It happened more years ago than I care to remember, I think I was probably about 12 years old, but I can still clearly recall everything about that day. My mother had met me from school to take me to buy new shoes and then as we were walking home she stopped outside the door of a small hairdressing salon. “I just want to go in here for a few minutes to see if I can get my hair trimmed. Do you want to wait for me or will you go on home?” I decide that I would wait for her, as I was curious to see if a ladies salon was much different from the barbers where I had my hair cut.

As we entered the salon my stomach gave a little lurch as the warm heavily scented air enveloped me, it was unlike anything I had ever experienced. My mother went to the small reception desk and after a few brief words she was being ushered into the depths of the salon, telling me to sit on the nearby chair, behave myself and wait for her to return. I sat on the chair and then looked into the area where my mother had been led. It was divided up into about 6 cubicles, most of which had a curtain drawn across but the nearest cubicle to me had the curtain only partly drawn and from there came the distinctive sound of scissors shearing hair.

I craned my neck to see what was happening. Sitting in the chair, enveloped in a voluminous white cape, was a teenage girl and I almost gasped in surprise as I saw that a great pile of gleaming blonde hair lay thickly in her lap and more was swiftly joining it. A middle-aged woman standing alongside her was casually lopping off 6 inches or so from the girl’s hair and I could see that already half of the below shoulder length hair had been reduced to about chin level. I watched with fascination and mounting excitement as the scissors busily snipped away and more and more of the blonde hair rolled down over the gown to join the pile already in her lap, or drop to the floor. The sound of the shearing blades and the sight of so much hair being cut were sending great tremors of excitement through me and I greatly envied the woman who was using the scissors.

I watched utterly entranced for the next few minutes as the remaining long hair was cut. The girl in the chair seemed to be completely relaxed and was watching her hair tumbling down from the shearing blades with half smile on her face. The cutting was soon complete, much to my disappointment, and the gown was released from around the shoulders of the girl in the chair. Great clouds of blonde hair tumbled down in a cloud to join the silken piles lying on the floor and the girl gave her head a little toss and then lifted her hair with her hands and then said, “Oh, that feels much better.” As she walked out of the cubicle she gave me a little smile and I realised she had noticed me watching and probably seen my excitement. I flushed and looked away and she gave another smile and a little toss of her blonde hair and walked past me, followed by the woman who been wielding the scissors, paid at the desk and left the salon.

My mind was in a whirl as she left as I now realised how fascinated I was with female hair and particularly the cutting of it. A minute later my mother emerged from the rear of the salon and I hardly recognised her as the mass of softly curling shoulder length, which had always been a part of her for as long as I could remember, was gone! Her dark hair was now cut much shorter and I thought it looked wonderful. She too clearly was pleased with her new image and smiled at my surprised expression and said, “Do you like it? It feels wonderful, I wished I had plucked up courage and had it done years ago.” “It looks lovely, Mum. What changed your mind to have such a lot of hair cut off?” She looked at me in some surprise at my interest and then said, “Well I really only intended to have my usual trim but they have a new assistant and he is very persuasive. He said he would like to restyle my hair and almost before I realised he was nearly scalping me! I was very alarmed at first when I saw so much hair being cut off but I am really pleased now.” I was now even more attracted to the work that went on there and it was then the thought first entered my mind that to be hairstylist must be wonderful. To wield the scissors and have the power to change a person’s appearance so swiftly and dramatically must be very exciting

She went to the desk to pay and then just as we were leaving a young man came through from the rear and said, “You have left your shopping bag.” My mother thanked him and as we were going through the door she said, “See you about 7pm.” I wondered why she was going to see him again that evening and on the way home my mother told me about the third event of that day which would have such an effect on me. Just as we neared our house she turned to me and said, “I don’t want you to say anything to your sister about Peter coming this evening. I have asked him to come to cut her hair, it is far too long and I know she will make a fuss if I take her to the salon. I don’t want her arguing about it before Peter comes and once he is here I can make sure it is cut,”

I looked at her with astonishment and said, “But Susie’s hair is beautiful and she loves it long. Why are you making her have it cut?” “She spends far too long shampooing and drying it and she is always brushing it when she should be helping me or doing her homework. It will be far easier for her to manage if he cuts it to shoulder length. Now remember, I don’t want you to say a word to her about it, I don’t want her getting upset any earlier” I was throbbing with excitement now at the thought of watching my sister’s hair being cut. She was couple of years older than me, and her hair, a dark chestnut colour, was waist length. I had often watched her tenderly brushing it, and realise now, with perhaps more interest than the average twelve-year-old boy. How would she look with her lovely hair reduced by at least 24 inches? How exciting though that would be to watch it being cut off! In addition it would be even more pleasurable somehow because she would be parting with her long hair unwillingly.

I entered the house already feeling my heart pounding faster and could hardly wait for 7 o’clock to arrive. Susie was in the kitchen and she looked opened mouthed at Mother’s dramatic new appearance. “Oh Mum!” she exclaimed. “What have you done to your hair? Why have you had it cut so short?” Mother looked a little disappointed at Susie’s reaction and she said, “I wanted a change. Don’t you like it?” “No, your hair was lovely before. I don’t like short hair.” Mother seemed annoyed and she said, “Well I like it and it is about time you thought about getting your hair cut shorter.” Susie gave her head a head an angry toss and her great mane of hair swung about and she said, “Don’t keep on to me about my hair, you know I like it long.” She flounced out of the room and I could hardly restrain a smile as I thought about what was in store for her hair whether she liked it or not, Mother could be very firm once she had made up her mind and I knew that Susie would not be able to defy her about having her hair cut.

Mother turned to me and said, “Not a word mind about later or you will be sorry.” I nodded; I certainly had no intention of telling Susie what was in store for her later on as I wanted to fully enjoy every moment of the event. During the evening meal I could not keep my eyes off her beautiful long hair and although I was very much looking forward to seeing it cut off I felt it perhaps a shame that such beauty should be removed. As usual after the meal Susie went upstairs and a
little later I followed. She was, as I hoped, carrying out her nightly ritual of brushing her hair and I watched her silently for a few moments, drinking in the beauty of her long hair for what I knew would be the last time

She brushed vigorously for a little longer and then turned to me and said, “What do you think of Mum’s hair?” “Oh I like it,” I replied and Susie looked a little surprised and then gave a shrug and went back to brushing her hair. Suddenly I heard the doorbell ring and my stomach gave a lurch. It was nearly 7pm. It must be Peter! I left Susie and quickly went downstairs and saw that a chair had already been placed in the centre of lounge and Peter was unpacking a small bag. Mother turned to me and said,” Go and get plenty of newspapers and spread them around the chair please. I don’t want hair going on the carpet. As I was doing as she asked she said to Peter, “Susie may create a little as she doesn’t want her hair cut but don’t take any notice. It is far too long so I want it cut to about shoulder length. He nodded and gave a little smile and said, “Don’t worry, a lot of girls get a bit upset at having long hair cut but I am sure she will be fine once she gets used to it.”

Peter now placed a large white cape ready on the chair and several brushes and of course, a comb and a gleaming pair of scissors on the table. Now all was ready and Mother went to the bottom of the stairs and called, “Susie, would you come here please.” My pulse was beginning to beat faster and I moved to a corner of the room so that I would be as unobtrusive as possible during the event. Susie came into the room and then stopped, the colour draining from her face, as she saw Peter and the hairdressing tools on the table. “Sit over there, Susie,” said mother firmly, “Peter is going to cut some of the length off your hair.” Susie looked pleadingly at her mother and said, “Oh please Mum, I don’t want my hair cut.” “Susie,” said Mother in an even firmer voice, “Do as you are told and sit there.”

Susie looked at her Mother pleadingly again and then with faltering steps she approached the chair. Peter smilingly picked up the cape and she sank into the chair. After brushing her hair she had fastened it back in a simple ponytail and Peter carefully lifted her hair clear as he fastened the large white cape around her and then he released it and allowed it to hang down over the cape and it swung gently as he released it. Susie was even paler now and close to tears and as Peter began loosening the clasp that held her ponytail she said desperately, “Oh please don’t cut very much off.” Mother moved closer and said, “Peter knows exactly what I want done to your hair and I don’t want to hear another word from you.”

Realising now that all hope had gone Susie slumped in the chair and Peter released the clasp and allowed her hair to spread out over the gown on a silken blanket. He picked up a brush from the table and began drawing it gently through the long hair. I was watching, now feeling more excited than I had ever been in my life, waiting for him to start using the scissors. However Peter seemed in no hurry to begin as he continued to sift and stroke Susie’s lovely long hair, and checking her hairline underneath and at the front. He turned to Mother and said,” I would like to have Susie’s hair shampooed after I have cut off some of the length. I will be able to get a better shape when it is wet and then I will blow-dry it for her.” Mother nodded her agreement and then to my surprise he sectioned Susie’s hair into three and began plaiting it. Swiftly the plait grew and was soon snaking down her back like a silken rope and he then secured the ends with a small band.

Finally he seemed ready and he picked up his scissors and comb. My mouth was dry and my heart pounding as though it would burst as he said softly to Susie, “Bend your head right forward and keep quite still.” Susie gave a choking little sob and then slowly lowered her head. Peter turned to Mother for final approval and I saw how flushed his face was and knew he was feeling very excited also and I greatly envied him. Mother gave a little nod and Peter gave a satisfied smile and began his enviable task. He put both hands on Susie’s head pushing it firmly even lower, so that her head was now almost touching her chest. He then grasped the heavy snaking plait that he had fashioned, very tightly, almost at the roots and pulled down hard on it, then he brought up his scissors and began savagely forcing them deep into the plaited hair at nape level!

I almost exploded with excitement as I saw and heard the blades closing on her hair and could hardly believe that he was cutting off so much hair. He was cutting off at least 24 inches of hair that meant that Susie’s hair was going to be a lot shorter than shoulder length! Susie had given an agonised gasp and attempted to twist her head away from the shearing blades but he had a very firm grip on her hair and continued to shear away at the plait. The sound of the blades cutting deeply into the hair, mingling with strangled sobbing from Susie, increased the drama of the action and I watched open-mouthed as I saw the hair reluctantly parting and then finally her head gave a little jerk and he lifted the severed plait away from her head.

Susie swung round now that her head was free and gave a horrified gasp and then more loud sobs as she saw the immense plait of her treasured hair dangling from his fingers. Her hands came up from under the enveloping cape and anxiously explored the severed ends of her hair at the back of her head. “Oh my hair,” she said piteously. “Oh its so short!” Mother was looking rather anxious and was clearly shocked at seeing the huge amount of hair that he had removed. She stepped forward and said soothingly, “ I am sure it will look lovely when it has been shaped and blow-dried Come with me and I will shampoo it for you.” Susie stood up, still crying bitterly and gave a venomous glance at Peter who was still holding her severed hair and then she followed Mother from the room.

Peter secured the severed ends of the plait and still holding it he turned and looked at me with a knowing smile on his face. “Did you enjoy that then?” he asked. I knew that my face was still flushed from the excitement I had experienced and I could feel my colour rising even more as I gazed at the immense plait of thick silken hair he was twisting gently between his fingers. I gave a slow nod and he smiled even more and said, “I thought you were looking very interested when I saw you in the shop watching that blonde girl having a trim. Would you have liked to have cut that hair off yourself?” Again feeling slightly uncomfortable, I nodded and he tossed me the plait of hair and said, “Here, keep that then, you will be able to use scissors on that yourself and pretend you are cutting it off and perhaps one day you may even become a hairstylist yourself.” That comment, of course, already strengthened the thought that had already occurred to me and decided my future for me, and watching the completion of my sister’s haircut definitely made up my mind for me.

She returned to the room a few minutes later, still sobbing, and she reluctantly sat in the chair again. “Please don’t let him cut any more off, mummy,” she said as she sat down and Mother looking very concerned at Susie’s distress said to Peter, “Don’t make it any shorter than you have to please. It seems a lot shorter than shoulder length.” Peter began combing th
rough the damp hair and said, “I have taken it a little shorter as it will be easier for her to manage. I just need to shape her hair now and it will look great on her.” Mother still looked doubtful and then said, “Well, I suppose you know best. I will go and make a cup of tea.” Peter gave a little smile and winked at me and then re-positioned Susie’s head. For the next 10 minutes I watched spellbound as he worked on Susie’s hair sending thick snippets of the damp hair tumbling down over the white cape. He cut masses of the hair away as he shaped the hair at the back of her head very close to her head, running over the same area again and again, with the scissors and comb. Susie sat silently now realising there was nothing she could do but I was sure she wasn’t aware yet how short he was cutting her hair at the back. It was shorter than mine!

I found this cropping of her hair almost as exciting as watching the great long silken plait being cut off and just wanted to watch him go on cutting and cutting. Oh how marvellous to have the opportunity day after day to have the ability and power to totally transform someone. As I watched him cut I became even more aroused as I fingered the rope of gleaming hair that was now in my pocket, and longed for the day to come when perhaps I would be able to cut off such hair myself.

After cropping the back he merely trimmed the top and side hair and then just as Mother came in, he put down his scissors and began drying her hair, using a small hairdryer and curved brush. Mother stood watching with a slightly more pleased expression and she said encouragingly, ”That looks lovely, Susie,” and I agreed as the gleaming hair was dried close to her head like a shining bell. Susie, however still looked very unhappy and when he finally released her from the gown she raised her hands to the back of her head and when she felt the extreme shortness she burst into tears and fled from the room. Peter gave a little shrug and said, “She will soon get used to it, and most girls are a bit fussed at first when they have a lot of hair cut off.” Mother nodded and said, “Well it does look nice but I think it is very short at the back and I thought it was going to be shoulder length,” She brought her hand up and touched her own short hair and gave a little smile, “You must really enjoy cutting as there at least two of us today that you have cropped!”

Susie cried for a week over the loss of her long hair and said she would never have it short again. Her hair did re-grow and reach waist length again but eventually a scissor happy hairdresser cropped it. This time I didn’t just watch but I was the one who cropped her………but that is another story!

The End