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Victoria Promotes Shear Genius

By HairApparent

Story Categories:

Views: 4,784 | Likes: +66

Prologue

The Shear Genius barbershop had seen better days. The once-bustling interior now had the air of a forgotten relic, hanging on long after the world outside had moved on. I stood behind the counter, dusting and reorganising the same small stock of unsold hair products for the third time that week.

Shrill laughter from a group of young people floated through the door. Well-groomed young people who ignored our premises, preferring the glitzy salons dotted around the new shopping mall. I could not help but feel a pang of nostalgia for busier times.

‘Victoria!’ Simon called from his regular lookout by the window, willing passersby to enter the shop, but more in hope than expectation. ‘Can you check that we have enough towels, just in case we have a rush this afternoon.’

‘Sure, love!’ I called back, recognising the false hope that clouded his ambition. I tried keeping the irritation from my voice, reminding myself of the warmth I had felt the moment I first met Simon.

Looking Back

I was a teenager when Simon and I met, over twenty years earlier. I had lovely thick hair extending below my waist that Simon professed to love. Initially, he had been reluctant to tell me what he did for a living. Eventually, I discovered he was a barber although he seemed embarrassed by the admission. However, I saw no reason for any shame, as it was a profession at which he excelled. All I saw a wonderful man who had stolen my heart and turned my life into a wonderful blend of laughter and love.

To seal our love, I asked Simon to cut my hair short when we became engaged. It was something I had never contemplated before but, I had wanted to demonstrate my confidence in his expertise. And I also wanted us to share and enjoy that intimate moment.

After a great deal of coaxing, Simon reluctantly agreed. Having assumed I would always never have anything but long hair in my life, it was a major turning point for me. Not only was it special sharing that moment, but I also discovered that I loved having short hair. I never grew my hair long again and could never understand why any women would prefer drab long hair over the multitude of short styles that Simon had fashioned for me over the years.

Taking Stock

I walked over to Simon, and I stood next to him as he continued to peer out of the window.

‘Another quiet day, eh, love?’ Simon sighed, glancing around, absently pecking me on the cheek but taking in the emptiness of the shop as he did so. ‘I wonder if it is time to close the shop for good.’

Where once Simon had employed several barbers, only he remained. I had recently lost my job in marketing, so I began helping him in the barbershop with mundane tasks. But, more importantly, I was there to keep his spirits up during the quiet spells of which there were many. We had had such high hopes in the past, but now both our hearts felt heavy with the burden of failing dreams.

I nodded thoughtfully, biting my lip to hide my own despair. ‘Do you really think it is time to give up? With all your skills and experience. Just like that?’

He ran a hand through his prematurely greying hair, a sign of the stress that had plagued him for months. ‘What is the point, Victoria? No one wants what we offer anymore. They all go to those modern places in the mall, getting pampered and having their hair cut. My heart just is not in it anymore, love.’

‘Your heart?’ I scoffed. ‘Your heart is right here! It is the business that is struggling. But we cannot just sit here and wait for customers to walk through the door! It is time that we tried something different. Maybe a special promotion?’

‘A promotion?’ he repeated, turning around to face the interior of the shop, laughter edging his voice. ‘We barely get any customers now. Who would care, or even know about, any promotions we might offer?’

Promoting Action

There had been few opportunities to exercise my mind since my employers had made me redundant. Consequently, I had been using the time to toss around various ideas that could improve our financial situation.

I crossed my arms defiantly when Simon had scorned my suggestion of a special promotion. I had thought about it carefully, and it was not just a whim. However, I knew I needed to tread carefully, not wishing to hurt my husband’s pride at such a tricky time in our lives.

‘What if we offered free haircuts to men who bring in their long-haired female partners for a short haircut? Free haircuts for them both for six months to keep them loyal,’ I proposed, keeping my voice calm. ‘It could be a win-win! We can catch the attention of budget-conscious couples!’

Simon frowned, an increasingly familiar look of scepticism clouding his eyes. ‘You really think men really want to chop off the hair of their wives and girlfriends, and have them look like they just joined the military? Men love long hair on women! It is what they prefer, and what they expect.’

I waved a dismissive hand. ‘But that’s exactly the problem!’ I argued. ‘When has do people care about appearances when money is at stake, especially in these tough economic times? You know, deep down, that men want their women to save money as much as they do. And, furthermore, short hair would save their partners so much time! Think about it, Simon,’ I urged. ‘It is not as if short hair is unattractive, simply different. Think of all the wonderful haircuts you have given me over the years.’

‘True,’ he admitted grudgingly. ‘But then you are different,’ he mumbled, ‘in a good way,’ he quickly added, forcing a weary grin.

‘Thank you, love,’ I smiled, attempting to keep our conversation positive. ‘But sadly, so many other women are not encouraged to see the benefits of short hair.’

He sighed, gazing at the mirror that reflected our tired expressions. ‘Your idea sounds like a lot of effort for not a lot of return. Really, it would be just a waste of my time.’

‘We’re not getting a return anyway!’ I exclaimed, my frustration bubbling to the surface. ‘At least we could try something new! The shop is practically empty most of the time. How is it wasting your time when, otherwise, all you would be doing is staring out of this window and moaning at me?’

He shrugged, observing the deserted barbershop around us, and I could almost see the gears grinding slowly in his mind.

‘We’re giving it a go,’ I blurted out rebelliously.

He looked at me, head to one side, clearly hurt by my unilateral decision. ‘Whatever …’

Supporting Loyalty

Following Simon’s lack of support, I spun around and stormed off to the reception desk by the door. On the computer, I designed a colourful poster that explained my idea to potential customers, and then printed off a few copies.

I fixed one poster on the wall next to the mirror, another one by the waiting area, and a third in the window to attract any passing interest. It felt good to be doing something but even, as I stood back to admire my work, it felt like I was casting a desperate lifeline.

A short while later, one of Simon’s regular customers stepped through the door.

‘Hi Darren,’ Simon called out, injecting his words with forced enthusiasm. ‘Good to see you, mate. I am not sure if you have met my wife, Victoria. She is currently helping me out around here.’

Darren was unable to disguise a sly glance around the shop, clearly wondering what sort of help Simon needed when it was so quiet. ‘Great to see you both,’ he said cheerily.

I was unsure if I had seen Darren before. His appearance was unremarkable and uncannily like so many of Simon’s remaining loyal customers. I nodded in his direction, smiling politely, as I began to rearrange the products on the shelf behind the counter to give the impression that I had something useful to do.

Catching us by surprise, the door did not immediately swing shut. As I was about to push it closed, a stunningly attractive woman glided through the doorway. Unlike Darren, I would have remembered for sure if I had previously met her. ‘Emily’s my girlfriend,’ Darren said, gesturing towards the women. She is waiting for me here, and then we’re off to the mall to look for new phones.’

Darren’s show of loyalty was welcome. He could have saved himself the additional journey to Shear Genius by having his hair cut in the shopping mall.

Both Simon and I welcomed Emily as she wandered over to the waiting area, eyes glued to her phone. She looked up briefly when we spoke – forcing a disinterested smile in our direction by way of greeting – and then she returned her gaze to the screen in front of her.

I hazarded a guess that Emily was unfamiliar with barbershops, perhaps even salons. The clue was the remarkable length of her glossy black hair. Her locks cascaded down her bare back and billowed like a curtain behind her. The neatly trimmed ends were level with the hem of her skimpy yellow minidress, and the silky waterfall swung freely from side to side as she moved. Unusually for such long hair, a thick fringe covered her forehead, skimming her eyebrows. Despite my long-held misgivings concerning long hair on other women, she looked stunning.

‘Don’t mind her, mate. She’s always on that thing,’ Darren said, gesturing to his girlfriend’s phone.

I presumed Darren had misinterpreted my husband’s slack-jawed stare in Emily’s direction, mistaking it for annoyance at her unenthusiastic greeting. However, I recognised my husband’s look. Petulantly, I recalled that Simon used to look at me that way in happier times when we were younger.

‘Right,’ Simon acknowledged, dragging his eyes back to his male customer in the barber’s chair. ‘So, just a trim is it, Darren?’

I busied myself with dusting the products on the shelf. Emily played with her phone. And the two men chatted away like old friends, while Simon trimmed Darren’s unexciting hairstyle with scissors and comb.

As Simon was finishing off, their conversation seemed to dry up. ‘Hey, babe, look at this,’ Darren called out excitedly, pointing to my poster on the wall. ‘You have the opportunity to make us some serious cash!’

Encouraging Change

I held my breath, keenly aware of the tension that crackled in the air, as Emily stepped over to read the poster. She looked hesitant, her eyes darting from the poster to the floor, perhaps weighing her options.

‘Do you really think it’s worth it, Darren?’ Emily questioned. ‘I mean all your mates have girlfriends or wives with long hair … even if mine is the longest,’ she said, preening herself with confidence. ‘Do you want to be the guy who is going out with a baldy?’

‘Hardly bald,’ I interrupted, sounding more indignant than I had intended. ‘There are plenty of lovely short styles to consider.’

Emily glanced at me briefly, eyed my severe bowlcut critically, and rudely dismissed my contribution with a simple wave of the hand.

‘Well, Darren?’ Emily persisted, staring at him suspiciously. ‘Do you suddenly not like me with long hair?’

‘That’s not the point, babe. It’s about practical savings,’ Darren explained. ‘Think about it. Less spent on shampoo and conditioner, less time wasted with the hairdryer. And, what’s more, we both save by getting free haircuts for half a year!’

‘My Mum trims my ends every few months, and the fringe I do myself,’ Emily said defiantly, crossing her arms. ‘I would be saving nothing.’

‘Yes, but I would, and with everything we save we could probably both afford a new phone. An even better one than we expected,’ he pressed on eagerly.

That admission took the wind out of Emily’s sails. She was silent, and pensive, for a moment. ‘I’m fine with my hair as it is, thank you very much,’ she concluded.

I caught Simon’s eye and saw the flicker of reluctance that passed over his features. He knew I was urging him to contribute to the discussion, although he hesitated before replying. ‘A fresh look might be good for you, and would certainly suit you, Emily, with your wonderful face shape and delightful features. A funky pixie cut, or something else equally trendy?’

Funky? Trendy? I was unsure whether I had ever heard those words come from my husband’s lips. But I rewarded him with a grateful smile, as did Emily as she reacted to his flattery.

Emily’s brow then furrowed, and a longer silence echoing the uncertain thoughts spun in her mind. Then, Darren, almost pleading, said, ‘Come on, babe. It’ll be fun! Think of it as a fresh start. A chance to be super cool, and unique amongst all your friends.’

A small part of me cheered for Darren’s enthusiasm, but I could read Emily’s scepticism. ‘But here? In a barbershop? By the Shear Genius himself?’ she asked of her boyfriend. However, her alarmed expression indicated her concern over how rude she had been. ‘Er, no offence, Simon,’ she grimaced.

‘You always say how well he cuts my hair, babe,’ Darren squirmed. ‘It’s why we came here rather than one of those pricey places in the mall. To save money …’

‘Well, yes, but it’s different for you,’ she responded dismissively. ‘I mean, having my hair being cut by a men’s barber would be super weird?’

‘Simon cuts my hair,’ I interjected, proudly patting my bowlcut. ‘He has remarkable skill and years of experience.’

Everyone had said their piece and silence fell. After a moment that felt pregnant with indecision, Emily took a breath and tentatively made a move towards Simon’s chair.

‘I wouldn’t want a pudding bowl like yours,’ Emily grumbled, gesturing in my direction. ‘Er, sorry, no offence, Victoria.’

‘None taken,’ I lied. ‘But Simon has given me hundreds of stylish looks – by which I mean trendy and funky haircuts – over the years, so he will be able to determine one that works best for you.’

‘Fine!’ Emily suddenly capitulated, cautiously perching on the edge of the barber’s chair, uncertainly fingering the ends of her long hair. ‘But if I hate it, I am blaming all of you!’

Severing History

Once Emily had agreed to Simon cutting her long hair, he gave me a worried glance, his confidence dipping momentarily until I sent him a reassuring smile. I was confident he could do what I wanted and what Emily had requested.

‘So, Emily, are you ready for this?’ Simon asked, having covered her with a cape and adjusted the chair to a comfortable working height. The overly confident woman from a few minutes earlier, suddenly looked extremely vulnerable and incredibly nervous.

Emily turned away from the mirror and looked up at Simon, biting her lip, apprehension written across her face. ‘Yes, I suppose so,’ she murmured unconvincingly.

Darren hovered nearby. He made a tentative and awkward move to reach for his girlfriend’s hand under the cape, presumably to comfort her … or perhaps himself! But Emily ignored him, too overwhelmed by what was happening. Eventually, her boyfriend wandered over to the waiting area where he seemed undecided whether he should sit down.

As Simon started working in Emily’s hair, I could not help but feel a buzz of excitement. He passed a brush through her hair to remove any tangles, although the bristles glided through easily, without a single snag. Her silk-like mane shone under the ceiling lights, flowing down the back of the chair like polished ebony with the ends approaching the floor. Irrespective of one’s preferences, Emily’s hair was a truly magnificent sight.

Simon attempted to gather Emily’s thick tresses into a ponytail at the back of her head. Lacking recent experience with handling such long hair, he was not doing well so I stepped in to help. Gripping Emily’s hair as Simon secured an elastic band around it, I could feel her shivering with nervous trepidation.

‘You know,’ I piped up, trying to lighten the mood, ‘short hair is so liberating! You will not waste so much time drying it, styling it, and needing to tie it out of the way for practical reasons. It will simply look good all the time, like mine,’ I said, regretting the last few words, given Emily’s previously expressed view of my bowlcut. ‘It is a cool move. A bold one for sure,’ I said, pandering to her more assured side, ‘but you will have so much more time for yourself.’

Eventually, we managed to bundle all of Emily’s ample locks into a massive ponytail. I added a second band just below the first so that it would keep the valuable hair together after Simon had severed it. When Simon retrieved his scissors, I could barely contain my excitement, as I stepped back a little and prepared to watch. ‘Perhaps you would like to do the honours, dear,’ Simon astonished me, passing me the scissors.

I was unsure whether my husband was too nervous to cut it himself, or if he simply wanted to provide me with an opportunity that he knew I would enjoy. Whatever, he did not need to ask me twice!

‘Ready?’ I asked Emily, meeting her nervous reflection with a grin, as I pulled her ponytail taut and positioned the blades of the scissors around it.

‘Yes,’ she hissed ungraciously. ‘Let’s just get it over with,’ Emily urged, her voice wavering.

With one swift motion, I sliced into the hair between the two bands and strands separated. Although the scissors were incredibly sharp, Emily’s hair was thick and resistant to my efforts. My heart raced as I opened and closed the blades several times, biting my lip in concentration as I did so. Finally, I had severed all Emily’s hair, and I was able to brandish her freed locks triumphantly aloft.

The gulp of disbelief from Darren was barely noticeable when compared with the loud gasp of horror from Emily. ‘Looking better already,’ I chuckled, unable to resist playing with the springy stump of a ponytail that was all that remained of Emily’s magnificent hair.

Creating Opportunities

‘I’ll take over now love,’ Simon said calmly, admonishing me for my playfulness. He undid Emily’s short ponytail, before combing it through into an unflattering bob.

I occupied myself by carefully packing Emily’s hair away, preparing it for sale, a secret thrill bubbling under my skin as I did so.

‘Oh no! Please, no … not that!’ Emily suddenly squealed, although the cause of her complaint was not immediately obvious to me. ‘You can’t use those things … not on me!’

‘Don’t worry, Emily,’ Simon chuckled. ‘Barbers often use hairclippers rather than scissors to create shorter styles, but I will not be shaving you completely bald.’

‘Oh, right …’ Emily responded, her voice quavering, clearly unconvinced.

‘No, not completely bald … not unless you ask him nicely,’ I giggled, unable to resist making a little joke, not that I would be averse to seeing her shaved bald.

‘That’s not helpful, dear,’ Simon admonished me under his breath. ‘I’m just trying to set Emily’s mind at rest.’

Emily let out an anxious sigh, her mind sounding far from rested.

Simon had moved to familiar ground. With a head of relatively short hair in front of him, his undoubted skill rapidly came to the fore. Using the hairclippers, together with a comb, he assertively sheared all the hair on the back and sides of Emily’s head down to velvet-like stubble. He then confidently faded the edges down to nothing at her hairline.

Emily whimpered, her eyes wide, but otherwise she made no sound.

Exchanging his hairclippers for scissors, Simon layered and chipped into Emily’s heavy fringe and blended it with the hair on her crown. The short hair covering the top of Emily’s head, contrasted with the smooth back and sides, giving a funky pixie-like appearance. With the fringe gone, Emily’s extremely pretty face was on show.

Simon made a few final adjustments to Emily’s dramatic change, using a styling product to give texture and separation to the hair on her crown. I caught glimpses of disbelief flickering in her eyes, battling with excitement.

Eventually, Simon removed the cape and stepped back. Emily could see her transformed appearance in the mirror, aided by Simon holding up a hand mirror so she could clearly view the back and sides.

‘Wow! You look incredible!’ Darren’s face lit up. ‘Different, but incredible!’

Emily’s brow furrowed, as confusion etched her features. ‘It’s … so short … and so different …’

Transforming Futures

‘Different is good!’ I chimed in, my heart swelling with joy as I admired Emily’s remarkable transformation. ‘Stunning! Do not worry, it will grow on you.’

‘B… but it’s nearly all gone,’ Emily complained. ‘Shaved off …’

‘Yes,’ confirmed Simon agreeably, with a broad smile. ‘Well, not “nearly all” but the necessary amount for the style, tailored to enhance the delightful shape of your face and bring out your lovely features.’

‘You probably would look good completely shaved,’ I piped up cheekily, remembering the times Simon had buzzed or shaved me. ‘I tried -’

‘Victoria!’ Simon snapped, shutting down my admission. ‘You really do look quite delightful, Emily.’

Behind me, Darren looked far less convinced. Despite his earlier encouraging words, his glazed expression suggested he was concerned what his mates would think about him with his severely cropped girlfriend.

Patting Emily’s shoulder comfortingly, I said, ‘Trust me, Emily. Short hair can open avenues you never knew existed. Not only are you saving money, but you are making a confident statement about who you are and how people should view you.’

Emily looked thoughtfully at herself in the mirror, chewing over my words. ‘Fine, so where do I find a product for recreating this look?’ she asked after a moment, a trace of determination emerging.

I smiled broadly, fetching a recently dusted jar from our ancient stock, making a mental note to order more for sales in the future. ‘With our compliments, Emily,’ I said, handing the jar over.

‘Thanks both of you,’ Emily beamed, as Simon and I stood side by side, soaking up her praise. ‘I am liking it more and more …’

‘Well, be sure to tell all your long-haired friends about our promotion,’ I encouraged, and then put an arm around Simon, ‘and praise this wonderful artiste who cut and styled your hair for you.’

‘I will,’ Emily assured us, before pecking Simon on the cheek and causing him to turn bright red. She took a last look around. ‘This place – Shear Genius – has a sort of cool retro vibe. And so do your prices, looking at that price list on the wall. You are far more reasonable than those expensive salons in the mall. You should update your promotion and include those details.’

‘Thanks, we will,’ I nodded, already mentally redesigning my poster to include Emily’s excellent suggestions.

‘So, buster,’ Emily said, finally turning her attention to her boyfriend. ‘We better get ourselves over to the phone shop. Afterwards, you can take loads of pics of your unique funky-haired girlfriend on your new phone, for me to add to my socials!’

Epilogue

The sudden storm of change that day settled into a steady breeze of new beginnings as the young couple left our shop, hand in hand.

At that moment, I believed that Simon and I might just find our way back to making Shear Genius a busy and profitable creative hub once again, as we navigated the ever-changing world around us.

2 responses to “Victoria Promotes Shear Genius”

  1. As I understand it, Victoria believes that once the couples have been coming for six months and appreciated her husband’s skills, they will remain loyal to “Shear Genius”, especially as their prices will be lower than the mall.
    As Simon would be under-utilised during that period then there would be no loss to the business, hence making it a good promotion.
    Furthermore, the long hair that is cut to be sold for wigs and extensions will keep the business ticking over in the interim.
    However, Victoria’s judgement might be totally clouded by the prospect of seeing long hair being cut short to match her own, and allowing her own enjoyment to overshadow the needs of the business … I guess we will just have to wait six months to see how it pans out … 😉

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