Cutter
I’m a barber in a small Texas town. People stop and panhandle up at the interstate off ramp. Some needing gas money or help of some sort but most are just there just asking for a handout. I pulled in to get gas and a man approached me and ask if I would spare some money he was trying to get over to Florida where he had a truck driving job waiting for him he would send the money back in a month or so. Not really believing him I ask do you have anything to sell. Only my clothes and my car he replied. To see if he was serious I said I’ll give you $400. A smile appeared till I said but you and your family have to come to the shop and get haircuts and cleaned up. He said that would be great we all could use a trim. Then I told him I’d be picking the cuts. The smile disappeared. I said the boy with that stupid looking flip hair hanging down past his shoulders can say good bye to hair for a while. The your wife with the gorgeous long blond hair won’t be so long.
He turned in discuss and started to walk off then Turned said make it $500 and you have a deal. No take or not I said. He took directions to the shop and said meet you there in an hour. True to his word he showed up. The boy and he came in. Then he told me his wife wanted no part of the deal. I said fine it was an all or nothing deal and he turned and headed for the car. Then he told the boy to go ahead and take a seat in my chair and get a trim. Nodded to me and headed out. Well it took all of about 10 seconds to pickup the clippers and give the boy a commitment strip down the middle with no guard and no cape. Then I turned him toward the mirror so he could see what had just taken place. I slowly placed the cape on and ask what do you think of that? No words just tears from the young man. As the clippers came on again he looked down but I pulled his head up and started down the same path catching any that had escaped the first time pushing all I could to the front for him to see fall as he cried and sobbed saying it wasn’t fair. Just I was finishing up making sure there was nothing left the man returned. Your turn I said. Is the deal on?
My wife is still thinking but wants me to go first. She knows is all or nothing, right? He said yes do what you have to do and we will see. Just as before I didn’t say another word just grabbed the clippers and plowed a strip down the middle. Then I started shaving his bushy beard off. He said the beard also? Yes all gone. I shaved strip by strip of as he just frowned and showed displeasure in being shaved bald. As he started to get out of the chair I said hold on I’ve got a bit more work. Then I placed a hot wet towel on his head and face. I could tell he knew what was coming. I lathered up his face and head pulled the razor from its case and drew it across the sharping strap antagonizing his agony. Then I drew it across his head strip after strip till he was shining with a clean head. All done I said have a good day the cuts are on the house. Oh no my wife and daughter will be right in. Your daughter I ask? She was sleeping in the car when we talked he explained. My wife told me if I did it she would too. After about 20 minutes it walked the wife and little girl. Girl was probably 15, unruly, and rude. Her mother said you first. She quickly answered hell no I hate you. so the mother placed he in the chair and said start. She’s taking my place! Just as before but with a #6 guard I ran the clippers down the middle to get a commitment cut done quickly. Then the kid was to busy crying and screaming profanities to worry about me. I switched the guards out to a #3 and pushed them up the mother carefully watching.The mid back blond hair falling to the floor in relief it wasn’t her sitting in the chair. Telling the little girl how good it was going to be having short hair. Knowing she would hate every minute of it. When the last bit of hair fell to the floor and I removed to cape the mother said sarcastically. Your not going to shave it? I can if you want I replied. The mother asked to be paid so they could be on there way. I spun the char in her direction and said all or nothing. She took my place she replied. The deal was the whole Family. I see where the little girl got her disposition. I motioned for her to take a seat. She reluctantly took a seat begging me not cut hers as short as I did the others. I agreed that would be possible and I picked up the comb instead of the clippers and started combing out the long blond hair that reached below the mid pout in her back. I could see the relief on her face as she started to realize she escaped the clippers. I parted over just more than half of the right side combing down the rest. I picked up the shears and started snipping making my way around just below the chin line to the other side. Then combing it all back over to the right side. Drawing down the same lime I had on the other side I started sniping again at the chin line. Showing relief she said are you giving me a chin length undercut bob. Being a barber I said yes not know really what she meant. Then I combed it all down and started sniping it a bit longer than the chin and a smile appeared on her face as she thanked me for just sniping and not clipping. I said well I’m not done yet. I pushed her head down and picked up the clippers that still has the #3 on them and held up her hair and under cut the back about half way up. Then I ask are you still good with that?
Her reply was at least it’s not the hideous haircut you gave my daughter. I said yea then told her I had just a bit more and I’d be done. I flipped off the guard and placed the clippers at the base of her neck and brought them up slowly in a sweeping motion cleaning up what I had already been clippered then pushing them up and over her right ear letting the long blond hair fall gently into her lap. Her smiles turned to tears as the clippers found their way over and over till she sat there shorn and balling. I made them watch me sweep all the hair I had clippered off just so they knew when they paid me back I could send them their hair back. The daughter had the parting shot saying I’m the only one with hair. Well the dad took care of that grabbing the girl and putting the clippers to work. Sometimes a perfect day just come from no where!!!
