new thread
A college kid stumbles in. Thick, LONG (down to his nose) glossy locks on top--obviously his pride and joy. "Buzzed" sides and back.
He sits down in the chair. Tells Frank he wants the sides and back cleaned up, but DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING OFF THE TOP. Frank agrees, though you can tell it pains him greatly to do a "non-proportional" cut.
Frank does his usual, excellent taper on the sides and back. He begins just the tiniest bit of snipping some of the longer part, to blend it in just a BIT.
This kid is now clearly nervous. He shifts uncomfortably. He eyes the tiny snips (he's not facing the mirror) coming down on the cape. Finally, he clears his throat and peeps "Uh, you're not taking anything off the top, are you?"
Frank, now clearly annoyed (at least to me) but still cordial to the kid, says "Naw, don't worry, I'm just blending a bit."
Well, the kid does not know when to leave well enough alone. Little does he realize that Frank was prepared to let him leave with more hair on top than he would normally consider appropriate. No, the kid, obviously used to "consulting" with a "stylist," just will not leave well enough alone and continues to pester Frank while he is attempting his artistry.
"Good," the kid says, "cuz I like it long on top and I thought maybe you didn't hear me and...blah blah blah blah blah."
Finally, Frank had had enough. He shoots me a conspiratorial glance, and the next thing you hear is a thick "crunch, crunch." He had brutally chopped two thick chunks out of the top of the kid's glossy top!
The kid is speechless. I think he may have shat his pants. He may have even cried.
Frank seizes the moment. "Don't worry, I'm leaving the top alone, I'm just thinning it out a little."
He finishes the cut: a standard, extra short tapered regular haircut, severely parted and held in place with vitalis. Straight out of the 1955 Barber training manual. Classic in every regard.
The kid is silent. He pays the bill.
And you know what?
I bet he was back the next week for a clean up!
ANd today, he is probably shiny bald headed. Or a hippie. It can go either way...
Real ending...Frank is out of bussiness.
You can cut a mans hair many times,
but you can scalp him only once.
All those old barbers who thought everyone had to
have a "regular haircut" are gone now.
Even buzzcuts come from stylists.
I'm going to leave this post, because technically, it is not off-topic. It also begs the question of how to adequately protect ourselves when going for a haircut.
In general, however, this is not meant to be a fantasy board, particularly not one where hair cutting to a short length is the fantasy. There are other sites that fill this need.
What a complete waste of time....