by Adam P.

 

    Eric is a 22 year old college student, with long brown hair, and dark brown eyes.  He loves to play guitar and has a charm that he thinks women will "dig."  I happen to be his roomate and best friend.  Personally, I couldn't stand Eric's long hair.  For a very long time I have wanted to take a pair of scissors and chop off his "pretty" mane.  Since I'm his best friend, I couldn't do that to him since he has treasured his long locks of hair.  

 

   What really annoyed me about Eric's long hair was that every night before he went to bed, I had to watch him brush it and spray some special "hair serum" all over it.  Everytime I saw him doing that I had to cringe because it looked so feminine.  Every night I thought "You won't have those locks to brush forever, buddy."

 

    One day I saw Eric sitting on a bench outside the student center, and he had his head in his hands.  I went over to him.

    "Eric, what's wrong?"  I asked.

    Eric responded, "Everybody seems to be making fun of my hair today.  A couple guys in my class said I looked like a girl.  Of course they had mega-short buzzcuts, compared to my long 'girlie' mane that I have."

    "I really think you should cut your hair," I said.

    "I seriously have been thinking about doing it," Eric said, "but I can't lose my long hair.  It took me three years for my hair to grow that long...."

    "Eric!" I exclaimed, "You need a haircut.  You have to look like a man.  Listen, I know how to cut hair.  I used to cut hair for some of my friends when I was in high school.  My father showed me how to use clippers.  Why don't you let me cut your hair?"

 

    "How much do you charge?" Eric asked.

    I laughed.  "It won't cost you a thing.  You are my best friend.  So how 'bout I cut your hair tonight?"

    "Well, alright." Eric agreed.

    "O.K., I'll see you tonight," I said.

 

              *    *    *

 

                                    

    "Eric, it's time,"  I called out to him.
     Eric walked into the bathroom.  In there I had set up a chair in the center, with my clippers with various attachments set aside, along with scissors, a comb, shaving cream, and a Mach 3 razor.

    "Sit in the chair," I instructed Eric.  He sat down, and I put a black and white striped barber cape on him.  I fastened it snugly around his neck, moving his long hair out of the way.

 

    "I don't know if I can do this, man...," Eric started to protest.

    "It's too late to turn back, now," I said, "This must be done."

    I instructed Eric to tip his head forward into the sink.  I proceeded to turn the water on, and began to wet his long hair.  I squeezed shampoo into my hand, and began to rub it into his hair.  I lathered up all his hair, and proceeded to massage his scalp so he could become relaxed.  After that, I rinsed out all the suds, lifted his head out of the sink, dried his hair with a towel, combed all of his long, tangeled locks, which were soon to be gone.

 

    "Say goodbye to your long, beautiful locks, Eric," I said.

    Eric gulped, and braced himself as I was about to chop all of his long hair off.  I grabbed his mane in my left hand, and with the scissors in my right hand, I swiftly "snip-snipped" the hair from the base of his neck.  I put the locks in Eric's lap.  He shuddered.

    "Relax," I said, "This is for the better."

 

    Next, I snapped a #2 attachment on my clippers.  I flipped them on, pushed Eric's head down firmly so it rested on his chest, and cut a path on the center of the back of his head.  I continued buzzing the back of his head up to the crown.  Next, I buzzed the back and sides, using the same attachment.  Chunks of hair fell onto the floor and on the cape, while Eric was motionless, not saying a word.

 

    After clipping the back and sides, I stepped back to examine my work I had done so far.  I decided to make the back and sides shorter, and so I took the attachment off my clippers, and rebuzzed the back and sides of Eric's head.  He continued to be silent, perhaps in shock.  Or maybe he was enjoying the process.....

 

    I snapped on a #4 attachment onto the clippers, and plowed them through the center of the top of his head.  A huge mound of hair was all over the cape.  I contined to buzz down the top.  Then, I took the attachment off the clippers, picked up a comb, lifted the remaining hair on top of Eric's head, and cut the hair in between the comb, thus creating a flattop.  After that, I blended the areas where the longer hair and the #000 buzzed areas met.  Finally, I lathered up the base of Eric's neck and the area around his ears, and gave him an outline razor shave.  I wiped off the extra lather, and splashed some after shave where I outlined him.

 

    After what seemed like an eternity, I gave one final inspection of the work I had just done on Eric.  I created a perfect #4 flattop with  #000 buzzed back and sides.  I unhooked the cape from Eric, and shook it.  He stared at the mirror with his mouth wide open.

 

    "What do you think, Eric?" I asked him.

    "Wow!" It's wonderful!" Eric exclaimed, " I really like this haircut.  You really did a good job.  Thanks, man!"

    "You're welcome," I said, "Now you have to get it tidied up every two weeks, recruit!"

    "Yes, SIR!" Eric shouted, and saluted to me.

 

    I laughed.  Finally, Eric's long, girlie locks are no more.

 

    The next day, I saw Eric playing guitar outside the student center, and there were several girls around him, touching his hair and flirting with him.  I smiled.  His new "do", along with his charm, must attract all the girls, I thought.

 

 

The End