Enzo
This story is about a real incident that happened to me when I was a 15 years old boy. I’ve kept it as real as I can remember. Hope you enjoy it.
When I was 15, my 2 cousins Joe, aged 13, and Sam, aged 11, lived around the block from me. They had a pool so I would go to their house every day in the summer. The summer I turned 15 was a particularly hot summer. My cousins and I had our typical boys layered haircuts. No particular style, it just laid there. When we got out of the pool, we towel dried our hair, and that’s how it stayed.
There was one day I overheard my uncle on the phone with his friend Pat, who was a barber. He was arraigning for my cousins to go to the barbershop for a good summer cut. I heard him tell the barber “ The boys are coming in for haircuts”. He paused for a moment then said “Summer Special, that sounds good, and don’t let the big one give you any problems”.
A short time later, my uncle told me that he was bringing my cousins to the barbershop, and I could stay behind if I wanted to. Since the barbershop was only four blocks away, I offered to take them, rather than stay alone. My uncle was appreciative and told me to tell the barber that we were Sal’s boys. He’d know what to do. He gave me a $20.00 bill to pay and sent us on our way.
When we arrived at the barbershop, I noticed a sign in front of the shop that said, Summer Special Only $5.00. I recall my uncle mentioning that on the phone and wondered what kind of cut would only be $5.00. We entered the barbershop and we were greeted by the barber. I told him Sal sent us here. The barber looked at us and smiled. He told us he’d been waiting for us and asked where Sal was. I told him he couldn’t make it, but he said you knew what to do. He told me he did, and told my cousins to sit in the waiting area. He then told me to take a seat in the chair.
I told him, “Oh, no, I’m not getting a haircut, they are” The barber let out a sigh and said “Sal told me the big one would give me problems”. He then grabbed me by the ear and dragged me to the chair. He plopped me down in the chair and tied a red, while and blue striped cape around me.
At that point, I knew I was fighting a loosing battle. I had no choice but to submit to getting a haircut. My ear was throbbing from being pulled and the barber was much stronger than me.
Having secured me in the chair he spun me around so I was no longer facing the mirror, but facing my cousins.
He then pushed my head all the way down until my chin touched my chest. I could no longer see anything, but I suddenly head the sound of the clippers fire up.
Within an instant, I felt the barber place his hand on top of my head, and immediately felt the clippers run up the back of my head.
My eyes widened as I saw the first tufts of hair float down the cape. From that moment on, everything happened so fast.
He ran the clippers quickly up the back of my head and towards my ear. He then pushed my head to the left and began running the clippers up the side of my head and around ear.
When the reached the temple, my head was then pushed straight. The barber picked up where he left off at the back and proceeded to buzz off the remaining hair at the back, pushing my head to the right, and running the clippers up that side of the head until he reached the temple.
Once again, my head was propped forward. I could see the look of fear on my cousin’s faces as they watched what was happening to me. The cape was littered with the hair that used to be on my head.
The barber then stood in front of me. He took the clippers and ran them down the center of my head, peeling off what remaining hair I had. He continued to mow down the top until he was certain every hair was cut.
When he was finished, the barber spun my chair back around, so I could see my reflection in the mirror. He removed the cape and dusted me off saying “there you go, nice and cool for the summer “
I looked in the mirror and saw my hair was now reduced to sandpaper. I was mortified. My head looked like an egg. I exited the chair rubbing my head, as it felt rough.
The barber then called for my 13 year old cousin Joe. He protested wildly. Like me, he was dragged to the chair by his ear. He squirmed around in the chair so much that the barber asked me to hold him down while he was being caped.
Once caped, the barber then pushed his head down too and secured it in place with his hand. He then started buzzing off Joe’s hair, but Joe kept squirming, until he too succumbed and accepted his fate. I sat watching in amazement as Joe sat visibly upset while the barber continued to plow through his hair, reducing it to sandpaper like mine.
When the barber was finished, he dusted Joe off and called for the 11 year old Sam, who had been crying. He’d saw what was happening, and knew what his fate would be. He was escorted to the chair gently by the barber. No ear pulling needed, as he went willingly, but crying. He’d hoped the barber would take pity on him, but the barber was merciless. Joe and I watched as Sam continued to cry throughout his haircut.
After the barber dusted Sam off, he declared were done and sent us on our way.
As the 3 of us walked back to the house, our white heads were shining in the sunshine. We passed by some kids who started chanting “Eggheads!” We were mortified.
When my uncle saw us, he said to me, “I didn’t know you wanted your haircut too”.
I explained how he warned the barber about the big one and the barber was under the impression that I was the big one. He apologized and rubbed my head saying “don’t worry, it’s only hair. It’ll grow back” Then said, does anyone want an omelet? I’m in the mood for eggs.
