Ashley and Jessica waited impatiently standing in front of the
lockers by the coach’s office. Today was the day that would determine if
the past few weeks had been worth it. All of the long hours spent
practicing their hitting, fielding, and running. 50 girls had signed up
for the tryouts but only 30 would make the cut for the varsity team, the
rest would be doomed to play another year on the JV team. After last
year’s season playing in front of nearly empty stands for the JV squad
Ashley had vowed that she would make the varsity team this year. The two
girls were idly chatting trying to pass the time until the final roster
was posted when the door to the coach’s office opened. The girls saw as
he walked over to the bulletin board and posted up the list.
The girls took a second to wish each other luck and after a quick hug both made a dash for the board to see if their name was anywhere to be seen. A few seconds of silence as Ashley drew her finger down the page looking for her last name, then out of nowhere a loud shriek as her finger finally came to rest on her name. I made it I made the team, first base! Ecstatic that she had made the team she now looked over to her friend, she was hoping with all of her soul that she would be able to play this season on the varsity team with her friend. Well she said looking at Jessica, don’t keep me waiting. Jessica took a second to say “You know the JV squad isn’t so bad……" Ashley’s heart sank and the smile immediately dropped from her face “you mean you didn’t make it?" “Well the JV squad isn’t so bad BUT ITS NOTHING COMPARED TO VARSITY!!!!!" The two girls again hugged each other and began jumping up and down with excitement. They had finally made the team and even better they would be on the team together.
I have to run said Ashley do you want to meet up tonight and hang out for a bit? Sure Jessica said ill swing by your house at like 7, with this the two girls parted ways still excited from the great news they had just received. Later that evening Jessica arrived at Ashley’s house ringing the doorbell she was greeted by Ashley’s mother who had already heard the great news. Congratulating her at the door Ashley’s mother pointed Jessica upstairs toward her daughter’s room.
As Jessica walked in she saw Ashley standing in front of her full length mirror holding her long brown hair back and looking at her reflection from side to side. “What are you up to Ash" Jessica questioned. Well now that I made the team I am finally thinking about getting my hair cut in that cute bob I had wanted to last year. “But didn’t your parents say that you weren’t allowed to?" asked Jess. “Yea but that was when I asked them if I could do it, it’s a different story now that it’s a requirement for all the girls on the team". Puzzled and not remembering this rule Jess asked Ashley what she was talking about. It was then that Ashley handed the folded piece of paper to Jess.
“A notice to all parents of students participating in spring sports:
This year the school has instituted a new rule for any female student playing in a spring sport at the JV level or above. All female students who wish to take part in these programs must have hair no longer than chin length. In the past there have been long delays while students showered and spent large amounts of time fixing their hair after games. We believe that this new regulation will greatly decrease the amount of time needed after games and allow all of our students athletes to return home much quicker after the games. If your child is involved in one of these programs we ask that you please meet these requirements no later than the end of next week.
Thank you"
After reading the note Jessica handed it back to Ashley and began laughing, that will never work. Ashley looked at her longtime friend glaringly and said “it will work because you are going to go come down to dinner tonight and say you got the note too. You’re even going be very convincing especially when you tell my parents how sad you are that you have to have your hair cut too" she said as she looked at Jessica’s long blond hair. Her hands instinctively went up to protect her long locks, but but I don’t want to have my hair cut she stammered. Ashley smiled a big grin, that’s great now save some of that for the dinner table. With that the girls rushed downstairs for dinner.
The whole family was sitting around the dinner table with the girls talking about how much fun they were planning on having this season when Ashley interrupted and showed the note to her parents. It took them several minutes to read it over. Her heart was beating as they read the note but then her father commented “well I guess that makes sense, it certainly would make it faster getting home from those road games". “I think it’s a great idea that way you don’t have all of that hot hair piled under your cap" her mother interjected. “I guess we’ll have to make an appointment at the hairdresser for you… and soon too the note says you need to have your haircut before Monday". Are you girls ok with having your hair cut that short her mother asked the two girls. The two girls look at each other shrugging their shoulders while Ashley answered “anything to be on the team"
The girls quickly finished the rest of their dinner and then ran back up to Ashley’s room. Once they were in the room Ashley shut the door and couldn’t believe the note had worked. Ashley asked Jessica if she wanted to sleep over Friday night figuring they could wake up and go to the mall salon to get Ashley’s haircut. The girls agreed that they would spend Friday night at Ashley’s house and Jessica left. The rest of the week seemed to drag by as Ashley was impatiently waiting for her makeover on Saturday.
Friday night finally arrived as the girls were sitting in Ashley’s room taking turns brushing each other’s hair. Jessica was slowly running the brush through Ashley’s long brown hair, with each pass of the brush her hair shone brighter and brighter. “I can’t believe you actually want to have your hair cut off most girls would kill for hair like yours" she said as she continued brushing. The girls switched places with Ashley now combing out Jessica’s long wavy blonde hair. “I couldn’t imagine myself without my long hair" Jessica said between the long soothing stroked of the brush. It was getting late so the girls decided to turn in for the night Ashley had a big day ahead of her in the morning and couldn’t wait for it to come.
A loud knock at the door awoke the two girls, looking over Ashley saw her father standing at the door. What time is it she asked dazed? Its 8am we have to get a move on if we want to beat the rush. Still half asleep the girls didn’t know what he was talking about they began to get out of bed when Ashley asked her father what rush they had to beat. Her father looked at the two girls and said that they needed to hurry if they wanted to beat the Saturday rush at Ed’s barbershop. The two girls looked at each other wide eyed and then back at her father. “You girls only have two days left to get your hair cut for the softball team and the salon is closed on Sundays so we need to get you taken care of today" so come on and let get a move on. With that her father left the room.
Alone now and aware of the situation they were now in the girls began trying to formulate a way out. They couldn’t tell Ashley’s father that the note was a lie, and Jessica certainly didn’t want to get her hair cut at all let alone at a barbershop. It was a few minutes until Ashley came up with an idea. “Ok here’s what we’ll do well both go to the barbershop, I’ll get my haircut like I wanted and when it comes time for yours you just say that you aren’t ready for it just yet". This way I can still get my hair cut and we can just leave after I’m done. Jessica still a little unsure of this plan was hesitant to go to with her friend to the barbershop at all but with a little convincing that the plan would work she agreed.
The girls were all dressed and walked downstairs where Ashley’s father quickly hurried them out the door and into the car. As they arrived and parked in front of the barbershop they could see that the shop was already bust there were 2 men waiting in the chairs as the girls walked into the shop. There were two barbers working on their customers in their chairs. The girls took a few minutes to take in these unfamiliar surroundings. They had never been inside of a barbershop before and it looked a lot different than any salon they had ever been in. As the girls were looking around at all the sites of the shop they didn’t realize just how fast the barbers had been working on shearing their customers and getting them out the door.
After a few more minutes one of the barbers dusted off the customer in his chair and shook his cape out of the stray hairs left on the cape. He then looked over to Ashley’s father and said NEXT. Actually Ed I’m not here for a haircut today the girls need to have their hair cut, apparently some new rule for the female sports teams to speed up how long it takes them to get ready after the games. The older barber nodded in agreement and then looked over to the two girls…. Ok ladies who’s next?
The two girls nervously looked at each other and finally Ashley got up and said that she would go first. As she saw her friend walking over to the chair she let out a sigh of relief knowing that she could have been the next one in the chair to have her hair cut off. Ashley took her seat in the chair and instinctively ran her hands through her long brown hair. As she sat she fiddled with the ends knowing that her hair would soon be much shorter. As the barber caped her up she began to speak “I was thinking of having it cut into a bob style above my chin". After hearing this the barber looked over to her father who was still seated in the waiting area. You know Ashley if you need to have it short for the team why not just have it cut really short now and get it over with. This way you won’t really need to have it cut again all season.
Sitting in the chair caped Ashley’s mind was reeling to find some way out of her fathers proposed haircut. Um dad I don’t think I want it that short I think I’d like the bob. The barber again looked over at her father. Honey its ok its only hair it will grow back and you know the school said you had to have it short I think this will be the best style for you. Ed give her a short boys type haircut but leave it a little bit longer than normal.
When Ashley heard this she couldn’t believe what her father had just said. She was looking at him in the mirror trying to convince him to let her get away with the bob hairstyle instead of the much shorter boys haircut. As she was pleading with her father in the mirror she did not notice that the barber had walked behind the chair. The next thing she felt was his hands in her hair and then she heard the loud scrunching of the scissors, before her mind could put everything together she saw an 8 inch chunk of hair slide down the cape quickly followed by another lock of dark hair. When she finally realized that her long hair was being shorn she let out a scream, the barber paused for a moment looking at Ashley in the chair and then her father in the waiting area.
Ashley whipped her head from side to side trying to see the damage, normally when she would swing her head like that a soft torrent of her dark hair would whip from side to side. Now however she felt nothing, as she turned her head she saw that her hair had been hacked off raggedly about an inch from the base of her neck. Her hands went up to feel what was left of her hair and then immediately covered her mouth “OH MY GOD" she shrieked through her covered mouth, my hair!!! As she looked in the mirror she could see that the damage had been done and that there was no way to salvage her hair into any kind of bob hairstyle. At this point the barber had stopped what he was doing and looked towards Ashley’s father for what to do next. Her father nodded to the barber saying you can’t leave her hair like that you have to finish.
With her father’s consent the barber walked back behind the chair taking a comb out of his white smock he placed the comb into Ashley’s hair lifting what was left straight up and then using his shears to snip it off less than an inch from her head. As she watched the scissors close she winced seeing another tendril of her hair drop lifelessly. Her dark hair slid down the white cape and came to rest in her lap. The hair in her lap wasn’t alone for long as another section of hair was combed, and then snipped off by the sharp blades of the barbers shears. Time after time Ashley felt the motion of the comb, heard the crunch of the scissors and then watched the pile of dark tresses grow in her lap and on the floor. The area was littered with a carpet of her once glorious hair now lying strewn about the shop. As the barber made his last motion with his scissors and comb Ashley stared into the mirror in disbelief, where only 10 minutes ago had been long brown hair now was a girl looking back with short tufts of hair sticking up all over her head.
Suddenly a loud pop and buzz filled the shop, Ashley immediately knew what this sound was as he eyes darted toward the barber holding his big Oster clippers. As he walked close to the chair she tried to speak to plead for him not to use them on her but her mind couldn’t make her mouth say the words it was too late as she felt the barber place them at the center of her head and draw them quickly back over her head. Short sections of hair rained down on the cape and across her face, as she looked into the mirror she could see a buzzed strip down the middle of her head that couldn’t have been more than ½ inch long. In familiar territory now the barber hastened his pace and made quick work running the buzzing clippers over Ashley’s head again and again. In no time flat her head had been shorn all over. The barber switched off the clippers and Ashley thought her ordeal was over, until the barber came back over with a different set of clippers. I’m just going to taper the sides a bit and you’ll be all set. A new higher pitched buzz filled the shop as the barber tilted Ashley’s head to the right and ran the clippers up and around the sides of her ears and neck. Tiny bristles of hair sprung from the blades of the clippers as the barber worked. After a few more minutes the barber had expertly blended the sides of her hair into the top. As Ashley look into the mirror she saw her new hairstyle as a slight tear rolled down her cheek. The barber dusted off his customer making sure to rub his hand on her newly buzzed head as Ashley got up from the chair.
Dazed Ashley walked back over to the waiting area rubbing her head. She did not make eye contact with her father or friend and did not say a word as she sat down. The barber turned the chair towards the waiting area and motioned towards Jessica...up you go miss. Jessica shocked and not wanting to have her hair butchered as her friend just had tried sticking to the plan her and Ashley had concocted. “Um no thanks I don’t think I’m ready for a haircut yet…I think my mother is going to take me to the salon". Ashley’s father stood up from his chair in the waiting area speaking to Jessica. “It’s ok Jess I talked to your mother this morning and told her I was taking Ashley for her haircut for the team. At first she didn’t know what I was talking about but then I read the note for her. She said she would really appreciate if I took you along". Now up you go there are other customers waiting.
As Jessica stood up her legs felt rubbery underneath her as she walked the 6 feet or so to the chair but to her it felt like miles. Each step she knew was bringing her closer to losing her long hair. As she reached the chair and sat down the barber swirled the cape around her shoulders she watched as it floated down softly. As she sat in the chair she could already feel a lump building in her throat and was already struggling to hold back the tears thinking about what was next. The barber leaned down and said quietly “don’t worry I will do this as fast as possible". The barber walked over to the counter and picked up his clippers choosing to skip the scissors completely. Holding the clippers in his hand he walked behind the chair as Jessica felt his hand gently pushing her head down. Then she heard the loud POP and whirring of the clippers as they sprung to life. A moment later she felt the cold steel of the blades on the base of her neck, the sensation did not linger as she felt the clippers begin their movement upwards. The sound of the clippers changed slightly as they bit into her thick hair. In one smooth motion the barber expertly glided the clippers up the back of her neck and over the top of her head spilling a waterfall of soft hair down into her lap. Jessica jolted her head up to look in the mirror and upon seeing her long hair neatly bisected down the middle with an almost imperceptible stubble she burst out into tears.
Still reeling from seeing the first swipe of destruction the clippers had made her vision was again blurred by another torrent of hair falling past her eyes. She anguished over letting her friend talk her into this plan and how she could have let herself be sheared at the barbers. The barber continued making pass after pass over the top of her head as piles of hair dropped to the cape and floor while rivers of tears flowed down her cheeks. The barber turned the chair and attacked the remaining hair left on the sides of her head. With several efficient strokes of the clippers the hair on the right side of her head fell to join the mountain of long brown and blonde hair from the friends haircuts. The left side was next as the barber again turned the chair, Jessica felt the clippers slide in at her sideburn and then quickly up and over her ear. By now she had no more tears to cry and was resigned to her fate.
After finishing the sides the meticulous barber ran the clippers all over her head several more times to make sure that he got every last stray hair. The loud pop of the clippers switching off signaled the end of Jessica’s ordeal as the barber dusted off her neck and shook out the cape dumping her hair all over the floor. The barbers chair was ringed with long tendrils of the girl’s hair Jessica still protectively made sure to not step on any of the hair as the got up and walked back to the waiting area. As she wiped her tear streaked cheeks she immediately walked over to Ashley and hugged her for support. Ashley consoled her friend and apologized for everything that had happened.
Ashley’s father walked over and paid the old barber as he got the girls ready to go. As they were walking out to the car the barber busy sweeping up the long hair said to himself “It’s amazing what those girls were willing to do to make the team"
The girls took a second to wish each other luck and after a quick hug both made a dash for the board to see if their name was anywhere to be seen. A few seconds of silence as Ashley drew her finger down the page looking for her last name, then out of nowhere a loud shriek as her finger finally came to rest on her name. I made it I made the team, first base! Ecstatic that she had made the team she now looked over to her friend, she was hoping with all of her soul that she would be able to play this season on the varsity team with her friend. Well she said looking at Jessica, don’t keep me waiting. Jessica took a second to say “You know the JV squad isn’t so bad……" Ashley’s heart sank and the smile immediately dropped from her face “you mean you didn’t make it?" “Well the JV squad isn’t so bad BUT ITS NOTHING COMPARED TO VARSITY!!!!!" The two girls again hugged each other and began jumping up and down with excitement. They had finally made the team and even better they would be on the team together.
I have to run said Ashley do you want to meet up tonight and hang out for a bit? Sure Jessica said ill swing by your house at like 7, with this the two girls parted ways still excited from the great news they had just received. Later that evening Jessica arrived at Ashley’s house ringing the doorbell she was greeted by Ashley’s mother who had already heard the great news. Congratulating her at the door Ashley’s mother pointed Jessica upstairs toward her daughter’s room.
As Jessica walked in she saw Ashley standing in front of her full length mirror holding her long brown hair back and looking at her reflection from side to side. “What are you up to Ash" Jessica questioned. Well now that I made the team I am finally thinking about getting my hair cut in that cute bob I had wanted to last year. “But didn’t your parents say that you weren’t allowed to?" asked Jess. “Yea but that was when I asked them if I could do it, it’s a different story now that it’s a requirement for all the girls on the team". Puzzled and not remembering this rule Jess asked Ashley what she was talking about. It was then that Ashley handed the folded piece of paper to Jess.
“A notice to all parents of students participating in spring sports:
This year the school has instituted a new rule for any female student playing in a spring sport at the JV level or above. All female students who wish to take part in these programs must have hair no longer than chin length. In the past there have been long delays while students showered and spent large amounts of time fixing their hair after games. We believe that this new regulation will greatly decrease the amount of time needed after games and allow all of our students athletes to return home much quicker after the games. If your child is involved in one of these programs we ask that you please meet these requirements no later than the end of next week.
Thank you"
After reading the note Jessica handed it back to Ashley and began laughing, that will never work. Ashley looked at her longtime friend glaringly and said “it will work because you are going to go come down to dinner tonight and say you got the note too. You’re even going be very convincing especially when you tell my parents how sad you are that you have to have your hair cut too" she said as she looked at Jessica’s long blond hair. Her hands instinctively went up to protect her long locks, but but I don’t want to have my hair cut she stammered. Ashley smiled a big grin, that’s great now save some of that for the dinner table. With that the girls rushed downstairs for dinner.
The whole family was sitting around the dinner table with the girls talking about how much fun they were planning on having this season when Ashley interrupted and showed the note to her parents. It took them several minutes to read it over. Her heart was beating as they read the note but then her father commented “well I guess that makes sense, it certainly would make it faster getting home from those road games". “I think it’s a great idea that way you don’t have all of that hot hair piled under your cap" her mother interjected. “I guess we’ll have to make an appointment at the hairdresser for you… and soon too the note says you need to have your haircut before Monday". Are you girls ok with having your hair cut that short her mother asked the two girls. The two girls look at each other shrugging their shoulders while Ashley answered “anything to be on the team"
The girls quickly finished the rest of their dinner and then ran back up to Ashley’s room. Once they were in the room Ashley shut the door and couldn’t believe the note had worked. Ashley asked Jessica if she wanted to sleep over Friday night figuring they could wake up and go to the mall salon to get Ashley’s haircut. The girls agreed that they would spend Friday night at Ashley’s house and Jessica left. The rest of the week seemed to drag by as Ashley was impatiently waiting for her makeover on Saturday.
Friday night finally arrived as the girls were sitting in Ashley’s room taking turns brushing each other’s hair. Jessica was slowly running the brush through Ashley’s long brown hair, with each pass of the brush her hair shone brighter and brighter. “I can’t believe you actually want to have your hair cut off most girls would kill for hair like yours" she said as she continued brushing. The girls switched places with Ashley now combing out Jessica’s long wavy blonde hair. “I couldn’t imagine myself without my long hair" Jessica said between the long soothing stroked of the brush. It was getting late so the girls decided to turn in for the night Ashley had a big day ahead of her in the morning and couldn’t wait for it to come.
A loud knock at the door awoke the two girls, looking over Ashley saw her father standing at the door. What time is it she asked dazed? Its 8am we have to get a move on if we want to beat the rush. Still half asleep the girls didn’t know what he was talking about they began to get out of bed when Ashley asked her father what rush they had to beat. Her father looked at the two girls and said that they needed to hurry if they wanted to beat the Saturday rush at Ed’s barbershop. The two girls looked at each other wide eyed and then back at her father. “You girls only have two days left to get your hair cut for the softball team and the salon is closed on Sundays so we need to get you taken care of today" so come on and let get a move on. With that her father left the room.
Alone now and aware of the situation they were now in the girls began trying to formulate a way out. They couldn’t tell Ashley’s father that the note was a lie, and Jessica certainly didn’t want to get her hair cut at all let alone at a barbershop. It was a few minutes until Ashley came up with an idea. “Ok here’s what we’ll do well both go to the barbershop, I’ll get my haircut like I wanted and when it comes time for yours you just say that you aren’t ready for it just yet". This way I can still get my hair cut and we can just leave after I’m done. Jessica still a little unsure of this plan was hesitant to go to with her friend to the barbershop at all but with a little convincing that the plan would work she agreed.
The girls were all dressed and walked downstairs where Ashley’s father quickly hurried them out the door and into the car. As they arrived and parked in front of the barbershop they could see that the shop was already bust there were 2 men waiting in the chairs as the girls walked into the shop. There were two barbers working on their customers in their chairs. The girls took a few minutes to take in these unfamiliar surroundings. They had never been inside of a barbershop before and it looked a lot different than any salon they had ever been in. As the girls were looking around at all the sites of the shop they didn’t realize just how fast the barbers had been working on shearing their customers and getting them out the door.
After a few more minutes one of the barbers dusted off the customer in his chair and shook his cape out of the stray hairs left on the cape. He then looked over to Ashley’s father and said NEXT. Actually Ed I’m not here for a haircut today the girls need to have their hair cut, apparently some new rule for the female sports teams to speed up how long it takes them to get ready after the games. The older barber nodded in agreement and then looked over to the two girls…. Ok ladies who’s next?
The two girls nervously looked at each other and finally Ashley got up and said that she would go first. As she saw her friend walking over to the chair she let out a sigh of relief knowing that she could have been the next one in the chair to have her hair cut off. Ashley took her seat in the chair and instinctively ran her hands through her long brown hair. As she sat she fiddled with the ends knowing that her hair would soon be much shorter. As the barber caped her up she began to speak “I was thinking of having it cut into a bob style above my chin". After hearing this the barber looked over to her father who was still seated in the waiting area. You know Ashley if you need to have it short for the team why not just have it cut really short now and get it over with. This way you won’t really need to have it cut again all season.
Sitting in the chair caped Ashley’s mind was reeling to find some way out of her fathers proposed haircut. Um dad I don’t think I want it that short I think I’d like the bob. The barber again looked over at her father. Honey its ok its only hair it will grow back and you know the school said you had to have it short I think this will be the best style for you. Ed give her a short boys type haircut but leave it a little bit longer than normal.
When Ashley heard this she couldn’t believe what her father had just said. She was looking at him in the mirror trying to convince him to let her get away with the bob hairstyle instead of the much shorter boys haircut. As she was pleading with her father in the mirror she did not notice that the barber had walked behind the chair. The next thing she felt was his hands in her hair and then she heard the loud scrunching of the scissors, before her mind could put everything together she saw an 8 inch chunk of hair slide down the cape quickly followed by another lock of dark hair. When she finally realized that her long hair was being shorn she let out a scream, the barber paused for a moment looking at Ashley in the chair and then her father in the waiting area.
Ashley whipped her head from side to side trying to see the damage, normally when she would swing her head like that a soft torrent of her dark hair would whip from side to side. Now however she felt nothing, as she turned her head she saw that her hair had been hacked off raggedly about an inch from the base of her neck. Her hands went up to feel what was left of her hair and then immediately covered her mouth “OH MY GOD" she shrieked through her covered mouth, my hair!!! As she looked in the mirror she could see that the damage had been done and that there was no way to salvage her hair into any kind of bob hairstyle. At this point the barber had stopped what he was doing and looked towards Ashley’s father for what to do next. Her father nodded to the barber saying you can’t leave her hair like that you have to finish.
With her father’s consent the barber walked back behind the chair taking a comb out of his white smock he placed the comb into Ashley’s hair lifting what was left straight up and then using his shears to snip it off less than an inch from her head. As she watched the scissors close she winced seeing another tendril of her hair drop lifelessly. Her dark hair slid down the white cape and came to rest in her lap. The hair in her lap wasn’t alone for long as another section of hair was combed, and then snipped off by the sharp blades of the barbers shears. Time after time Ashley felt the motion of the comb, heard the crunch of the scissors and then watched the pile of dark tresses grow in her lap and on the floor. The area was littered with a carpet of her once glorious hair now lying strewn about the shop. As the barber made his last motion with his scissors and comb Ashley stared into the mirror in disbelief, where only 10 minutes ago had been long brown hair now was a girl looking back with short tufts of hair sticking up all over her head.
Suddenly a loud pop and buzz filled the shop, Ashley immediately knew what this sound was as he eyes darted toward the barber holding his big Oster clippers. As he walked close to the chair she tried to speak to plead for him not to use them on her but her mind couldn’t make her mouth say the words it was too late as she felt the barber place them at the center of her head and draw them quickly back over her head. Short sections of hair rained down on the cape and across her face, as she looked into the mirror she could see a buzzed strip down the middle of her head that couldn’t have been more than ½ inch long. In familiar territory now the barber hastened his pace and made quick work running the buzzing clippers over Ashley’s head again and again. In no time flat her head had been shorn all over. The barber switched off the clippers and Ashley thought her ordeal was over, until the barber came back over with a different set of clippers. I’m just going to taper the sides a bit and you’ll be all set. A new higher pitched buzz filled the shop as the barber tilted Ashley’s head to the right and ran the clippers up and around the sides of her ears and neck. Tiny bristles of hair sprung from the blades of the clippers as the barber worked. After a few more minutes the barber had expertly blended the sides of her hair into the top. As Ashley look into the mirror she saw her new hairstyle as a slight tear rolled down her cheek. The barber dusted off his customer making sure to rub his hand on her newly buzzed head as Ashley got up from the chair.
Dazed Ashley walked back over to the waiting area rubbing her head. She did not make eye contact with her father or friend and did not say a word as she sat down. The barber turned the chair towards the waiting area and motioned towards Jessica...up you go miss. Jessica shocked and not wanting to have her hair butchered as her friend just had tried sticking to the plan her and Ashley had concocted. “Um no thanks I don’t think I’m ready for a haircut yet…I think my mother is going to take me to the salon". Ashley’s father stood up from his chair in the waiting area speaking to Jessica. “It’s ok Jess I talked to your mother this morning and told her I was taking Ashley for her haircut for the team. At first she didn’t know what I was talking about but then I read the note for her. She said she would really appreciate if I took you along". Now up you go there are other customers waiting.
As Jessica stood up her legs felt rubbery underneath her as she walked the 6 feet or so to the chair but to her it felt like miles. Each step she knew was bringing her closer to losing her long hair. As she reached the chair and sat down the barber swirled the cape around her shoulders she watched as it floated down softly. As she sat in the chair she could already feel a lump building in her throat and was already struggling to hold back the tears thinking about what was next. The barber leaned down and said quietly “don’t worry I will do this as fast as possible". The barber walked over to the counter and picked up his clippers choosing to skip the scissors completely. Holding the clippers in his hand he walked behind the chair as Jessica felt his hand gently pushing her head down. Then she heard the loud POP and whirring of the clippers as they sprung to life. A moment later she felt the cold steel of the blades on the base of her neck, the sensation did not linger as she felt the clippers begin their movement upwards. The sound of the clippers changed slightly as they bit into her thick hair. In one smooth motion the barber expertly glided the clippers up the back of her neck and over the top of her head spilling a waterfall of soft hair down into her lap. Jessica jolted her head up to look in the mirror and upon seeing her long hair neatly bisected down the middle with an almost imperceptible stubble she burst out into tears.
Still reeling from seeing the first swipe of destruction the clippers had made her vision was again blurred by another torrent of hair falling past her eyes. She anguished over letting her friend talk her into this plan and how she could have let herself be sheared at the barbers. The barber continued making pass after pass over the top of her head as piles of hair dropped to the cape and floor while rivers of tears flowed down her cheeks. The barber turned the chair and attacked the remaining hair left on the sides of her head. With several efficient strokes of the clippers the hair on the right side of her head fell to join the mountain of long brown and blonde hair from the friends haircuts. The left side was next as the barber again turned the chair, Jessica felt the clippers slide in at her sideburn and then quickly up and over her ear. By now she had no more tears to cry and was resigned to her fate.
After finishing the sides the meticulous barber ran the clippers all over her head several more times to make sure that he got every last stray hair. The loud pop of the clippers switching off signaled the end of Jessica’s ordeal as the barber dusted off her neck and shook out the cape dumping her hair all over the floor. The barbers chair was ringed with long tendrils of the girl’s hair Jessica still protectively made sure to not step on any of the hair as the got up and walked back to the waiting area. As she wiped her tear streaked cheeks she immediately walked over to Ashley and hugged her for support. Ashley consoled her friend and apologized for everything that had happened.
Ashley’s father walked over and paid the old barber as he got the girls ready to go. As they were walking out to the car the barber busy sweeping up the long hair said to himself “It’s amazing what those girls were willing to do to make the team"
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