Freezing

The next day I was inundated with questions from all the customers. Questions like ‘Why did you shave it all off? You looked so good with your hair!’ or ‘But why would a girl like you decide to shave her hair?’ or ‘A woman should never shave her hair. Why did you do that?’.

 

Because I was simply tired of all the heat I was forced to suffer and because I wanted to change for once. If they knew the enormous pleasure it feels to feel the breeze on your bare head and the razor that cuts everything away, taking the heat with it, they wouldn’t have asked all those questions. I was almost tempted to inaugurate a day where only shaving was done and for free, just to show people what it feels like.

 

With time I got more and more used to the new cut. I was thrilled with the choice I made. Now I wouldn’t feel the heat for a while. The days at the shop were lighter and more pleasant. I was really hoping that someone would take inspiration from me and decide to do the same. Incredibly, it worked for some.

 

It was a day like any other at the salon. Several clients decided to have a shorter cut than usual but not like mine. Soon it was 10:45am. The cuts continued very quickly, so much that by that time there was no one left. That’s how it seemed to me.

 

A black car parked on the opposite side of the street. It was a Mercedes. A chauffeur wearing a hat was behind the wheel. A large brute in a suit and tie came out from the seat next to him. He headed in front of the door located behind the driver’s door. He opened it. A fully dressed woman came out of the car. Both her turtleneck jacket and knee-length skirt were red. A long row of gold circles adorned her neck. The long, large earrings that reached down to the collarbones were of the same workmanship. Her appearance was taken care of down to the smallest detail: her lipstick was evenly distributed on her lips, the same goes for the nail polish on her nails. The thing that impressed the most about the woman were her eyes: the thin eyebrows and the cut of her eye framed a blue gaze, cold, ruthless and calculating, I dare say. She gave the impression of being a very confident person who always gets what she wants.

 

“I’ll do it myself” she said to her bodyguard as she headed towards my salon. The bell rang. She immediately found herself inside.

 

“Greetings.”

 

“Greetings” I replied.

 

“Please take a seat in one of the chairs while I see what I can do for you.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

The woman took a seat in the central chair. Meanwhile I took out the black cape and wrapped it around her body, fastening it around her neck.

 

“Well, what can I do for you and this magnificent hair of yours?”

 

Her hair was very particular and well-groomed. The parting in the middle of hers divided two huge portions of hair that covered the entire top, down to the nape of her neck. These were bent into two huge curls that formed a long tunnel of hair all over her head, on both sides. The hair on the sides of her was tied so that it went back to the nape, where it was then tied into a soft bun placed on her neck. All in a rigorous bright purple color.

 

“Well, as you can see, I am a very important woman as I am the head of a prestigious private school, as well as the director of a renowned company.”

 

At that moment, those words reminded me of those of another person. I was wondering if she worked at this woman’s company.

 

“As a very successful woman, I wanted to highlight the qualities that have brought me to this point. I want something that makes people understand who I really am, that even though I am a woman I can prove that I am even stronger than a man, something that makes it clear that you don’t mess with me.”

 

She had very precise and detailed ideas of what she wanted. You could see that she didn’t fill those roles by chance.

 

“So she wants a cut that shows her true colors, right?”

 

“Exactly. It’s time for them to understand who’s in charge here.”

 

Her words overflowed with determination, seriousness and ambition.

 

“I’m sorry but at the moment I can’t think of any type of cut that suits you other than the one you already have. Do you have anything in mind about how you would like them?”

 

“No, not yet. I asked for your help just to see if I could get what I wanted. But apparently I made the wrong choice in turning to you.”

 

That sentence of hers completely froze me. Suffering a rebuke from a woman of such success and importance was certainly not an everyday thing. And then, the eyes with which she told me it didn’t make it any less worse.

 

“I deeply apologize to you, ma’am.”

 

“Apologies won’t get me what I want!”

 

The situation seemed to get worse every time I opened my mouth. I didn’t know what to do anymore. So, I decided to turn to the only thing that could get me out of that situation, at least a little.

 

“I understand your frustration. If you want, I’ll pass you some magazines so you can try to find a cut you like.”

 

“Yes, it will be better.”

 

“With premise.”

 

I moved away from her for a few moments, enough so that I could rummage through the magazines and find some that could inspire the woman. I took one and started leafing through it.

 

I couldn’t know that those cold eyes were watching me in the meantime. Her gaze fell on my hairless head. Suddenly, a flash ignited her inspiration. All the information she had given me about herself came back to her. ‘Something that shows who I really am…that shows that I am stronger than a man…that shows that you don’t mess with me…that shows who is in charge…that shows my true nature…’

 

“Here. I’ve finally decided which cut to opt for.”

 

“And what would that be?”

 

“I want my haircut to show my true colors. What would be more suitable than this? I want you to shave my hair completely. I don’t want to see a single hair on my head again, is that clear?”

 

“May I know how you came to this conclusion?”

 

“Well, you see, it’s thanks to you that I finally found the right cut I wanted. Looking at your head made me think of all the things I want to represent. Power, self-confidence, courage and elegance. That’s exactly how I want to appear.”

 

“I’m honored that I was of help to you. I think this new cut will look great on you.”

 

“We just have to see if your prediction is right. Come on, let’s get moving!”

 

“With great pleasure.”

 

We had finally come to a conclusion. My cut had also been an inspiration to a proud person like that woman. I was more and more convinced of what I had done with my hair.

 

I first proceeded to untie the woman’s complex style. When the work was completed, the locks reached halfway down the back. Beautiful, long, bright and voluminous. All things that they would no longer be.

 

I hurriedly picked up the electric razor and turned it on.

 

“Are you sure, ma’am? Once you start there’s no turning back.”

 

“Of course I’m sure, little girl! And now hurry, I don’t have all day.”

 

“As you wish.”

 

She had made her final choice for herself. I won’t deny that I was a little happy to shave it all from top to bottom. I considered it a sort of revenge for the humiliation I had suffered.

 

I didn’t hesitate for a single moment and ran the blades all over her head. Now the middle parting that separated her two immense curls was even more accentuated. Several strands fell before her calm, scrutinizing gaze. She was unmoved by all those new sensations that anyone would experience. Was it possible that she was so cold?

 

Luckily there were at least the blades that got warm with all that cutting. What had once been her curls were now simply stubbles that had fallen at the hands of a force greater than themselves. However much power she had, not even she was able to oppose the inevitable, in this case the clippers.

 

It had gotten to the point where all of her purple locks were on the floor. I put the electric razor down to make room for the next step. I covered my hands in shaving cream and ran them through all the remaining stubbles. The decisive moment had come. Nothing could stop me anymore. I opened the razor and placed it on the woman’s forehead. Quickly I pushed it back and the line down the middle of her disappeared completely. Other passes were concerned with releasing her true nature, as she herself had decided and requested. Her merciless eyes did not shake off me for even an instant.

 

My work was done. I was just waiting for the criticism of that new cut.

 

“Simply perfect. It gives a touch of elegance that hair is not able to fully convey.”

 

“Thank you Madam.”

 

“I’ll make sure the cut is charged to your account. You turned out to be less useless than I thought.”

 

I blushed once again at that statement. I didn’t know what to say, so I didn’t say anything. I simply lowered my head.

 

Then, her voice.

 

“Raise that head. How can you expect others to respect you if you don’t impose yourself even a little? Wear your shaved head as a sign of courage and power. Not everyone has the courage that you showed in getting your head completely shaved. They should be the ones, cowards, who should show you respect!”

 

And with that first and last encouragement from her, the woman went back towards her Mercedes , telling her bodyguard, “We can go.”

 

 

After all that criticism, the woman’s last words before she left the shop made me even more proud of my decision.

 

She left the salon permanently, but not my life. Her words would have remained with me forever.

 

Next part — Habit