The sun was just coming up as Cathy raised from her bed, after a good night’s sleep. She felt relieved because she had gone to bed with a feeling she might be doing something wrong the next day, SATURDAY.
She went to the kitchen, of her apartment, and fixed a light breakfast, not wanting to have to much in her incase things went a little haywire. Then, she went back to her bedroom where she laid out her clothing, a skirt with matching blouse and high heel shoes, for her day of adventure. Finally, she entered her bathroom and let the warm water start filling the bathtub.
After brushing, what, hair she had on her head, Cathy slowly lowered her self into the warm water, in the bath tub. As she lowered her body, into the warmth of the water, she begin to relax, causing her to close her eyes to enjoy the relief of the past weeks tensions. Slowly her body slid to the bottom, her legs bending at the knees so she was laying on her back and into the warm water. Her body now covered by the warm water, her thoughts slowly went back months to where things started towards this day, SATURDAY.
The adventure went back further but it was the last six months that brought her to this point in her life.
Cathy grew up a shy young girl who, like many of her girlfriends, had long hair. Her hair was not as long as theirs, just to the mid of her back. But, Cathy despised her long hair, it was what her mother wanted not her.
She wanted short hair. But, when she asked to have her hair cut short, it was always the same answer ….. "Young girls have long hair". So, it was as she grew older as a teenager, then into her adult years.
Then, six months back she took stock of her self, her life. She knew who she was, who she wanted to be, but still she felt as if her life was not fulfilled. She knew it was her hair, this long hair that her mother wanted. Over a few days she begin to think of what she wanted and her long hair was not in the picture.
She also realized she had another want within her. One that would be her point of "no return".
Over the years when she thought about cutting her hair, her thoughts were of not getting it cut rather having her hair cut by a barber, not a hairstylist. She thought of what it would be like to walk into a barber shop, wait her turn, then sit in the barber chair. As the barber caped her she would tell him of her wish, her desire, for short hair. They would talk of short cuts but they would be the usual ones for women. She wanted her hair "short", extremely short. Short like the boys she grew up with ….. short like some of the men she saw and worked with every day.
But, deep within her mind she knew what she really wanted all these years, back to when she was a preteen. She wanted her head shaved, even before it became popular with men, and some women, nowadays.
Six months ago she decided it was time she ventured to her desire, her want. She would have her head shaved before the end of the year, even if it was in the dead of winter.
Six months ago she begin her quest. She opened the telephone book to find what she wanted, a barber shop where women were welcomed. But, to her surprise none of the listings mentioned who’s hair the barber would cut.
After thinking, and wondering, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and like a dagger she pointed her finger to the open page. Where it landed she would begin her quest.
Taking another breath, then slowly letting it out, she opened her eyes and looked to where her finger had landed, "King Street Barber Shop ….. 1125 King Street". Again, no mention if they cut women’s hair, not even children, just like all the others. She moved her finger over to the telephone number, listed. Her mind memories it. She closed the telephone book hoping she would not have to use it again.
She picked up the telephone and started to dial the number, but stopped before dialing the last number. "Why" she thought to herself, "WHY call them. It would only leave her open to the voice on the other end telling her "NO", which she did not want to hear.
Leaning back in her chair she thought, "Just go and confront the barber". She looked at the clock, it was three o’clock in the afternoon. She looked at the listing, there was no shop times show. She felt sure any barber shop would be open at this time of day, specially in the middle of the week.
Her mind made up she grabbed her purse and car keys and off she went to the "King Street Barber Shop". The ride took her an hour, an hour she thought more of her quest, her want.
Arriving she found a small parking area next to the barber shop. As she pulled into it she noticed on the side of the barber shop, in big clear lettering, "KING STREET BARBER SHOP – CUSTOMER PARKING ONLY".
She opened the door and slowly walked to the front of the barber shop, looking around to see if anyone noticed her. This she could not understand ….. "Why would she, a lady of her age of thirty-nine, be so worried of someone seeing her going into a barber shop". Quickly she brushed the thought out of her mind then realized she was now standing at the front door.
She leaned forward a little to look inside. It was a one chair barber shop. The barber had a young male, of about sixteen, customer in the chair. Her hand, without thinking, reached for the doorknob and opened it. She stepped into the barber shop as she took a deep breath, taking in the smell of it. It was not the same of the hair salons she had been going to. No smell of dyes, curling solutions, no loud talking as women do.
The barber looked at her, "Evening". She smiled and took a seat in the waiting chairs. A few chairs from her was a man in his early thirties, he looked at her as if asking, "What are you doing here"!
She picked up a magazine and begin to look through it, when she heard a winding sound. She looked toward the barber chair, the young boy his hair all cut off to a soft short length, as the barber begin spreading shaving lather along his hair line. The barber took a straight razor, stropped it over the leather strap then shaved a thin line along the hairline.
As the barber was cleaning the excess lather from the young boy hair line, the door opened and another man walked in.
"Hi Glenn", he called out as he placed his sweater on hat stand by the door. He walked passed her and took a seat next to where the other man was seated.
The young boy stepped from the chair and said "bye" to the barber as he left the shop.
The barber motioned the other man to the chair, caped him, and begin cutting his hair. As they talked, Cathy realized the barber did not ask him how he wanted his hair cut. She went back to her magazine, but before she could finish it the man was walking out the shop.
The barber stood next to his chair shaking out his cape, then dusted off the barber chair. The man, who had walked in after her, stood up as to walk to the chair.
"Sorry, Tim", the barber, Glenn, told him, "the young lady was here before you".
He then motioned for Cathy to come to the barber chair. She placed the magazine on the chair next to her, her eyes catching a glance of the man who looked at her in the same matter the other man had when she entered the barber shop.
Cathy’s hands reached for one of the arms of the barber chair then sat in it. As the barber tossed the cape across her she begin to feel she maybe out of place and maybe the barber was just playing a game with her. He pulled it around her neck and pinned it in place.
As he pumped the chair up, raising it to a working height, he asked her, "How can I help you"?
Cathy looked at herself in the mirror, over the waiting chairs, "was this what she wanted"! Her eyes caught site of the man looking at her, as if to be telling her "leave".
"I want my hair cut really short", Cathy told the barber. She looked around to see if there were any photos, but there were none. "I don’t know how to explain it ….. Just really short".
The barber looked at her, but she had answered his question. But, "really short" to him ….. would it be the same to her. He combed her hair off her face to let her see how she would look with her hair cut really short, but Cathy said nothing but look at herself in the mirror.
"Ma’am", the barber spoke softly to her, "really short could mean different to you than to me"!
Cathy closed her eyes, "I am just tied of my hair being this long".
"Long hair", the barber thought to his self. Her hair was just about an inch above her shoulders, in a nice "Page Boy". But, she was sitting there her eyes now staring straight at herself in the mirror.
"I leave it up to you", Cathy told him as he turned to the shelf behind the barber chair.
The barber took hold of the clippers and put on the number three attachment. "Half inch", he thought to his self. He turned and placed his left hand on the top of her head and pushed it gently down.
With a "pop" sound the clippers came to life. Without a word the barber begin pushing the clippers up her neck into her Page Boy hair cut. Before she knew it her hair was sliding down into her caped lap. Slowly the pile grew as the barber begin clipping the hair from the left side of her head, then he placed it at the back of her head and moved it forward pushing another pile of hair which fell before her eye.
She was stun at the length that was left behind. Her eyes showed disappointment as the barber begin clipping the right side of her head. She watched as her hair fell into her caped lap. With the last movement of the clippers the last of her hair fell into her lap.
The barber took his hair duster and begin dusting her face and head. "Short enough", the barber asked. She looked at herself in the mirror, she knew it was short but not "really short" like she wanted, like she told him. She turned her head to face him and slowly shook her head "NO".
He turned back to the shelf and took hold of the big black clippers, then placed the number one attachment on it. He turned back to the chair, as he turned the clippers on. He moved them over the top of her head, placed it in the middle of her forehead and slowly moved the clippers back over her head. Behind was left hair so short the only other short length would be to remove the attachment. But, as he returned the clippers to her forehead he noticed a smile on Madison’s face.
He moved the clippers back over her head a few more time then started on the side of her head, reducing the hair there to the same length as on top of her head. Finished he took off the attachment and begin freehand blending the side and back with the top of her head.
He turned off the clippers, placed it on the hook under the shelf. Cathy’s attention was at the lady in the mirror, she did not hear the sound of the lather dispenser. But, her attention was brought back as she felt the warm lather being spread along her hairline. Her thighs begin to squeeze together, her eyes closed, a shiver slowly worked it’s way up her back, she knew what was happening. And, hoped no one would notice.
Her eyes stayed close, not opening them until the barber was wiping the excess lather from her hairline. Cape removed she stepped for the chair and walked to the waiting chair she had sat in when she came in. She paid the barber.
As she opened the door, the barber told her, "Do come back".
She turned and smiled at him, "I will".
Then, left.
Over the next five months, every two weeks Cathy would go to the King Street Barber Shop and get her hair cut by Glenn, whom she now considered her barber as his other customers considered him. Each visit she would walk in the shop, just like any other customer would, take her seat in a waiting chair, then when her turn came she would walk to the barber chair and sit in it. Glenn would cape her and just start up his clippers and begin clipping her hair as he had been for the months before. He never asked her ‘if she wanted the same hair cut as of her last visit’, just started clipping and talking.
Never did he ask her why she wanted her hair cut so short, for a woman. Nor did she tell him, other than her first visit.
But, still Cathy, after walking out the barber shop with her hair clipped short and looking good, felt her needs for that one hair cut she had, so far, been putting off. The one hair cut which guided her to the "King Street Barber Shop" in the first place.
By now her family and friends had grown use to seeing her with her hair cut so short. For the first few months some would ask her ‘why she cut her hair so short’, of course she would just smile and tell them, "Don’t you cut your hair like you want it cut"!
This would draw many "Buts", "AHs", and "Surely". But, her thoughts were they should except her for who she was, what she did, not for how she cut her hair. Then, there were those whom she did not know, the ones she would pass while shopping, at the casino, the bank, even where she worked.
These were just "looks", to which she would just smile when she noticed them. She sometime wondered if any of them, man or woman, ever thought of cutting their hair half as short as she was cutting her’s.
But, the thoughts of the one hair cut she has wanted for years still roamed within her mind. If she saw a man with his head shaved, she would wonder how she would look with her head shaved. Sometimes she would wake up in the middle of a day dream, of her head being shaved, in a sweat. Her body would shiver, her throat would sometimes be dry for an hour.
Each time she shampooed her head she would think of it as spreading warm shaving lather over her head. When she shaved other parts of her body, she would wonder about lathering her head and shaving it, too. A few times she lathered her head just to feel the lather on her head. But, that was not what she wanted …..
She wanted her first head shaving to be done by a barber. So, some of her thoughts were of her asking Glenn if he would shave her head. A few times a dream would be of her walking into the barber shop, sitting in the barber chair, and Glenn picking up the clippers and forgetting to put the number one attachment on until it was too late. He would have buzzed a strip up the back of her head, from the hairline to the top, before he noticed.
At seeing what happened he would surprisingly, telling her, "he was sorry for not noticing he did have the attachment on".
But, she would smile to herself, her body would grow warm. Her mind would be telling her, "Now, you’re half way there".
After being shown the damage, as he would think it, she would look sad, a joyous sad, and tell him "she understood and to just go ahead and finish buzzing her head". A few times her dream would be of her telling him to just go ahead and shave her head after he finished buzzing her.
Of course, she would be woken by the buzzing sound of her alarm clock going off, or of someone tapping her on the shoulder. But, she realized she never had one of these day dreams while in the barber shop waiting her turn, which would be from a few minutes to an hour or more, nor while her hair was being cut.
When she walked out the barber shop, after each visit, she would always tell herself, "Why didn’t you tell him go a little short". It was always the second thoughts that got her mad.
Then, one day while on her computer she was looking through one of her regular web sites, when she came upon a photo that grabbed her eyes and attention. She sat there looking, staring, her body slowly built up a shiver, her legs begin to tighten and stretched out under the desk.
Slowly she scrolled down the page, following – watching, each photo appear. From hair longer than her’s, she watched, stared, as each photo showed the lady with her hair going shorter and shorter.
When the photo, of the lady, came up with her hair as short as her’s, Cathy stopped and took a very deep breath, almost causing her to fall over. The arrow on the side of the page indicated there were more photos. She got up and slowly walked around the room, her breathing now at a quicker pace, her heart was beating as if she had just finished running twenty miles.
She stood behind the chair, reached to the mouse and scrolled to the next photos …..
Her eyes widened, she inhaled a deep breath, her body stood straight up. The lady, in the photo, now had all her hair buzzed off, shorter then her’s. Cathy stood there her eyes staring at the photo. Her heart beating almost out of her chest. She leaned forward and scrolled the mouse again.
A can of shaving cream and a safety razor appeared. Quickly her hands covered her mouth as she breathed in. She raised her body and begin walking around the room again.
"Could she", Cathy thought to herself. "Could the next photo be of her with her head all lathered! Could the photos after be of her head being shaved"!
She stopped across the room from her computer and looked at it. She stayed away from her computer, letting it stare at her. She got something to drink. Glancing at the computer ever so often over the next hour. Finally, she walked back to the computer and sat in the chair.
Her hand, still very nervous and shaking, took hold of the mouse and scrolled to the next photo.
The sides and back of her head were all lathered. In the next photo, the back of her head showed lather spread over the top of her head, in the back.
Cathy scrolled to the next photo ….. it was of the lady with her head shaved, except for a little part in the front which was still buzzed. Cathy smiled, then printed that photo out, and just as quickly she saved it to a folder.
She taped the photo on her bedroom dresser mirror, where she would see it each time she used the mirror. It also where she would see it when she rose from a night’s sleep.
Saturday came around, she printed another copy of the photo. She was going to bring it to Glenn, telling him, "This is what I want".
Just as she was walking out her apartment the telephone rang, it was her brother. He was calling to remind her of their lunch date to talk about the family gathering next month. They were putting it together and need to make some decision on what they would be eating.
An hour had passed when she realized the time. The barber shop would be closing in two hours and it would take her an hour to get there. So, she told her brother she had some place important to go for four o’clock, it was now three o’clock. They hung up and she rushed out the apartment.
Reaching the barber shop she grabbed her purse, then looked inside ….. realizing she left the photo on the small table where the telephone sat. She did not put it in her purse as she had been thinking while driving the barber shop. She could not go back for it. So, she just went in and got her hair cut like the last visits.
As Glenn was capping her she mention to him she had a photo of a hair cut she wanted to try and would bring it with her when she came back in two weeks. She noticed a look on his face, she had not seen before. It was a look of, "Another hair cut"!
Her hair cut finished she paid and walked toward the door. While walk out the shop Glenn said to her, "Don’t forget the photo next time"!
She smiled and told him, "I won’t".
When she arrived back home, she found the photo, still on the table next to the telephone, and put it in her purse. She printed out more copies of the photo and placed them in places where she would see it. On some she even printed "Take with you when you go for your next hair cut".
She would stare at the photo, it was in her mind. It ever showed when she looked at something.
Two weeks passed. She rose with the sun coming in the window of her bedroom. The photo, as always, was staring at her. Quickly she got ready and was on her way, to the King Street Barber Shop, within an hour. She checked her purse more times than she had ever. Opening it at every stop light and stop sign, to make sure she had a copy of the photo in her purse.
When she arrived she took it out her purse before getting out the car. She had it in the hand she pushed the door open.
As she walked in the barber shop Glenn looked up, she was waving the photo, "Here it is".
She walked to the chair and handed it to him. He took the photo, looked it over, then at her.
She took a chair in the waiting area, he put the photo on the shelf. There were two other customers before her, so she begin look through some magazines. For the first time, since coming to the King Street Barber Shop, she never glanced at the customers before her getting their had cut but Glenn. She never looked to see if the photo was still on the shelf, or if he had taken a glance each time he was at the shelf.
"Cathy", she heard her name called, "I’ll be right back. Have to use the little room".
She looked up and shook her head "OK", then walked to the barber chair and glanced at the shelf in the mirror then the shelf.
The photo was there, where he could see it each time he stood by to the shelf.
While sitting in the barber chair she wondered if he would ask her questions. How she would answer them. Should she tell him that was the "hair cut she wanted". Should she wait for him to ask her something.
She heard the door close in the back of the shop, looked towards it as Glenn came walking towards the chair. In the mirror, over the waiting chairs, she saw him looking at the photo.
He turned and begin putting the cape on her. "Nothing", she said to herself.
She watched him take hold of the clippers, oil it, then turn around. He placed his left hand on the top of head and tilted it.
"CLICK", the clippers came to life, she could not see if he had put an attachment on it or not.
Then, she felt the coolness of the clipper’s metal head touch her neck, below the hair line. Slowly it was pushed up into her hair as the sound changed.
She took a breath and let it out slowly.
"FINALLY", she thought to her self. This upward movement was followed by more as Glenn worked his way around her head. First, the back of her head, the left side, finally the right side.
She was now staring at a woman, a strange woman who had all the hair on the sides, even the back, of her head all cut off as close as possible to her scalp. Then, her eyes watched as the clippers were placed on the top of her head and moved back over it. Her eyes closed, "It’s happening".
Glenn quickly buzzed the top of her head. Still he did not say a word, nor ask a question.
The clippers were turned off, he dusted her head all over then her face. She heard water flowing in the sink. She could see steam rising from it. She saw him toss a large white towel in the sink, then he rung it out.
He turned and wrapped the warm towel around her head, "Too, hot". She shook her head "no".
After pushing it close to her head he turned and went to the lather dispenser. The winding sound told her he was filling his hand with lather.
She watched him turn and remove the towel, then he started lathering her head. First he spread the warm lather over the right side of her head, the back, then the left side. She felt him spread a little over the top back of her head, too.
After lathering the left side he turned and washed his hands, then dried them on another towel.
"Must be going to shave the back and sides first", she thought to herself. Then, he picked a straight razor, stopped it on the leather strap, then raised it to the top of the lather on the right side of her head. Slowly he begin shaving the lather away, taking with it the stubbles it covered.
Her eyes closed, her mind heard the razor scrapping the little hairs from her head. Her body begin to tighten, then a slow shiver started from the coolness she was feeling from the first stroke of the straight razor. She watched him shave backward, then he tilted her head downward as he started shaving the back of her head.
Her mind saw her with her head shaved. Her fingers gently brushing over her smooth scalp. The looks she would see on others when they saw her. She wondered how the water of the shower would feel on her smooth head.
Then, she was brought back to reality when the chair came to a stop. She looked up as Glenn was removing the cape. She turned her head from side to side, then tilted it a little. Only the back and sides were shaved to the skin, the top still had the buzzed hair.
She wanted to tell him, but he was shaking the cape out and calling for the next customer.
Disappointed she stepped from the chair, paid him and walked out the shop. When she got to her car she looked at her self, her new hair cut, in the visor mirror. "So close but so far", she said as she stroked her fingers over her head. It felt good to her, but strange.
Cathy left the barber shop ‘disappointed’, more so than the times before. Disappointed she did not ask him what he thought of the lady’s hair cut in the photo. Disappointed she did tell him she thought the lady had a shaved head. Disappointed she did not tell him she wanted her hair cut the same way as the lady in the photo.
Disappointed he did not ask her any questions.
But, then, she thought to herself, he could have just given her a High-N-Tight. He did shaved the sides and back of her head. She did get to experience, at least, some of her head being shaved by a straight razor and a barber. Still there was the "disappointment".
Each time she would look at herself in the mirror, for whatever reason, she felt the disappointment. Her "want" would grow each time.
Disappointment she begin to think was all she was going to get with each visit to the King Street Barber Shop. Maybe she should look for another barber shop, another barber!
One thing that was not disappointing, was how she enjoyed touching the back and sides of her head that Saturday after her new hair cut. She laid on her bed, thinking of the disappointment of that morning, when she begin stroking the sides of her head. She felt a shiver start slowly moving down her body from the shaved sides. When it reached her hips her legs begin to tighten and grow straight together. As her legs spread apart ….. she begin feeling a feeling she had many times with a male friend. Slowly the feeling grew, her body shivered, her eyes closed.
Before she knew it she heard the telephone ringing. She sat up and saw it was seven o’clock that night. She had fallen asleep. She ran to the telephone, again it was her brother. He would not be able to make their dinner date so they talked about the family gathering.
Ever so offer when she raised her hand to scratch her head, as if she was thinking of something, her body would start shivering from the smoothness she felt. She was now hoping their conversation would be over, before something happened she did not want her brother to hear.
After an hour they hung up. Cathy decide it was best she took a shower, a cold shower, and go to sleep before she got herself into trouble. Maybe a shower would help her easy her feelings.
So, off she went to the bathroom.
She stepped into the cool shower expecting nothing but the cool water. But, when she turned her back to the shower and stepped back under it spray, the sudden spray of the cool water cause her to get a feeling she had only felt the first time she shaved her legs. Quickly a shiver grew and ran her body.
Then, when the shivering settled, she started lathering her head. Again she felt as if she was going to fall apart. The smoothness of her scalp started making her feel more disappointed than she was.
"WHY" ….. "WHY", she begin telling herself as she rinsed the lather from her head.
She stepped from the shower, toweled herself off, then stood in front of the bathroom mirror. She smile as she patted her head dry. It felt so good. Then, she brushed her finger tips over the side of her head, then the back of her head. She felt roughness ….. she felt "fuzz" like she remember feeling her dad’s face when he came home from work.
She leaned toward the mirror and she could see the little hairs rising from her scalp. This was more disappointing than this morning, she thought to herself. Her eyes caught site of the can of shaving cream siding of the side of the bathtub. She looked at herself …..
Before she knew it she was lathering her head with the shaving cream, just as Glenn had lather her head that morning. She took a deep breath and took hold of the safety razor she used to shave other parts of her body.
"I’ll just take my time" she told herself, then she raised the razor and begin shaving. It took her almost an hour but she was finished. She did not cut, or nick, her head. She loved how it felt to shave her head. It was not the same as shaving other parts of her body. She had to be a little more careful, specially shaving the back where she could not see. She had to depend on feeling her way back there.
That bring us to this SATURDAY ….. The one a week later.
Cathy had let her hair grow the last two days. Not because she wanted to, but because she had no choice. She had worked late the last three days, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and still had to be to work the next day early in the morning. So, something had to be let go and it turned out, again to her "disappointment", shaving the back and sides of her head was it. She was still not sure with the idea of doing it her self. She would need more time when she shaved her head.
She came home late Friday, around ten. She took her shower. While drying her hair she looked in the mirror. It grew within her and grew fast. That was it …..
No longer ….. no more waiting ….. no more thinking about it.
Tomorrow was going to be the day.
She would walk out the KING STREET BARBER SHOP with her head shaved, or she would be walking out looking for another barber. No more pussy footing around ….. no more wondering if he or she would ask any questions. No more walking out the barber shop disappointed.
The sun was just coming up as Madison raised from her bed, after a good night’s sleep. She felt relieved because she had gone to bed with a feeling she might be doing something wrong the next day, SATURDAY.
She went to the kitchen, of her apartment, and fixed a light breakfast, not wanting to have to much in her incase things went a little haywire. Then, she went back to her bedroom where she laid out her clothing, a skirt with matching blouse and high heel shoes, for her day of adventure. Finally, she entered her bathroom and let the warm water start filling the bathtub.
After brushing, what, hair she had on her head, Madison slowly lowered her self into the warm water, in the bath tub. As she lowered her body, into the warmth of the water, she begin to relax, causing her to close her eyes to enjoy the relief of the past weeks tensions. Slowly her body slid to the bottom, her legs bending at the knees so she was laying on her back and into the warm water. Her body now covered by the warm water, her thoughts ….. there were no more thoughts. Today was the day ….. she would walk out the KING STREET BARBER SHOP with her head shaved or she would lose her shyness as she told Glenn off.
She dried off, got dressed in a new skirt and blouse she had brought a few weeks ago, then put on the four inch high heels she also purchased that day, too. She applied her makeup as usual, then her earring.
She took one last look at herself in the mirror, brushed her clothing a little, grabbed her purse and car keys, and left for the KING STREET BARBER SHOP.
All the way there she thought of how she would tell Glenn. But, each sounded as if she was asking his permission. Slowly she beginning to feel disappointed in herself, for now she had a feeling she wanted to back out on her long time "want".
Before she could ask herself any more question, she found herself pulling into the parking area next to the barber shop. She look at her face in the rearview mirror. She wet her lips then brushed her fingers over her head.
She opened the door of the car and begin a demanding walk to the front door of the barber shop.
She did not hesitate reaching for the knob, nor pushing the door open. She stepped in seeing Glenn was cutting a young boy’s hair into a crewcut. His mother was sitting in a waiting chair and was the first customer to see her enter the shop.
"Morning Glenn", Cathy sang out as she walked to a waiting chair.
"Morning Cathy", he called back to her. "Two ahead of you".
"Fine", she replied, then begin reading a magazine. Again she realized she did not want to watch him as he cut the hair of the other customers. Nor did she notice two other customers come in behind her.
"CATHY", Glenn’s voice commanded to her to get her attention. "You’re next".
He stood shaking out the cape as she walked to the barber chair. She sat in it as she took a deep breath.
As he tossed the cape across her she spoke up, "GLENN ….. I want you to shave my head. Do not ask why ….. Just shave my head completely".
Her heart fell to her stomach, her mouth became dry, her body shook with fear …..
Looking straight ahead at herself in the mirror, she wondered if she really said what she said.
Did the other customers hear her ….. She looked at them, neither was looking at her.
"CLICK" the clippers came to life. She looked in the mirror to see Glenn standing behind her. His left hand on her left shoulder as the right hand came over the top of her head with the clippers singing loudly. He placed it in the middle of her forehead and slowly moved it back over the top of her head.
She watched as the clippers left nothing but a stubble behind. Her body begin to shiver ….. Did he hear her request!
Glann moved the clippers over her head time after time, reducing her short hair to a stubble. She noticed one of the other customers glancing a look at her, then shaking his head. The door opened, a lady walked in pushing her two sons.
"GLENN", she called out then stopped where she was. Her eyes grew large when she realized the customer in the chair was a woman, and he was moving the clippers over her head. She stood there staring until Glenn responded to her call.
Slowly she walked, pushing her sons, to a waiting chair. Her eyes were staring a Cathy, she could not take them off her.
Cathy just smiled at her, as Glenn continued buzzing her head. With the final pass made Glenn turned the clippers off and hung them under the shelf. Madison looked at herself in the mirror.
She watched as Glenn moved around behind her, then she saw him toss a large white towel into the sink. But, there was not running water, no steam. Then, she saw him pouring something in the lather dispenser, as he reached to the sink and turned on the hot water. Slowly steam grew from the sink.
He put the container back under the shelf and begin moving the towel under the hot running water. With it rung out he turned and wrapped it around her head. She closed her eyes as the warmth took control of her body.
Then, she heard the winding sound of the shaving dispenser and saw Glenn turn around. His hand had a large amount of warm shaving lather in it.
Her eyes watched as Glenn begin dabbing the lather on the top of her head.
She took a breath, her body rose, she knew Glenn heard what she told him. She sat back and watched him spread the lather over her head, then gently rubbing it in her stubbled head of hair.
She was relieved. Then, she noticed the men were now watching what Glenn was doing. The lady was holding her sons close to her, her eyes still on Madison.
She felt the warmth of another hot towel wrapping her head. He let it sit for a few minutes, then removed it and re-lathered her head. This time she felt the warm lather more, she heard it covering the stubbles on her head.
With her head all lathered Glenn choose a straight razor, from the shelf, stropped it over the leather strap, and begin shaving her head. It was as if it was not the first time she was getting her head shaved. Glenn just placed the edge of the straight razor and started shaving.
She wanted to cry out in joy, but the feeling of the sharp blade scrap away over her head to over any thoughts of it. Her mind just told her to sit back, relax, "enjoy". She did so.
Only ever so often she would glance at the other customers, specially the lady, to see if she had their attention. Which she did.
Glenn gently moved her head, tilting it when it was needed until he was making the last stroke of the razor.
She looked at herself in the mirror ….. she knew it was her. She saw her self with the hair cut she had wanted for so long. She was no longer "disappointed". She would not have to go looking for another barber.
But, then another question popped into her mind …..
She tried to think of how to ask but again she felt it was as if she was submissive. How would she ask him if she should come back once a week for him to shave her head. How would she ask him without sounding she had a fetish.
Glenn wiped the excess lather from her head with a warm cloth. Then, he spread a lotion over her head. At first there was a ‘stinging’ sensation then it slowly grew to a coolness.
He dusted her head with the hair duster, then her face. As the chair was lowered Glenn reached over her and removed the cape. As the chair came to a stop she raised her hand to her head and brushed her finger tips over her smooth skin. She took a deep breath and let it rush out, then she smiled.
Glenn stook next to the chair shaking the cape, as she stepped from the chair he called for the next customer. She stood by the waiting chairs looking at herself in the mirror …..
"I DID IT", she thought to herself. She wanted to just yell out the joy she was feeling, but did not.
She walked back to the chair and paid Glenn, giving him a nice tip. He smiled and caped the customer in the chair, who was just looking at her and shaking his head.
She walked to the door, still wondering if she should ask him ….. when …..
"SEE YOU NEXT SATURDAY", came from Glenn’s voice. She turned towards him, smiled, waived …..
"Yes", she replied, "SEE YOU NEXT SATURDAY". And, walked out the barber shop.
Feeling good she had finally gotten her hair cut like she wanted, Cathy slowly got use to shaving her head herself each morning. It took time learning how to slowly shave her head, the first month she would stand in front of the bathroom mirror and watch. Then, she begin shaving her head in the shower.
As for her friends, slowly they took to the fact this was still the Cathy they always knew, except she now shaved head. She found her self being more open, being more adventurous when it came to doing thing, aggressive some would say. She found she could wear clothing she never could before, because of her hair color. She found her self being more confrontive when others gave her a sour look or said something to her.
She was changing ….. she had changed …..
Each Saturday she would rise, have breakfast, then be off to the King Street Barber Shop. There, her barber, Glenn, would shave her head as he would cut the hair of other customers. He never asked her ‘why’ she wanted her head shaved, nor why she still did it. He just went to work shaving her head when she sat in his chair. Just another customer with a different hair cut.
Her co-works, and the customers she dealt with, grew accustom to her new hair cut. Some of the ladies even commented to her on now much she had "changed, how much feisty she was".
Then, one Thursday Donna Makin was going around the office reminding everyone of the party at her house that Saturday afternoon. She wanted to make sure everyone was coming, if not "why".
Saturday morning came and Cathy did as she had been doing for the last two months.
A nice warm shower, breakfast, then off to the King Street Barber Shop and a nice relaxing head shave by Glenn.
After her hair cut she went to the local bookstore for a cup of coffee while she read the newspaper and a magazine. Then, it was off the to store for some groceries and home to rest before going to Donna’s party.
It was around five PM when she arrived at Donna’s, she was welcomed by her husband Ted — who was surprised when he saw Cathy with her head shaved. "WOOW", he commented, "Donna didn’t tell me about this …..".
Cathy smiled at him, "I am sure she does not tell you a lot of other things, too".
She walked in as Donna was coming from the kitchen.
"Sorry hon", Donna called to him, "didn’t think it was important to tell you Cathy started shaving her head".
Cathy walked to her and they kissed each other on the cheek. "Grab a drink ….. food will be ready in half an hour", Donna told her as she turned and went back into the kitchen.
Everyone, who was there, said "HI" to Cathy as she walked into the living room, and she returned it. Slowly she begin to mingle in the gathering and small talk begin to grow into laughter ….. jokes ….. stories.
Cathy was sitting on the back porch when she heard her name being called.
"Hi, Cathy", the female voice called, "remember me"?
Cathy looked up ….. it was Sharon Russell, her boss’s, Edward Russell, wife ….. and her oldest brother’s girlfriend from high school.
"Sure I do", Cathy replied as she stood and they kissed each other on the cheek. "Been ….. what, ten years"!
"At least", Sharon replied. "So, how is your brother ….."?
"Fine", Cathy replied. "He and his wife and two children are living in Houston, where he works as a contractor for the City of Houston. And, you ….."?
"Same o’ ….. same o’, just now I am with Edward", she replied.
"So, I see you have made a big change in your life", Sharon said as she raised her hand. "May I"!
"Sure", Cathy answered as she tilted her head to Sharon’s fingers
"Don’t think I have the guts to shave my head", Sharon replied as her fingers stroked over the top of Cathy’s head. "Was it hard ….. you know ….. deciding to shave your head"!
"Actually, it was not that hard", commented Cathy. "The hardest part was telling my barber I wanted my head shaved. It took about five months before I just told him ….. and as you can see he did not ask any questions".
Cathy went on to tell Sharon about her adventure from the first day she walked into the King Street Barber Shop. The more she told Sharon the more she could see her getting interested, with Sharon asking if she ever shaved her head her self or went to the barber shop regularly.
"I go to Glenn every Saturday to get my head shaved", Cathy told her, "and shave my head myself during the week".
"So, was it hard getting everyone to except your ….. head shaving", Sharon wondered.
"YES, somewhat", Cathy replied with a smile as she took hold of Sharon’s shaking hands. "But, this is the ‘hair cut’ I have wanted for years. So, I decided once I got my hair cut like I wanted everyone else would have to get use to me. Some have a problem, some don’t. I am still the same old Cathy as I was before, just I now shave my head".
They stared into each others eyes, Cathy sensing Sharon was a little more than interested in her shaved head than other women. She wanted to know a lot of things ….. It was as if she was looking for answers to questions she was asking herself. Was she one of those women who, like her, wanted to shave her head, but was caught up in the "world of women with long hair", and wanting out!
"Well, how has your family", Sharon asked, "you parents ….. have they taken to you shaving your head. I bet their reaction was ….. you know "what did you do" ….. or something like that"?
Cathy took a quick breath. It was then she realized she had not told her parents, nor her brother and sister. She had been on such a world wind that she forgot them completely ….. until Sharon mentioned.
"Well, Sharon", Cathy begin as she took a deep breath, "I have not seen them since last June. I have been out of town for a few weeks, then taking the slow steps to shaving my head, then work and other things. But, I will be seeing them next week-end. I am sure they will not have a hard time with my new hair cut. After all I have been cutting my hair extremely short for the last two or three years. And, I am sure they noticed that ….. so I don’t think there will be a problem when they see me again".
The party ended ….. Cathy left with her heart in her throat. "Of all the people I forget to tell ….. my family", Cathy says to her self as she drove home.
Over the next week she thought how she would tell them. She was sure they would be understanding, after all she did a lot of crazy things when she was a teenager and they understood. And, she had been cutting her hair extremely short over the last two to three years and they understood — at least did not say anything about it.
So, why not understand why she was shaving her head ….. no difference ….. just shorter.
The next Saturday came quickly, but still she found it hard finding a way to tell her parents, she got up took a bath, instead of a shower, to soak awhile ….. it would help her carm down some ….. relax her nerves and thoughts. A light breakfast, then off to the King Street Barber Shop for a nice relaxing head shaving by Glenn.
When she arrived there were two male customers waiting and a elderly man in the chair. All looked at her as she walked into the barber shop, "Mornin’ Glenn".
Glenn looked at her in the mirror, "Morning Cathy. You’re a little early today. Somewhat important to go"?
Taking her seat, in a waiting chair, Cathy smiled, "Yes. My parents for dinner, but first I want to do a little early shopping at the new Major Outlet".
Cathy had picked a magazine, "Haven’t seen this one"?
Glenn looked towards her, "TIMBER Wildness ….. Yes, it’s new. Got a subscription from Donny Vitter last month. He was selling subscription for the high school band’s trip to California for some event they were invited too. Thought I would help out so I took a subscription to that one and two others".
Glenn went back to cutting hair, a little nervous about what she had to do that day, read the magazine passing the time. To her is was only five minutes but really was almost two hours when Glenn called her to the chair.
She placed the magazine down and looked around as she stood. To her surprise five or six customers had come into the shop and were waiting their turn for a hair cut. She smiled as each looked at her as she walked to the barber chair and sat in it. She could tell from the looks on their faces they were wondering why she was there. After all she had, to their view, no hair on her head.
She stepped into the chair, slowly lowering herself into the seat. As Glenn tossed the cape across her she crossed her legs, showing her four inch high heels. Her eyes caught a glimpse of the two men sitting in front of the barber chair. Their eyes were staring right at her knees.
She looked at some of the other customers as Glenn wrapped her head with a warm towel, to soak what hair was sprouting from her head. She closed her eyes and smiled, giving the men a little show.
Glenn lathered her head, stropped his straight razor, then started shaving her head as he had on each of her passed visited. This time her noticed he shaved her head a little slower, "Give the men a real show", she thought to herself. So, she just sat back and relaxed. It was about twenty minutes later as she felt Glenn’s fingers gently brushing over her head.
Slowly he turned the chair so she was facing the mirror about the shelf, a much closed view for her than into the mirror behind the waiting chairs. As Glenn stopped the chair he smiled at her, in the mirror, "Going to have to shave you again ….. the blade on the straight razor was a little dull".
With that said he walked to the lather dispenser and filled his left hand with lather and re-lathered her head as she watched. Completely lathered he wiped the excess lather and took a new straight razor from the little glass cabinet. Walking to the right side of the barber chair, he took hold of the leather strap and begin stropping the open blade over it. When the blade was sharp he raised it to the center of her forehead and begin shaving.
The chair was still raised so she was able to see the looks on some of the men, waiting their turn and wondering "what the hell is going on here"!
Again Glenn shaved her head slowly, taking almost forty-five minutes. He wiped the excess lather from her head, applied a lotion, then dusted her head and face with that sweet powder she had come to like, since coming to him for her hair cuts.
He slowly turned the chair as she brushed her finger tips over her head. As the chair came to a rest facing the waiting customers she smiled as she stepped from the chair. Walking to the chair where her purse was she felt eyes slowly, secretly, following her there, then back to the barber chair.
She handed Glenn the usual but he refused. He smiled and shook his head "NO". But, she insisted but he refused this time winking at her then motioning his head to the customers in the waiting chair. She looked in the mirror and took notice how their eyes were still glued to her, even with her back to them.
Putting the money back in her purse, she turned and walked to the door, smiling and laughing to herself.
As she opened the door she turned to Glenn, "See you next Saturday ….. Same time"!
She did not look back but she knew one of them would be asking Glenn questions. She continued walking to the coffee shop where she had her usual cup of coffee and read the newspaper. She looked at her watch, it was almost ten AM. It would take her an hour of driving to get to her parents house so she left.
She enjoyed the drive, because she went through some lovely tree lined roadways. There were few cars today, so the ride was a little faster. It was about ten minutes to the hour when she pulled up to their house.
She notice the garage door up and their cars in it. The passenger door on one of the cars was open, this could only mean her parents just got back from shopping for groceries. Just as she opened her car door her mom walked into the garage and got something out the cars, then went back inside.
Slowly she walked up the walkway to the front door.
Her right hand was nervous as she reached to the door knob. Just as she grabbed it the door open …..
There stood her dad …..
He was about to say something when he noticed her, his daughter. Then, his eyes just widen up in disbelief.
"My God Cathy", was all she heard then he back into the house. "What is the hell is wrong"!
"Nothing", Cathy answered as she walked passed him. "Just a new hair cut I have been getting for the last few months. What do you think"?
Her dad turned as she walked passed him, then he followed her into the kitchen.
"John", her mother said aloud before turning around, "what was that about"!
"Hi, mom", Cathy called out as she walked into the kitchen. "Dropped by to show you my new hair cut.
"What do you think"?
Her mom turned around, as she started to say something but she just stood there looking at Cathy. Not a word came from her mouth, her eyes told Cathy everything. She too was in disbelief of her daughter’s new hair cut.
She took a few minutes, then a deep breath, "Very interesting, Cathy".
Cathy sat at the table looking at both her parents. Her dad was still stun ….. her mom ….. well Cathy had learned over the years her mom was a person of few words.
"Would you like a cup of coffee, dear", her mom inquired. "John, will you be joining us"?
Her mom poured three cups of coffee as her dad took a seat. Her mom handed each a cup, then sat down.
They just sat there, taking a sip of coffee then looking at each other.
"Cathy, why would you want to shave your head", her dad broke the silence, in an upset voice. Her mom reached over and begin patting his left hand.
"I am sure she has her reasons", her mom commented as she took a sip of coffee. "So, why don’t we just take a deep breath and let her explain …..".
"Please Cathy, do enlighten us why the hell you would so such a thing", her mom commented angrily.
Cathy knew it was going to harder than she thought. But, this is what she wanted and she had to tell them "why" in a way they would understand.
But, all she could say was, "I just wanted to shave my head, that’s all.
"Besides, I am older enough to do what I want ….. right. SO, you will have to except that as my reason. There is no other than that ….. I just wanted to shave my head".
They sat there looking at her, still in disbelief. Still trying to understand her reason. A reason they could except without and thoughts. But, none could come to mind for them.
After a few minutes of just staring at each other Cathy stood up.
"Well, I take it you do not want to except my reason", she told them. " Then, let it be so …..
"But, I old enough to know what I want ….. And, this is something I have been wanting to do since I was fifteen, believe it or not. Now that I have made the decision you, and everyone else, will have to decide if who I am is more important then how I choose to cut my hair".
She turned and begin to walk out the kitchen.
"Cathy", her mom called, "Please sit down. It’s just you surprised us ….. you have never mentioned any of this to us. Please, dear, talk to us"!
"It is just something I have been wanted to do for years", Cathy begin telling them as she stood at the doorway. "I can not explain it other than it has been on my mind for years. Then, two months ago I just made up my mind to do it.
"It was not a hard thing to do.
"I just found a barber who did not ask any questions. When I told him I wanted my head shaved, he just went about and did it. This is me ….. I am still the Cathy I was, only now my choice of hair cut is to shave my head".
Cathy knew she should not stay around. It would have to be something they, her parents, would have to come to their own conclusion about. Whether to believe her or not. She walked out the kitchen, then the house. She got in her car and drove home to her apartment.
There she sat wondering if she had gone too far. Had she let what ever it was take control of her mind.
Would her parents, would her brothers, her friends, would everyone understand her!
Over the next week she found out who her friend were and were not. Those who excepted her became closer to her. Those who didn’t just wondered.
Saturday came ….. as she had done in the months before, she got up, did her things, then off she went to the King’s Street Barber Shop. There no one would ask her, no one would voice an opinion. Glenn would go about her hair cut as he had been for the last months.
To Cathy doing what she wanted was more important than what others thought of her.
She went to the kitchen, of her apartment, and fixed a light breakfast, not wanting to have to much in her incase things went a little haywire. Then, she went back to her bedroom where she laid out her clothing, a skirt with matching blouse and high heel shoes, for her day of adventure. Finally, she entered her bathroom and let the warm water start filling the bathtub.
After brushing, what, hair she had on her head, Cathy slowly lowered her self into the warm water, in the bath tub. As she lowered her body, into the warmth of the water, she begin to relax, causing her to close her eyes to enjoy the relief of the past weeks tensions. Slowly her body slid to the bottom, her legs bending at the knees so she was laying on her back and into the warm water. Her body now covered by the warm water, her thoughts slowly went back months to where things started towards this day, SATURDAY.
The adventure went back further but it was the last six months that brought her to this point in her life.
Cathy grew up a shy young girl who, like many of her girlfriends, had long hair. Her hair was not as long as theirs, just to the mid of her back. But, Cathy despised her long hair, it was what her mother wanted not her.
She wanted short hair. But, when she asked to have her hair cut short, it was always the same answer ….. "Young girls have long hair". So, it was as she grew older as a teenager, then into her adult years.
Then, six months back she took stock of her self, her life. She knew who she was, who she wanted to be, but still she felt as if her life was not fulfilled. She knew it was her hair, this long hair that her mother wanted. Over a few days she begin to think of what she wanted and her long hair was not in the picture.
She also realized she had another want within her. One that would be her point of "no return".
Over the years when she thought about cutting her hair, her thoughts were of not getting it cut rather having her hair cut by a barber, not a hairstylist. She thought of what it would be like to walk into a barber shop, wait her turn, then sit in the barber chair. As the barber caped her she would tell him of her wish, her desire, for short hair. They would talk of short cuts but they would be the usual ones for women. She wanted her hair "short", extremely short. Short like the boys she grew up with ….. short like some of the men she saw and worked with every day.
But, deep within her mind she knew what she really wanted all these years, back to when she was a preteen. She wanted her head shaved, even before it became popular with men, and some women, nowadays.
Six months ago she decided it was time she ventured to her desire, her want. She would have her head shaved before the end of the year, even if it was in the dead of winter.
Six months ago she begin her quest. She opened the telephone book to find what she wanted, a barber shop where women were welcomed. But, to her surprise none of the listings mentioned who’s hair the barber would cut.
After thinking, and wondering, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and like a dagger she pointed her finger to the open page. Where it landed she would begin her quest.
Taking another breath, then slowly letting it out, she opened her eyes and looked to where her finger had landed, "King Street Barber Shop ….. 1125 King Street". Again, no mention if they cut women’s hair, not even children, just like all the others. She moved her finger over to the telephone number, listed. Her mind memories it. She closed the telephone book hoping she would not have to use it again.
She picked up the telephone and started to dial the number, but stopped before dialing the last number. "Why" she thought to herself, "WHY call them. It would only leave her open to the voice on the other end telling her "NO", which she did not want to hear.
Leaning back in her chair she thought, "Just go and confront the barber". She looked at the clock, it was three o’clock in the afternoon. She looked at the listing, there was no shop times show. She felt sure any barber shop would be open at this time of day, specially in the middle of the week.
Her mind made up she grabbed her purse and car keys and off she went to the "King Street Barber Shop". The ride took her an hour, an hour she thought more of her quest, her want.
Arriving she found a small parking area next to the barber shop. As she pulled into it she noticed on the side of the barber shop, in big clear lettering, "KING STREET BARBER SHOP – CUSTOMER PARKING ONLY".
She opened the door and slowly walked to the front of the barber shop, looking around to see if anyone noticed her. This she could not understand ….. "Why would she, a lady of her age of thirty-nine, be so worried of someone seeing her going into a barber shop". Quickly she brushed the thought out of her mind then realized she was now standing at the front door.
She leaned forward a little to look inside. It was a one chair barber shop. The barber had a young male, of about sixteen, customer in the chair. Her hand, without thinking, reached for the doorknob and opened it. She stepped into the barber shop as she took a deep breath, taking in the smell of it. It was not the same of the hair salons she had been going to. No smell of dyes, curling solutions, no loud talking as women do.
The barber looked at her, "Evening". She smiled and took a seat in the waiting chairs. A few chairs from her was a man in his early thirties, he looked at her as if asking, "What are you doing here"!
She picked up a magazine and begin to look through it, when she heard a winding sound. She looked toward the barber chair, the young boy his hair all cut off to a soft short length, as the barber begin spreading shaving lather along his hair line. The barber took a straight razor, stropped it over the leather strap then shaved a thin line along the hairline.
As the barber was cleaning the excess lather from the young boy hair line, the door opened and another man walked in.
"Hi Glenn", he called out as he placed his sweater on hat stand by the door. He walked passed her and took a seat next to where the other man was seated.
The young boy stepped from the chair and said "bye" to the barber as he left the shop.
The barber motioned the other man to the chair, caped him, and begin cutting his hair. As they talked, Cathy realized the barber did not ask him how he wanted his hair cut. She went back to her magazine, but before she could finish it the man was walking out the shop.
The barber stood next to his chair shaking out his cape, then dusted off the barber chair. The man, who had walked in after her, stood up as to walk to the chair.
"Sorry, Tim", the barber, Glenn, told him, "the young lady was here before you".
He then motioned for Cathy to come to the barber chair. She placed the magazine on the chair next to her, her eyes catching a glance of the man who looked at her in the same matter the other man had when she entered the barber shop.
Cathy’s hands reached for one of the arms of the barber chair then sat in it. As the barber tossed the cape across her she begin to feel she maybe out of place and maybe the barber was just playing a game with her. He pulled it around her neck and pinned it in place.
As he pumped the chair up, raising it to a working height, he asked her, "How can I help you"?
Cathy looked at herself in the mirror, over the waiting chairs, "was this what she wanted"! Her eyes caught site of the man looking at her, as if to be telling her "leave".
"I want my hair cut really short", Cathy told the barber. She looked around to see if there were any photos, but there were none. "I don’t know how to explain it ….. Just really short".
The barber looked at her, but she had answered his question. But, "really short" to him ….. would it be the same to her. He combed her hair off her face to let her see how she would look with her hair cut really short, but Cathy said nothing but look at herself in the mirror.
"Ma’am", the barber spoke softly to her, "really short could mean different to you than to me"!
Cathy closed her eyes, "I am just tied of my hair being this long".
"Long hair", the barber thought to his self. Her hair was just about an inch above her shoulders, in a nice "Page Boy". But, she was sitting there her eyes now staring straight at herself in the mirror.
"I leave it up to you", Cathy told him as he turned to the shelf behind the barber chair.
The barber took hold of the clippers and put on the number three attachment. "Half inch", he thought to his self. He turned and placed his left hand on the top of her head and pushed it gently down.
With a "pop" sound the clippers came to life. Without a word the barber begin pushing the clippers up her neck into her Page Boy hair cut. Before she knew it her hair was sliding down into her caped lap. Slowly the pile grew as the barber begin clipping the hair from the left side of her head, then he placed it at the back of her head and moved it forward pushing another pile of hair which fell before her eye.
She was stun at the length that was left behind. Her eyes showed disappointment as the barber begin clipping the right side of her head. She watched as her hair fell into her caped lap. With the last movement of the clippers the last of her hair fell into her lap.
The barber took his hair duster and begin dusting her face and head. "Short enough", the barber asked. She looked at herself in the mirror, she knew it was short but not "really short" like she wanted, like she told him. She turned her head to face him and slowly shook her head "NO".
He turned back to the shelf and took hold of the big black clippers, then placed the number one attachment on it. He turned back to the chair, as he turned the clippers on. He moved them over the top of her head, placed it in the middle of her forehead and slowly moved the clippers back over her head. Behind was left hair so short the only other short length would be to remove the attachment. But, as he returned the clippers to her forehead he noticed a smile on Madison’s face.
He moved the clippers back over her head a few more time then started on the side of her head, reducing the hair there to the same length as on top of her head. Finished he took off the attachment and begin freehand blending the side and back with the top of her head.
He turned off the clippers, placed it on the hook under the shelf. Cathy’s attention was at the lady in the mirror, she did not hear the sound of the lather dispenser. But, her attention was brought back as she felt the warm lather being spread along her hairline. Her thighs begin to squeeze together, her eyes closed, a shiver slowly worked it’s way up her back, she knew what was happening. And, hoped no one would notice.
Her eyes stayed close, not opening them until the barber was wiping the excess lather from her hairline. Cape removed she stepped for the chair and walked to the waiting chair she had sat in when she came in. She paid the barber.
As she opened the door, the barber told her, "Do come back".
She turned and smiled at him, "I will".
Then, left.
Over the next five months, every two weeks Cathy would go to the King Street Barber Shop and get her hair cut by Glenn, whom she now considered her barber as his other customers considered him. Each visit she would walk in the shop, just like any other customer would, take her seat in a waiting chair, then when her turn came she would walk to the barber chair and sit in it. Glenn would cape her and just start up his clippers and begin clipping her hair as he had been for the months before. He never asked her ‘if she wanted the same hair cut as of her last visit’, just started clipping and talking.
Never did he ask her why she wanted her hair cut so short, for a woman. Nor did she tell him, other than her first visit.
But, still Cathy, after walking out the barber shop with her hair clipped short and looking good, felt her needs for that one hair cut she had, so far, been putting off. The one hair cut which guided her to the "King Street Barber Shop" in the first place.
By now her family and friends had grown use to seeing her with her hair cut so short. For the first few months some would ask her ‘why she cut her hair so short’, of course she would just smile and tell them, "Don’t you cut your hair like you want it cut"!
This would draw many "Buts", "AHs", and "Surely". But, her thoughts were they should except her for who she was, what she did, not for how she cut her hair. Then, there were those whom she did not know, the ones she would pass while shopping, at the casino, the bank, even where she worked.
These were just "looks", to which she would just smile when she noticed them. She sometime wondered if any of them, man or woman, ever thought of cutting their hair half as short as she was cutting her’s.
But, the thoughts of the one hair cut she has wanted for years still roamed within her mind. If she saw a man with his head shaved, she would wonder how she would look with her head shaved. Sometimes she would wake up in the middle of a day dream, of her head being shaved, in a sweat. Her body would shiver, her throat would sometimes be dry for an hour.
Each time she shampooed her head she would think of it as spreading warm shaving lather over her head. When she shaved other parts of her body, she would wonder about lathering her head and shaving it, too. A few times she lathered her head just to feel the lather on her head. But, that was not what she wanted …..
She wanted her first head shaving to be done by a barber. So, some of her thoughts were of her asking Glenn if he would shave her head. A few times a dream would be of her walking into the barber shop, sitting in the barber chair, and Glenn picking up the clippers and forgetting to put the number one attachment on until it was too late. He would have buzzed a strip up the back of her head, from the hairline to the top, before he noticed.
At seeing what happened he would surprisingly, telling her, "he was sorry for not noticing he did have the attachment on".
But, she would smile to herself, her body would grow warm. Her mind would be telling her, "Now, you’re half way there".
After being shown the damage, as he would think it, she would look sad, a joyous sad, and tell him "she understood and to just go ahead and finish buzzing her head". A few times her dream would be of her telling him to just go ahead and shave her head after he finished buzzing her.
Of course, she would be woken by the buzzing sound of her alarm clock going off, or of someone tapping her on the shoulder. But, she realized she never had one of these day dreams while in the barber shop waiting her turn, which would be from a few minutes to an hour or more, nor while her hair was being cut.
When she walked out the barber shop, after each visit, she would always tell herself, "Why didn’t you tell him go a little short". It was always the second thoughts that got her mad.
Then, one day while on her computer she was looking through one of her regular web sites, when she came upon a photo that grabbed her eyes and attention. She sat there looking, staring, her body slowly built up a shiver, her legs begin to tighten and stretched out under the desk.
Slowly she scrolled down the page, following – watching, each photo appear. From hair longer than her’s, she watched, stared, as each photo showed the lady with her hair going shorter and shorter.
When the photo, of the lady, came up with her hair as short as her’s, Cathy stopped and took a very deep breath, almost causing her to fall over. The arrow on the side of the page indicated there were more photos. She got up and slowly walked around the room, her breathing now at a quicker pace, her heart was beating as if she had just finished running twenty miles.
She stood behind the chair, reached to the mouse and scrolled to the next photos …..
Her eyes widened, she inhaled a deep breath, her body stood straight up. The lady, in the photo, now had all her hair buzzed off, shorter then her’s. Cathy stood there her eyes staring at the photo. Her heart beating almost out of her chest. She leaned forward and scrolled the mouse again.
A can of shaving cream and a safety razor appeared. Quickly her hands covered her mouth as she breathed in. She raised her body and begin walking around the room again.
"Could she", Cathy thought to herself. "Could the next photo be of her with her head all lathered! Could the photos after be of her head being shaved"!
She stopped across the room from her computer and looked at it. She stayed away from her computer, letting it stare at her. She got something to drink. Glancing at the computer ever so often over the next hour. Finally, she walked back to the computer and sat in the chair.
Her hand, still very nervous and shaking, took hold of the mouse and scrolled to the next photo.
The sides and back of her head were all lathered. In the next photo, the back of her head showed lather spread over the top of her head, in the back.
Cathy scrolled to the next photo ….. it was of the lady with her head shaved, except for a little part in the front which was still buzzed. Cathy smiled, then printed that photo out, and just as quickly she saved it to a folder.
She taped the photo on her bedroom dresser mirror, where she would see it each time she used the mirror. It also where she would see it when she rose from a night’s sleep.
Saturday came around, she printed another copy of the photo. She was going to bring it to Glenn, telling him, "This is what I want".
Just as she was walking out her apartment the telephone rang, it was her brother. He was calling to remind her of their lunch date to talk about the family gathering next month. They were putting it together and need to make some decision on what they would be eating.
An hour had passed when she realized the time. The barber shop would be closing in two hours and it would take her an hour to get there. So, she told her brother she had some place important to go for four o’clock, it was now three o’clock. They hung up and she rushed out the apartment.
Reaching the barber shop she grabbed her purse, then looked inside ….. realizing she left the photo on the small table where the telephone sat. She did not put it in her purse as she had been thinking while driving the barber shop. She could not go back for it. So, she just went in and got her hair cut like the last visits.
As Glenn was capping her she mention to him she had a photo of a hair cut she wanted to try and would bring it with her when she came back in two weeks. She noticed a look on his face, she had not seen before. It was a look of, "Another hair cut"!
Her hair cut finished she paid and walked toward the door. While walk out the shop Glenn said to her, "Don’t forget the photo next time"!
She smiled and told him, "I won’t".
When she arrived back home, she found the photo, still on the table next to the telephone, and put it in her purse. She printed out more copies of the photo and placed them in places where she would see it. On some she even printed "Take with you when you go for your next hair cut".
She would stare at the photo, it was in her mind. It ever showed when she looked at something.
Two weeks passed. She rose with the sun coming in the window of her bedroom. The photo, as always, was staring at her. Quickly she got ready and was on her way, to the King Street Barber Shop, within an hour. She checked her purse more times than she had ever. Opening it at every stop light and stop sign, to make sure she had a copy of the photo in her purse.
When she arrived she took it out her purse before getting out the car. She had it in the hand she pushed the door open.
As she walked in the barber shop Glenn looked up, she was waving the photo, "Here it is".
She walked to the chair and handed it to him. He took the photo, looked it over, then at her.
She took a chair in the waiting area, he put the photo on the shelf. There were two other customers before her, so she begin look through some magazines. For the first time, since coming to the King Street Barber Shop, she never glanced at the customers before her getting their had cut but Glenn. She never looked to see if the photo was still on the shelf, or if he had taken a glance each time he was at the shelf.
"Cathy", she heard her name called, "I’ll be right back. Have to use the little room".
She looked up and shook her head "OK", then walked to the barber chair and glanced at the shelf in the mirror then the shelf.
The photo was there, where he could see it each time he stood by to the shelf.
While sitting in the barber chair she wondered if he would ask her questions. How she would answer them. Should she tell him that was the "hair cut she wanted". Should she wait for him to ask her something.
She heard the door close in the back of the shop, looked towards it as Glenn came walking towards the chair. In the mirror, over the waiting chairs, she saw him looking at the photo.
He turned and begin putting the cape on her. "Nothing", she said to herself.
She watched him take hold of the clippers, oil it, then turn around. He placed his left hand on the top of head and tilted it.
"CLICK", the clippers came to life, she could not see if he had put an attachment on it or not.
Then, she felt the coolness of the clipper’s metal head touch her neck, below the hair line. Slowly it was pushed up into her hair as the sound changed.
She took a breath and let it out slowly.
"FINALLY", she thought to her self. This upward movement was followed by more as Glenn worked his way around her head. First, the back of her head, the left side, finally the right side.
She was now staring at a woman, a strange woman who had all the hair on the sides, even the back, of her head all cut off as close as possible to her scalp. Then, her eyes watched as the clippers were placed on the top of her head and moved back over it. Her eyes closed, "It’s happening".
Glenn quickly buzzed the top of her head. Still he did not say a word, nor ask a question.
The clippers were turned off, he dusted her head all over then her face. She heard water flowing in the sink. She could see steam rising from it. She saw him toss a large white towel in the sink, then he rung it out.
He turned and wrapped the warm towel around her head, "Too, hot". She shook her head "no".
After pushing it close to her head he turned and went to the lather dispenser. The winding sound told her he was filling his hand with lather.
She watched him turn and remove the towel, then he started lathering her head. First he spread the warm lather over the right side of her head, the back, then the left side. She felt him spread a little over the top back of her head, too.
After lathering the left side he turned and washed his hands, then dried them on another towel.
"Must be going to shave the back and sides first", she thought to herself. Then, he picked a straight razor, stopped it on the leather strap, then raised it to the top of the lather on the right side of her head. Slowly he begin shaving the lather away, taking with it the stubbles it covered.
Her eyes closed, her mind heard the razor scrapping the little hairs from her head. Her body begin to tighten, then a slow shiver started from the coolness she was feeling from the first stroke of the straight razor. She watched him shave backward, then he tilted her head downward as he started shaving the back of her head.
Her mind saw her with her head shaved. Her fingers gently brushing over her smooth scalp. The looks she would see on others when they saw her. She wondered how the water of the shower would feel on her smooth head.
Then, she was brought back to reality when the chair came to a stop. She looked up as Glenn was removing the cape. She turned her head from side to side, then tilted it a little. Only the back and sides were shaved to the skin, the top still had the buzzed hair.
She wanted to tell him, but he was shaking the cape out and calling for the next customer.
Disappointed she stepped from the chair, paid him and walked out the shop. When she got to her car she looked at her self, her new hair cut, in the visor mirror. "So close but so far", she said as she stroked her fingers over her head. It felt good to her, but strange.
Cathy left the barber shop ‘disappointed’, more so than the times before. Disappointed she did not ask him what he thought of the lady’s hair cut in the photo. Disappointed she did tell him she thought the lady had a shaved head. Disappointed she did not tell him she wanted her hair cut the same way as the lady in the photo.
Disappointed he did not ask her any questions.
But, then, she thought to herself, he could have just given her a High-N-Tight. He did shaved the sides and back of her head. She did get to experience, at least, some of her head being shaved by a straight razor and a barber. Still there was the "disappointment".
Each time she would look at herself in the mirror, for whatever reason, she felt the disappointment. Her "want" would grow each time.
Disappointment she begin to think was all she was going to get with each visit to the King Street Barber Shop. Maybe she should look for another barber shop, another barber!
One thing that was not disappointing, was how she enjoyed touching the back and sides of her head that Saturday after her new hair cut. She laid on her bed, thinking of the disappointment of that morning, when she begin stroking the sides of her head. She felt a shiver start slowly moving down her body from the shaved sides. When it reached her hips her legs begin to tighten and grow straight together. As her legs spread apart ….. she begin feeling a feeling she had many times with a male friend. Slowly the feeling grew, her body shivered, her eyes closed.
Before she knew it she heard the telephone ringing. She sat up and saw it was seven o’clock that night. She had fallen asleep. She ran to the telephone, again it was her brother. He would not be able to make their dinner date so they talked about the family gathering.
Ever so offer when she raised her hand to scratch her head, as if she was thinking of something, her body would start shivering from the smoothness she felt. She was now hoping their conversation would be over, before something happened she did not want her brother to hear.
After an hour they hung up. Cathy decide it was best she took a shower, a cold shower, and go to sleep before she got herself into trouble. Maybe a shower would help her easy her feelings.
So, off she went to the bathroom.
She stepped into the cool shower expecting nothing but the cool water. But, when she turned her back to the shower and stepped back under it spray, the sudden spray of the cool water cause her to get a feeling she had only felt the first time she shaved her legs. Quickly a shiver grew and ran her body.
Then, when the shivering settled, she started lathering her head. Again she felt as if she was going to fall apart. The smoothness of her scalp started making her feel more disappointed than she was.
"WHY" ….. "WHY", she begin telling herself as she rinsed the lather from her head.
She stepped from the shower, toweled herself off, then stood in front of the bathroom mirror. She smile as she patted her head dry. It felt so good. Then, she brushed her finger tips over the side of her head, then the back of her head. She felt roughness ….. she felt "fuzz" like she remember feeling her dad’s face when he came home from work.
She leaned toward the mirror and she could see the little hairs rising from her scalp. This was more disappointing than this morning, she thought to herself. Her eyes caught site of the can of shaving cream siding of the side of the bathtub. She looked at herself …..
Before she knew it she was lathering her head with the shaving cream, just as Glenn had lather her head that morning. She took a deep breath and took hold of the safety razor she used to shave other parts of her body.
"I’ll just take my time" she told herself, then she raised the razor and begin shaving. It took her almost an hour but she was finished. She did not cut, or nick, her head. She loved how it felt to shave her head. It was not the same as shaving other parts of her body. She had to be a little more careful, specially shaving the back where she could not see. She had to depend on feeling her way back there.
That bring us to this SATURDAY ….. The one a week later.
Cathy had let her hair grow the last two days. Not because she wanted to, but because she had no choice. She had worked late the last three days, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and still had to be to work the next day early in the morning. So, something had to be let go and it turned out, again to her "disappointment", shaving the back and sides of her head was it. She was still not sure with the idea of doing it her self. She would need more time when she shaved her head.
She came home late Friday, around ten. She took her shower. While drying her hair she looked in the mirror. It grew within her and grew fast. That was it …..
No longer ….. no more waiting ….. no more thinking about it.
Tomorrow was going to be the day.
She would walk out the KING STREET BARBER SHOP with her head shaved, or she would be walking out looking for another barber. No more pussy footing around ….. no more wondering if he or she would ask any questions. No more walking out the barber shop disappointed.
The sun was just coming up as Madison raised from her bed, after a good night’s sleep. She felt relieved because she had gone to bed with a feeling she might be doing something wrong the next day, SATURDAY.
She went to the kitchen, of her apartment, and fixed a light breakfast, not wanting to have to much in her incase things went a little haywire. Then, she went back to her bedroom where she laid out her clothing, a skirt with matching blouse and high heel shoes, for her day of adventure. Finally, she entered her bathroom and let the warm water start filling the bathtub.
After brushing, what, hair she had on her head, Madison slowly lowered her self into the warm water, in the bath tub. As she lowered her body, into the warmth of the water, she begin to relax, causing her to close her eyes to enjoy the relief of the past weeks tensions. Slowly her body slid to the bottom, her legs bending at the knees so she was laying on her back and into the warm water. Her body now covered by the warm water, her thoughts ….. there were no more thoughts. Today was the day ….. she would walk out the KING STREET BARBER SHOP with her head shaved or she would lose her shyness as she told Glenn off.
She dried off, got dressed in a new skirt and blouse she had brought a few weeks ago, then put on the four inch high heels she also purchased that day, too. She applied her makeup as usual, then her earring.
She took one last look at herself in the mirror, brushed her clothing a little, grabbed her purse and car keys, and left for the KING STREET BARBER SHOP.
All the way there she thought of how she would tell Glenn. But, each sounded as if she was asking his permission. Slowly she beginning to feel disappointed in herself, for now she had a feeling she wanted to back out on her long time "want".
Before she could ask herself any more question, she found herself pulling into the parking area next to the barber shop. She look at her face in the rearview mirror. She wet her lips then brushed her fingers over her head.
She opened the door of the car and begin a demanding walk to the front door of the barber shop.
She did not hesitate reaching for the knob, nor pushing the door open. She stepped in seeing Glenn was cutting a young boy’s hair into a crewcut. His mother was sitting in a waiting chair and was the first customer to see her enter the shop.
"Morning Glenn", Cathy sang out as she walked to a waiting chair.
"Morning Cathy", he called back to her. "Two ahead of you".
"Fine", she replied, then begin reading a magazine. Again she realized she did not want to watch him as he cut the hair of the other customers. Nor did she notice two other customers come in behind her.
"CATHY", Glenn’s voice commanded to her to get her attention. "You’re next".
He stood shaking out the cape as she walked to the barber chair. She sat in it as she took a deep breath.
As he tossed the cape across her she spoke up, "GLENN ….. I want you to shave my head. Do not ask why ….. Just shave my head completely".
Her heart fell to her stomach, her mouth became dry, her body shook with fear …..
Looking straight ahead at herself in the mirror, she wondered if she really said what she said.
Did the other customers hear her ….. She looked at them, neither was looking at her.
"CLICK" the clippers came to life. She looked in the mirror to see Glenn standing behind her. His left hand on her left shoulder as the right hand came over the top of her head with the clippers singing loudly. He placed it in the middle of her forehead and slowly moved it back over the top of her head.
She watched as the clippers left nothing but a stubble behind. Her body begin to shiver ….. Did he hear her request!
Glann moved the clippers over her head time after time, reducing her short hair to a stubble. She noticed one of the other customers glancing a look at her, then shaking his head. The door opened, a lady walked in pushing her two sons.
"GLENN", she called out then stopped where she was. Her eyes grew large when she realized the customer in the chair was a woman, and he was moving the clippers over her head. She stood there staring until Glenn responded to her call.
Slowly she walked, pushing her sons, to a waiting chair. Her eyes were staring a Cathy, she could not take them off her.
Cathy just smiled at her, as Glenn continued buzzing her head. With the final pass made Glenn turned the clippers off and hung them under the shelf. Madison looked at herself in the mirror.
She watched as Glenn moved around behind her, then she saw him toss a large white towel into the sink. But, there was not running water, no steam. Then, she saw him pouring something in the lather dispenser, as he reached to the sink and turned on the hot water. Slowly steam grew from the sink.
He put the container back under the shelf and begin moving the towel under the hot running water. With it rung out he turned and wrapped it around her head. She closed her eyes as the warmth took control of her body.
Then, she heard the winding sound of the shaving dispenser and saw Glenn turn around. His hand had a large amount of warm shaving lather in it.
Her eyes watched as Glenn begin dabbing the lather on the top of her head.
She took a breath, her body rose, she knew Glenn heard what she told him. She sat back and watched him spread the lather over her head, then gently rubbing it in her stubbled head of hair.
She was relieved. Then, she noticed the men were now watching what Glenn was doing. The lady was holding her sons close to her, her eyes still on Madison.
She felt the warmth of another hot towel wrapping her head. He let it sit for a few minutes, then removed it and re-lathered her head. This time she felt the warm lather more, she heard it covering the stubbles on her head.
With her head all lathered Glenn choose a straight razor, from the shelf, stropped it over the leather strap, and begin shaving her head. It was as if it was not the first time she was getting her head shaved. Glenn just placed the edge of the straight razor and started shaving.
She wanted to cry out in joy, but the feeling of the sharp blade scrap away over her head to over any thoughts of it. Her mind just told her to sit back, relax, "enjoy". She did so.
Only ever so often she would glance at the other customers, specially the lady, to see if she had their attention. Which she did.
Glenn gently moved her head, tilting it when it was needed until he was making the last stroke of the razor.
She looked at herself in the mirror ….. she knew it was her. She saw her self with the hair cut she had wanted for so long. She was no longer "disappointed". She would not have to go looking for another barber.
But, then another question popped into her mind …..
She tried to think of how to ask but again she felt it was as if she was submissive. How would she ask him if she should come back once a week for him to shave her head. How would she ask him without sounding she had a fetish.
Glenn wiped the excess lather from her head with a warm cloth. Then, he spread a lotion over her head. At first there was a ‘stinging’ sensation then it slowly grew to a coolness.
He dusted her head with the hair duster, then her face. As the chair was lowered Glenn reached over her and removed the cape. As the chair came to a stop she raised her hand to her head and brushed her finger tips over her smooth skin. She took a deep breath and let it rush out, then she smiled.
Glenn stook next to the chair shaking the cape, as she stepped from the chair he called for the next customer. She stood by the waiting chairs looking at herself in the mirror …..
"I DID IT", she thought to herself. She wanted to just yell out the joy she was feeling, but did not.
She walked back to the chair and paid Glenn, giving him a nice tip. He smiled and caped the customer in the chair, who was just looking at her and shaking his head.
She walked to the door, still wondering if she should ask him ….. when …..
"SEE YOU NEXT SATURDAY", came from Glenn’s voice. She turned towards him, smiled, waived …..
"Yes", she replied, "SEE YOU NEXT SATURDAY". And, walked out the barber shop.
Feeling good she had finally gotten her hair cut like she wanted, Cathy slowly got use to shaving her head herself each morning. It took time learning how to slowly shave her head, the first month she would stand in front of the bathroom mirror and watch. Then, she begin shaving her head in the shower.
As for her friends, slowly they took to the fact this was still the Cathy they always knew, except she now shaved head. She found her self being more open, being more adventurous when it came to doing thing, aggressive some would say. She found she could wear clothing she never could before, because of her hair color. She found her self being more confrontive when others gave her a sour look or said something to her.
She was changing ….. she had changed …..
Each Saturday she would rise, have breakfast, then be off to the King Street Barber Shop. There, her barber, Glenn, would shave her head as he would cut the hair of other customers. He never asked her ‘why’ she wanted her head shaved, nor why she still did it. He just went to work shaving her head when she sat in his chair. Just another customer with a different hair cut.
Her co-works, and the customers she dealt with, grew accustom to her new hair cut. Some of the ladies even commented to her on now much she had "changed, how much feisty she was".
Then, one Thursday Donna Makin was going around the office reminding everyone of the party at her house that Saturday afternoon. She wanted to make sure everyone was coming, if not "why".
Saturday morning came and Cathy did as she had been doing for the last two months.
A nice warm shower, breakfast, then off to the King Street Barber Shop and a nice relaxing head shave by Glenn.
After her hair cut she went to the local bookstore for a cup of coffee while she read the newspaper and a magazine. Then, it was off the to store for some groceries and home to rest before going to Donna’s party.
It was around five PM when she arrived at Donna’s, she was welcomed by her husband Ted — who was surprised when he saw Cathy with her head shaved. "WOOW", he commented, "Donna didn’t tell me about this …..".
Cathy smiled at him, "I am sure she does not tell you a lot of other things, too".
She walked in as Donna was coming from the kitchen.
"Sorry hon", Donna called to him, "didn’t think it was important to tell you Cathy started shaving her head".
Cathy walked to her and they kissed each other on the cheek. "Grab a drink ….. food will be ready in half an hour", Donna told her as she turned and went back into the kitchen.
Everyone, who was there, said "HI" to Cathy as she walked into the living room, and she returned it. Slowly she begin to mingle in the gathering and small talk begin to grow into laughter ….. jokes ….. stories.
Cathy was sitting on the back porch when she heard her name being called.
"Hi, Cathy", the female voice called, "remember me"?
Cathy looked up ….. it was Sharon Russell, her boss’s, Edward Russell, wife ….. and her oldest brother’s girlfriend from high school.
"Sure I do", Cathy replied as she stood and they kissed each other on the cheek. "Been ….. what, ten years"!
"At least", Sharon replied. "So, how is your brother ….."?
"Fine", Cathy replied. "He and his wife and two children are living in Houston, where he works as a contractor for the City of Houston. And, you ….."?
"Same o’ ….. same o’, just now I am with Edward", she replied.
"So, I see you have made a big change in your life", Sharon said as she raised her hand. "May I"!
"Sure", Cathy answered as she tilted her head to Sharon’s fingers
"Don’t think I have the guts to shave my head", Sharon replied as her fingers stroked over the top of Cathy’s head. "Was it hard ….. you know ….. deciding to shave your head"!
"Actually, it was not that hard", commented Cathy. "The hardest part was telling my barber I wanted my head shaved. It took about five months before I just told him ….. and as you can see he did not ask any questions".
Cathy went on to tell Sharon about her adventure from the first day she walked into the King Street Barber Shop. The more she told Sharon the more she could see her getting interested, with Sharon asking if she ever shaved her head her self or went to the barber shop regularly.
"I go to Glenn every Saturday to get my head shaved", Cathy told her, "and shave my head myself during the week".
"So, was it hard getting everyone to except your ….. head shaving", Sharon wondered.
"YES, somewhat", Cathy replied with a smile as she took hold of Sharon’s shaking hands. "But, this is the ‘hair cut’ I have wanted for years. So, I decided once I got my hair cut like I wanted everyone else would have to get use to me. Some have a problem, some don’t. I am still the same old Cathy as I was before, just I now shave my head".
They stared into each others eyes, Cathy sensing Sharon was a little more than interested in her shaved head than other women. She wanted to know a lot of things ….. It was as if she was looking for answers to questions she was asking herself. Was she one of those women who, like her, wanted to shave her head, but was caught up in the "world of women with long hair", and wanting out!
"Well, how has your family", Sharon asked, "you parents ….. have they taken to you shaving your head. I bet their reaction was ….. you know "what did you do" ….. or something like that"?
Cathy took a quick breath. It was then she realized she had not told her parents, nor her brother and sister. She had been on such a world wind that she forgot them completely ….. until Sharon mentioned.
"Well, Sharon", Cathy begin as she took a deep breath, "I have not seen them since last June. I have been out of town for a few weeks, then taking the slow steps to shaving my head, then work and other things. But, I will be seeing them next week-end. I am sure they will not have a hard time with my new hair cut. After all I have been cutting my hair extremely short for the last two or three years. And, I am sure they noticed that ….. so I don’t think there will be a problem when they see me again".
The party ended ….. Cathy left with her heart in her throat. "Of all the people I forget to tell ….. my family", Cathy says to her self as she drove home.
Over the next week she thought how she would tell them. She was sure they would be understanding, after all she did a lot of crazy things when she was a teenager and they understood. And, she had been cutting her hair extremely short over the last two to three years and they understood — at least did not say anything about it.
So, why not understand why she was shaving her head ….. no difference ….. just shorter.
The next Saturday came quickly, but still she found it hard finding a way to tell her parents, she got up took a bath, instead of a shower, to soak awhile ….. it would help her carm down some ….. relax her nerves and thoughts. A light breakfast, then off to the King Street Barber Shop for a nice relaxing head shaving by Glenn.
When she arrived there were two male customers waiting and a elderly man in the chair. All looked at her as she walked into the barber shop, "Mornin’ Glenn".
Glenn looked at her in the mirror, "Morning Cathy. You’re a little early today. Somewhat important to go"?
Taking her seat, in a waiting chair, Cathy smiled, "Yes. My parents for dinner, but first I want to do a little early shopping at the new Major Outlet".
Cathy had picked a magazine, "Haven’t seen this one"?
Glenn looked towards her, "TIMBER Wildness ….. Yes, it’s new. Got a subscription from Donny Vitter last month. He was selling subscription for the high school band’s trip to California for some event they were invited too. Thought I would help out so I took a subscription to that one and two others".
Glenn went back to cutting hair, a little nervous about what she had to do that day, read the magazine passing the time. To her is was only five minutes but really was almost two hours when Glenn called her to the chair.
She placed the magazine down and looked around as she stood. To her surprise five or six customers had come into the shop and were waiting their turn for a hair cut. She smiled as each looked at her as she walked to the barber chair and sat in it. She could tell from the looks on their faces they were wondering why she was there. After all she had, to their view, no hair on her head.
She stepped into the chair, slowly lowering herself into the seat. As Glenn tossed the cape across her she crossed her legs, showing her four inch high heels. Her eyes caught a glimpse of the two men sitting in front of the barber chair. Their eyes were staring right at her knees.
She looked at some of the other customers as Glenn wrapped her head with a warm towel, to soak what hair was sprouting from her head. She closed her eyes and smiled, giving the men a little show.
Glenn lathered her head, stropped his straight razor, then started shaving her head as he had on each of her passed visited. This time her noticed he shaved her head a little slower, "Give the men a real show", she thought to herself. So, she just sat back and relaxed. It was about twenty minutes later as she felt Glenn’s fingers gently brushing over her head.
Slowly he turned the chair so she was facing the mirror about the shelf, a much closed view for her than into the mirror behind the waiting chairs. As Glenn stopped the chair he smiled at her, in the mirror, "Going to have to shave you again ….. the blade on the straight razor was a little dull".
With that said he walked to the lather dispenser and filled his left hand with lather and re-lathered her head as she watched. Completely lathered he wiped the excess lather and took a new straight razor from the little glass cabinet. Walking to the right side of the barber chair, he took hold of the leather strap and begin stropping the open blade over it. When the blade was sharp he raised it to the center of her forehead and begin shaving.
The chair was still raised so she was able to see the looks on some of the men, waiting their turn and wondering "what the hell is going on here"!
Again Glenn shaved her head slowly, taking almost forty-five minutes. He wiped the excess lather from her head, applied a lotion, then dusted her head and face with that sweet powder she had come to like, since coming to him for her hair cuts.
He slowly turned the chair as she brushed her finger tips over her head. As the chair came to a rest facing the waiting customers she smiled as she stepped from the chair. Walking to the chair where her purse was she felt eyes slowly, secretly, following her there, then back to the barber chair.
She handed Glenn the usual but he refused. He smiled and shook his head "NO". But, she insisted but he refused this time winking at her then motioning his head to the customers in the waiting chair. She looked in the mirror and took notice how their eyes were still glued to her, even with her back to them.
Putting the money back in her purse, she turned and walked to the door, smiling and laughing to herself.
As she opened the door she turned to Glenn, "See you next Saturday ….. Same time"!
She did not look back but she knew one of them would be asking Glenn questions. She continued walking to the coffee shop where she had her usual cup of coffee and read the newspaper. She looked at her watch, it was almost ten AM. It would take her an hour of driving to get to her parents house so she left.
She enjoyed the drive, because she went through some lovely tree lined roadways. There were few cars today, so the ride was a little faster. It was about ten minutes to the hour when she pulled up to their house.
She notice the garage door up and their cars in it. The passenger door on one of the cars was open, this could only mean her parents just got back from shopping for groceries. Just as she opened her car door her mom walked into the garage and got something out the cars, then went back inside.
Slowly she walked up the walkway to the front door.
Her right hand was nervous as she reached to the door knob. Just as she grabbed it the door open …..
There stood her dad …..
He was about to say something when he noticed her, his daughter. Then, his eyes just widen up in disbelief.
"My God Cathy", was all she heard then he back into the house. "What is the hell is wrong"!
"Nothing", Cathy answered as she walked passed him. "Just a new hair cut I have been getting for the last few months. What do you think"?
Her dad turned as she walked passed him, then he followed her into the kitchen.
"John", her mother said aloud before turning around, "what was that about"!
"Hi, mom", Cathy called out as she walked into the kitchen. "Dropped by to show you my new hair cut.
"What do you think"?
Her mom turned around, as she started to say something but she just stood there looking at Cathy. Not a word came from her mouth, her eyes told Cathy everything. She too was in disbelief of her daughter’s new hair cut.
She took a few minutes, then a deep breath, "Very interesting, Cathy".
Cathy sat at the table looking at both her parents. Her dad was still stun ….. her mom ….. well Cathy had learned over the years her mom was a person of few words.
"Would you like a cup of coffee, dear", her mom inquired. "John, will you be joining us"?
Her mom poured three cups of coffee as her dad took a seat. Her mom handed each a cup, then sat down.
They just sat there, taking a sip of coffee then looking at each other.
"Cathy, why would you want to shave your head", her dad broke the silence, in an upset voice. Her mom reached over and begin patting his left hand.
"I am sure she has her reasons", her mom commented as she took a sip of coffee. "So, why don’t we just take a deep breath and let her explain …..".
"Please Cathy, do enlighten us why the hell you would so such a thing", her mom commented angrily.
Cathy knew it was going to harder than she thought. But, this is what she wanted and she had to tell them "why" in a way they would understand.
But, all she could say was, "I just wanted to shave my head, that’s all.
"Besides, I am older enough to do what I want ….. right. SO, you will have to except that as my reason. There is no other than that ….. I just wanted to shave my head".
They sat there looking at her, still in disbelief. Still trying to understand her reason. A reason they could except without and thoughts. But, none could come to mind for them.
After a few minutes of just staring at each other Cathy stood up.
"Well, I take it you do not want to except my reason", she told them. " Then, let it be so …..
"But, I old enough to know what I want ….. And, this is something I have been wanting to do since I was fifteen, believe it or not. Now that I have made the decision you, and everyone else, will have to decide if who I am is more important then how I choose to cut my hair".
She turned and begin to walk out the kitchen.
"Cathy", her mom called, "Please sit down. It’s just you surprised us ….. you have never mentioned any of this to us. Please, dear, talk to us"!
"It is just something I have been wanted to do for years", Cathy begin telling them as she stood at the doorway. "I can not explain it other than it has been on my mind for years. Then, two months ago I just made up my mind to do it.
"It was not a hard thing to do.
"I just found a barber who did not ask any questions. When I told him I wanted my head shaved, he just went about and did it. This is me ….. I am still the Cathy I was, only now my choice of hair cut is to shave my head".
Cathy knew she should not stay around. It would have to be something they, her parents, would have to come to their own conclusion about. Whether to believe her or not. She walked out the kitchen, then the house. She got in her car and drove home to her apartment.
There she sat wondering if she had gone too far. Had she let what ever it was take control of her mind.
Would her parents, would her brothers, her friends, would everyone understand her!
Over the next week she found out who her friend were and were not. Those who excepted her became closer to her. Those who didn’t just wondered.
Saturday came ….. as she had done in the months before, she got up, did her things, then off she went to the King’s Street Barber Shop. There no one would ask her, no one would voice an opinion. Glenn would go about her hair cut as he had been for the last months.
To Cathy doing what she wanted was more important than what others thought of her.
I really appreciate your support on this.
ReplyDeleteLook forward to hearing from you soon.
I’m happy to answer your questions, if you have any.
เล่นบาคาร่า
เล่นบาคาร่า
คาสิโนออนไลน์
Many thanks for your kind invitation. I’ll join you.
ReplyDeleteWould you like to play cards?
Come to the party with me, please.
See you soon...
คาสิโน
เครดิตฟรี
เล่นบาคาร่า
คาสิโนออนไลน์