boys tried to argue their way out but I knew it wouldn’t work. Mark reshaped my bowl and asked Adam to inspect it again. He was satisfied with the shortened bowl and beamed with pride at me. I flushed with joy when I saw that the bowl cut would be much shorter than my childhood cuts. 

Mark then took a different pair of clippers and started shaving the back. I felt my long locks tumble down on the floor and cool air on my exposed scalp. Mark worked quickly and removed all traces of hair from my back and sides. My long hair piled on the floor and it was weird how all of that had just been on my head a few minutes back. I looked at myself in the mirror and saw an older version of me with a severe bowl cut. But now, it felt like myself. Then, he wrapped a warm towel over my back and sides. He waited a few moments before removing the towel. The cool air from the AC hit my scalp and I shivered. Mark quickly applied cool shaving foam on my shaved back and sides. He then took out a straight razor and started shaving me.

The touch of the cold razor still scared me but I liked it this time. Mark quickly shaved my head and said, “Your scalp is very sensitive to the shave but you’ve got thick hair so I’ll shave it again using just cool water to not irritate your freshly shorn scalp.”

“Ah yes, it feels quite chilly”, I laughed. 

Mark took a spray bottle and quickly sprayed my back and sides with cool water. He then applied foam and shaved my back and sides again meticulously. He then took a cool towel and wiped my back and sides. Taking a small foil shaver, he carefully shaved my back and sides again. 

Mark then combed my hair to make sure the bowl cut was precise and made some small changes. He then took a blow-drier and blow-dried my hair. He then quickly took a small brush and dusted my face and neck. 

Mark pulled another drawer and took a small hand mirror and showed me the back of my head. It was red from the shave and almost the entire back of my head was shaved to the bone. 

“It’s amazing, I love it!”, I exclaimed.

“Wow, you look really sharp and beautiful”, Adam mused.

I blushed all shades of red. “Glad both of you like it”, Mark said and took some talc and applied it to my back and sides. It stung a lot but felt cool afterward.

“Do you plan on maintaining this look for your wife?”, Mark asked Adam.

“Yes, she’ll maintain it for a while. However, during the summer, we will get matching head shaves haha”, laughed Adam confidently.

A head shave! I would be looking forward to that. I blushed and thanked Mark sincerely as he uncaped me. Adam paid and tipped him and we both left the barbershop together.

The Aftermath

“Do you really like it?”, asked Adam as we got into the car.

“I do, at first I was really scared but seeing you comfortable during your head shave calmed me. Also, the barber wasn’t intimidating like my childhood barber”, I laughed. “But it’s the first time my head is very red, my head didn’t feel sensitive to the shaves during my childhood”, I continued.

“Oh no darling, it’s probably because you’ve hidden your scalp under that mop for so long“, Adam remarked and reached out to rub my back and sides. His touch was cool and soothing and it felt very intimate. 

We then spent the day going shopping, watching a movie, and having dinner at a fancy restaurant. It was sweet and intimate and I loved that I married Adam. After a long day, we went home during the evening. As we got down from the car, I said, “I need a shower, I have little hairs all over me but they didn’t bother me during the day”.

Adam smiled and we opened the door and I heard a lot of people scream “Surprise”. I was shocked and saw my parents, Adam’s parents, and our close friends. Adam had planned a surprise party for me and I was so happy to see everyone. My friends liked my new haircut and my parents were elated. My dad kept ruffling my hair and said, “I know you’d get the bowl cut once you were older, it suits you very well”.

“You were right Dad and Adam helped me see it”, I smiled hugging him.

PS: I write for fun so let me know if you guys liked it in the comments below 😊

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