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It had been a little over two weeks and my hair was getting shaggy! Or at least I kept telling myself that so I would have an excuse to go for a clean up at Joe?s. I resisted the urge until the following week. It was now almost four weeks and the top was almost lying down, my neatly trimmed V?s in my sideburns had lost their shape and the back was thick. I drove over to Joe?s early on Thursday morning and thankfully there were no customers in there. Joe was sitting in his chair reading the newspaper and smiled when I walked in. This time I wanted to enjoy the experience, so I wore a nice blue blouse with black slacks and nice long earrings to feel more feminine. I set my purse down in the cubby hole and sat in the big barber chair. Joe placed a tissue around my neck and then snapped the cape asking if it was too tight. I shook my head and Joe asked me if I wanted the same cut. I nodded as he asked me what made me get this hairstyle. I explained the agreement we made and the money we were saving. How my husband had given up golfing and I gave up trips to the salon. He turned the clippers on and started at the back. I got real quiet and closed my eyes wanting to enjoy the sounds and emotions.

The clippers made their way up the back of my head chewing up my new growth and then slowly started sliding up and down the sides of my head. Joe placed his finger on my left ear and pushed it down to get the new growth over my ears. He did the same on my right side and then started working on the top. I opened my eyes just in time to see him taking the guard off the clippers and getting a large comb for the top. With speed and precision he started combing back sections of hair starting at the front and running the clippers over the comb making a straight cut across the top of my head. It seemed as if he was cutting it shorter this time and before I could ask him, he told me he was. ?This was crazy!? I thought to myself. I had sat in salons for years with foil in my hair, enjoyed nice long shampoos, and would be uptight if the stylist cut more than a ? inch of hair. Now my hair was no more than ? inch of hair at its longest point and I found myself enjoying the process, even wanting to prolong it!

The whole process was over way too soon and the clippers were turned off. He asked me if it was short enough and I replied yes. It was much shorter this time on the top and he explained, as he was shaving V?s into my sideburns, that this would help me to stretch out the next haircut. He explained that if I was looking to save money, the shorter I went the more time I could wait in between haircuts. ?It?s not good for my business, but will help you to save a little bit more money each month!? Joe said. I thanked him as he handed me a mirror to check out the back. This time the back looked different. It was not as tapered and I asked him about it. He explained that taking the top shorter left only two options for the back; a #2 guard and blocking it or a #1 fade. ?The #1 would be almost bald in the back, so I opted for the #2? he explained. I asked him to fade it in the back and he smiled.

I secretly wanted him to take his time and he did. With precision and determination he worked on the back of my head like an artist would work on a painting. Just when I thought he was through, he started working his way around the ears explaining that the fade would have to go around the sides to even it out. I nervously held my head still as he worked his way high up the sides of my head. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the calming sound of the buzzing around my ears. The clippers stopped humming and Joe took the guard off and grabbed a comb to blend the sides and back to the top. It was like getting another haircut because he took his time looking at my head from all different angles. After blending the sides and back he stepped back and shook his head. ?I am going to take the top shorter, it?s too square.? He said not even asking for my approval. I nodded and closed my eyes.

I felt the clippers this time at the top of my head. As I opened my eyes, Joe was starting the first pass with the #1 guard at my forehead! He continued all the way over my head taking all of my hair down to ? inch! I looked like I was bald! He then turned the clippers off and handed me the mirror. ?What do you think?? I viewed it from the back and sides. Almost no hair and it felt so soft. My head was perfectly round and I loved the feel of it! ?I?m practically bald!? I exclaimed and he explained that I looked better with a rounded cut. He was right, my head was perfectly shaped and the roundness of the cut looked good on me.

I thanked him as he dusted me off and jokingly wondered what would happen on my next visit. ?If you want to go all the way, you would look really good with a shaved head.? Joe said catching me off guard. I paid him and thanked him not sure if he was serious, but curious as to how I would look bald?..

To be continued??.

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