HairApparent
A sequel to The Plump Chap III – Encouraging the Aspiring Athletes written for standalone enjoyment without having necessarily read the original stories. The Plump Chap has spent an enjoyable first morning cutting the hair of aspiring professional players at The Meadowlands Tennis Academy to improve their athletic performance. Only one more student demands his attention …
The Plump Chap Awaits Maya
‘Sorry, Charles, I’m not sure what’s happened to Maya,’ apologised Carla, the Academy’s senior performance coach. ‘She is our top aspiring tennis professional, but she tends to be quiet and introverted. In fact, quite the opposite of Anna!’
‘It is not a problem, Carla,’ I said, standing expectantly, facing the door, hands clasped behind my back. ‘Time is not pressing on me.’
‘She has an abundance of wayward hair that she struggles to get under any sort of control on court,’ she lamented. ‘She dislikes braids and buns. It is fortunate we are conducting this trial so we can give her a tangible reason for her to have her hair cut to improve her performance. If we were not doing the trial, I would have strongly suggested it anyway, before introducing her to the pro tennis tournaments.’
‘I see. Then it is excellent that, with the trial programme, you have the full authority to order her to have it cut,’ I speculated. ‘By force, if necessary,’ I added enthusiastically.
‘Er, Charles, it does not work quite like that,’ Carla tittered nervously.
‘Shame,’ I lamented unemotionally, musing on whether there was a role for greater coercion. ‘I wonder—’
‘What’s all this about, Coach?’ A strident voice interrupted from the corridor, even before entering the room. My intriguing musings would need to wait!
= * = * =
‘Maya,’ Carla hissed nervously under her breath to alert me. I wondered why the performance coach, normally so assertive, was acting so awkwardly. I did not have to wait long to find out. ‘Ah, Maya … at last.’
‘Don’t give me that, Coach,’ Maya remonstrated. ‘I was training hard, and then I had this cryptic text from Anna to report to this room. But her directions were terrible. You wait until I see her.’
I chuckled to myself at the thought of Maya eventually seeing Anna with her new haircut. If she had already seen her, I was sure Maya’s tone would have been entirely different.
‘And who’s this chuckling garden gnome?’ Maya demanded disparagingly, thrusting a finger in my direction. Despite myself, my passing resemblance to a small outdoor statue did amuse me.
‘Now calm down, Maya, and listen,’ Carla said evenly, ‘then I will explain.’
She crossed her arms defiantly over her chest. ‘You better had, Coach,’ she huffed.
I gathered Maya must be the Academy’s most able aspiring professional if she could get away with talking to an authority figure in that way. I could best describe her as an Amazonian. She was exceedingly tall, lean, and muscular, without looking out of proportion, and still looking entirely feminine. Exuding power and aggression, I was confident she could take on any man at tennis or any other sport or pastime for that matter. She wore her designer white tennis dress with style, the lace trim and plunging neckline setting her apart from the plain garments of her colleagues.
However, what really distinguished her was her hair. A huge mass of glossy black curls that looked entirely natural, slicked back, and fastened tightly in a ponytail on her crown. While hair of this texture rarely exceeded mid-back length, hers was down to her waist. I had never been a huge fan of curly hair, my pedantic side aggravated by the texture of the hair preventing it from stretching to its fullest extent unless wet. But Maya’s looked soft, springy, and quite delightful, so I was willing to make her an exception.
While I studied Maya’s tresses, Carla began to explain why she was there. ‘The Academy is conducting a trial on different approaches to enhancing –’
‘What’s he looking at my hair like that for?’ Maya interrupted. ‘Looks like a predator wanting to devour it. Stop it! It is creepy.’
= * = * =
‘Sorry, Maya,’ the “chuckling garden gnome” apologised. Smirking, it amused me that her complaint was so close to the truth. But I did not say any more, leaving Maya to continue.
‘Maya, this is Charles, and he is a guest of the Academy, and you are being extremely rude,’ Carla rebuked.
Maya’s changed expression suggested that she realised that she had overstepped the mark, even for the Academy’s top athlete. ‘Sorry, Charles. It is just … well … her …’ she fudged, almost apologising, while waving dismissively in Carla’s general direction.
I shrugged as if it was no matter, then smiled in acknowledgement. I nodded at Carla to continue.
‘Maya, the Academy is conducting a trial on different approaches to enhancing player performance,’ Carla explained. ‘Maya, as you are amongst the group about to set out on the pro circuit, you have been selected to be part of this trial.’
‘Right …’ Maya drawled suspiciously.
‘So, we are experimenting with different hairstyles for our senior players,’ Carla continued, her voice business-like. Maya blinked, a frown forming. ‘The trial will determine which haircut is most efficient, to provide a competitive edge against the top-ranked players.’
‘You are not cutting my hair,’ Maya stated defiantly, tossing her mountain of curls, turning it into a cloud of epic proportions.
‘Jessica now has a bowlcut, and Anna has a flattop,’ Carla told her. ‘And now it is your turn to embrace the trial and improve your competitive edge.’
‘You are not cutting my hair,’ Maya repeated her refusal, making her sound more like a petulant child than an Amazonian.
Carla gave a long sigh, then glanced in my direction. ‘As you know, Maya,’ Carla went on in a more conciliatory tone, ‘you are our top aspiring professional in most areas of the game. As such, we are keen to support you on the pro circuit as soon as possible. But if you feel unable to accept our coaching decisions, then we may have to postpone this move for a year … or even longer.’
‘But I love my hair,’ she whined, ‘and there is a hair care company who want me to endorse their products once I get on the circuit … and it really does not impede my tennis … but I could wear it in a braid … or even a bun …’ she gabbled, quickly running out of alternatives.
Carla listened but shook her slowly with each of her student’s suggestions. ‘Maya, your tennis must always come first!’ she insisted, her voice brooking no argument.
‘It is not fair!’ the petulant child ranted, fully taking Maya over. She even stamped her foot.
‘With you, Maya,’ Carla continued, ignoring the younger woman, ‘we wish to trial a buzz cut. So please take your direction from Charles. He is a skilled and experienced barber that we have recruited for the trial,’ Carla stated with a note of finality.
= * = * =
My heart gave a little flutter of unadulterated delight at the thought of buzzing off such a magnificent head of hair. The impending removal was beyond my wildest dreams. I realised that this was going to be an exceptionally productive week, and my collection would flourish.
‘A buzz cut?’ Maya shrieked, her voice high with dismay. ‘From a barber?’
‘Silence, Maya, I have spoken.’ Carla snapped, her voice surprisingly sharp, her eyes narrowing, silencing the woman’s protest immediately. ‘We benchmarked your performance yesterday. We will measure it again today after your haircut and decide if your ability and efficiency have improved. Now, sit!’
‘It really is not fair at all,’ she whined, stomping to the chair.
Carla turned back to me, her eyes meeting mine, sharing a silent understanding. ‘Charles, please proceed.’
Maya’s eyes darted between Carla and me, a silent plea for a last-minute reprieve for her hair. But Carla’s gaze was as unyielding as granite. My own eyes, magnified and persuasive, held Maya’s, promising nothing more than the inevitable. She swallowed hard and then sat, her body rigid with apprehension. I was delighted as apprehension made the process of transformation even more fulfilling … well, for me! So, I rearranged my tools, quite unnecessarily, simply to extend the delicious moment, make her wait a little longer, and make it all the sweeter.
I studied how Maya had tied her ponytail at the crown and noted she had used two thick bands to secure it. One was flush against her scalp, with a modest gap – more than the width of a scissor blade – between that and the other. Simply perfect, requiring no time-consuming rearrangement!
I had been on the receiving end of more than enough petulance for one day. So, I retrieved my largest scissors and, without delay, encircled the base of Maya’s ponytail, between the two securing bands. That initial cut was always the most gratifying. I always enjoyed the dramatic impact of severing a ponytail that plumed from the crown.
Closing the glinting blades decisively created that satisfying sound of sharp metal crunching inexorably through healthy hair. A noise that was crisp and decisive.
The heavy mane fell into my waiting hand, and I covertly dropped it into the secret compartment of my case. ‘There we go, Maya,’ I chuckled. ‘That is the worst of it gone.’
The Performance Coach Assists the Plump Chap
‘Wow!’ involuntarily escaped my lips. As a senior member of staff, I should have been in more control of my emotions.
My reaction amused Charles. Although I covered my mouth with a hand in apology, that only drew more attention. But seeing Maya’s massive ponytail finally sheared off so instantly sent a jolt of excitement through my whole body. I could not resist leaning in and flipping the pathetic little stump of hair left behind, chuckling as I did so. ‘Oh, it is like a stiff little brush,’ I squealed with delight.
‘Now, Maya, my sheer artistry can come to the fore,’ Charles quipped, releasing the hair from her abbreviated ponytail. Despite the curliness lower down, I was surprised that the hair that had emerged most recently was perfectly straight. I imagined that would be the best texture for Charles to fashion the crew cut we had agreed on for Maya.
Unexpectedly, Charles sidled up to me while fixing an attachment to the blade of my hairclippers. ‘I am delighted with all the rewarding employment you have kindly provided, Carla,’ he whispered, out of earshot of Maya. ‘Now, maintaining all the hairstyles will keep me busy in the future. Naturally, I hope to be here as often as you need me, but there may be occasions when that is not possible,’ he droned on.
All most interesting, I was thinking, but irrelevant. I was struggling to contain my excitement at seeing the next step. I was tingling as I anticipated Charles reducing what remained of Maya’s hair to a neatly streamlined crew cut. ‘Fine …’ I finally acknowledged, gesturing impatiently for him to continue.
‘So, Carla, would you like to learn the basics of trimming different styles?’ he asked. ‘We can begin with the buzz cut, as it’s the most straightforward,’ he said, offering the hairclippers to me.
‘Me?’ I squeaked, attempting to keep my voice low, feeling flushed.
= * = * =
‘Oh, you don’t want to?’ he questioned, drawing back the hairclippers that he had offered her.
‘No, no … I mean, yes, I do want to, so no need to take them away,’ I snapped, grabbing the hairclippers possessively. ‘It’s just I never have –’
‘Don’t worry, it’s straightforward enough, and I’m here to guide you,’ Charles said calmly. ‘With the attachment fitted, the clippers will evenly reduce all of Maya’s hair to three-quarters of an inch. Then we will fit a smaller guard, and I will show you how to fade the back and sides before shaving the hairline,’ he explained, taking a step back.
Reduce. Fade. Shave! The flood of emotive words was overloading my senses, but in a very delightful way.
‘What are you two whispering about?’ Maya demanded petulantly. ‘Now that you’ve started, just get on with it, as I’ve got important training to do.’
‘Don’t worry, Maya, Carla is just getting ready to tidy up your hairstyle,’ Charles said, and I hoped Maya would not complain that it was me who was doing it.
‘Carla?’ Maya questioned, clearly puzzled.
Demonstrating more confidence than I felt, I turned on the hairclippers and placed the blade at Maya’s forehead. Clearly powerful, I loved the vibration and the latent sense of power. As I eased the hairclippers over Maya’s crown, I marvelled at the even furrow of hair left in their wake. With increased enthusiasm, I carved another section over the top of her head, widening the furrow. I repeated the operation until I had buzzed her entire crown, and then I moved to the sides.
‘You are a natural, Carla,’ Charles murmured encouragingly, and I smiled back in gratitude.
Negotiating Maya’s ears required greater concentration, but in a matter of minutes I had buzzed all her hair to the same abbreviated length. All the time, I found myself cradling her head and moving it around. Maya was unusually silent, punctuated by the occasional subtle moan. Despite her earlier objections, I gathered that she might be enjoying what I was doing to her and the way I was doing it.
‘Excellent work, Carla,’ Charles judged, replacing the clipper attachment with a much smaller one.
‘I agree,’ Maya dreamily whispered, her eyes closed, surprising us.
Charles then demonstrated how to trim the lower back and sides to a mere quarter of an inch before blending it with the longer lengths higher up. I followed his lead, and, once again, he nodded approvingly.
Finally, he removed the guard completely and instructed me to shave Maya’s hairline down to the skin. It left a clear white border of pristine white skin, providing a clear indication that she had recently been to the barber. I imagined a brief period on the tennis courts in the sunshine would be sufficient to even up her tanned skin. A shame, really, as I found the stark contrast extremely stimulating.
‘There we are, Maya, all done,’ I announced matter-of-factly, despite my heart hammering in my chest. She looked stunning, and I was proud that it was me who had transformed her. I hoped she would recognise the benefits of being unencumbered and not be too upset with me.
= * = * =
‘Er, right … thanks … Carla,’ she murmured, her breath hitching, undoubtedly aroused by the experience. ‘Feel free to do me at any time,’ she smirked, holding my gaze through lidded eyes, her meaning unambiguous.
The Academy strongly discouraged relationships between staff and students. Despite Maya’s prickly nature, I had always found her attractive but kept my thoughts to myself. Given her enhanced appearance and her appreciation of my efforts, it would have been extremely easy to cross the line. But, exerting all my willpower, I continued to resist.
‘Yes, Maya, I may have to do you … ‘I mean, trim your hair whenever Charles is unavailable,’ I said briskly, pompously, disguising the emotion in my voice. ‘You look very smart, Maya. Streamlined. Efficient. I am sure you will perform much better.’
‘Feel free to check my performance at any time, Coach,’ she invited, licking her lips.
I blushed, attempting to hide my reaction from the others by busying myself, removing the cape from Maya’s neck and lowering the chair.
Charles stepped in with a hand mirror, allowing Maya to study her transformed appearance for the first time. ‘Wow!’ she marvelled, slowly running a hand over her shorn locks. ‘I look so cool! ‘Thanks, both of you.’
The Pump Chap Congratulates the Performance Coach
‘Well done, Carla,’ I said, praising the performance coach and now, it seemed, apprentice barber. ‘As I said, you are a natural, both in terms of pacifying the client and operating the hairclippers. I hope it was not too much of an imposition to ask you to do that?’
‘No, it’s fine,’ she replied coyly. ‘It makes sense to have a backup plan for when you are not here, or you have too much to do. In fact, I found it surprisingly satisfying.’
That was abundantly clear to me, but I resisted diving too deeply, keen to have her as an ally. ‘That’s lovely to hear,’ I said agreeably.
‘Now let me treat you to lunch in our cafeteria,’ she invited, ‘before starting on this afternoon’s batch of aspiring tennis professionals with their absurdly long hair …’
‘Long for now!’ I corrected, looking forward to a quick lunch and then seeing what delights the afternoon would bring.
To be continued
