When I had just turned 6, my mommy started taking my older brother Steffon, who was my twin brother by 7 minutes, to the barber shop every week for his haircut. At first, when she took him to the barber, she would tell the barber to only trim his hair. After a few trips to the shop, mommy started telling Laverne, the barber to cut his hair shorter. Every time we went to the barber?s, Steffon?s hair would get even shorter than the last time. One day, when we got inside the barber shop and Steffon sat in the chair, mommy told Laverne something different. This time mommy walked up to my brother, I call him Bubby, and told Laverne to ?Shave it ALL off, completely smooth.? I sat there watching Laverne use those big clippers and run them over my brother?s head until he had just fine stubble left. She would then put white stuff; they call it shaving cream, all over my brother?s head and shave off the remaining stubble with a straight razor. I knew what the razor was because I had seen Laverne use it to shave a man?s hair off his face. She would repeat this 2, sometimes 3 times until my brother?s head was as smooth as a piece of glass. Watching all of this take place was something new to me. I had never seen anyone get all their hair shaved off bald before. I felt a strange, tingling, burning, inside that I had never felt before. Each time we went to have Bubby?s head shaved, I started wishing it was me in that chair instead of my brother. I would always taunt and tease my brother by rubbing on his smooth bald head. Hoping mommy would get mad at me and punish me for making fun of him by making me get my head shaved. But, she never did. Mommy would just look at me and smile. After Bubby had been getting his head shaved for a while, we would get back home and I would run to my room and sit in my room and pretend it was me getting my head shaved. I would look in the mirror and squish my hair down flat against my head to pretend I was bald. Every chance I got, I would rub Bubby?s bald head or just look at his bald head; I wanted to be like him. Bubby had to go get his head shaved once a week, every week. Each week, I couldn?t wait to sit there and watch Laverne shave him bald. I wanted to tell mommy that ?I? wanted my head shaved like Bubby but I was afraid she would laugh at me. One day, we went for our weekly visit to Lavern?s barber shop. I sat and watched everything Laverne did to Bubby?s head. Since Bubby was shaved every week, Laverne didn?t need to use the big clippers on him. She just put the shaving cream on his head and shaved him bald with the razor. Mommy kept looking at me, trying to talk to me but I didn?t want to talk; I just wanted to watch Bubby become bald again; I wanted to be the one sitting in that big barber chair watching, and feeling all my hair being shaved off completely bald! I started to become sad as I watched Bubby getting shaved bald. Mommy looked at me.

?Cheniqua?what?s wrong honey?? Mommy asked me. I had my bottom lip pouched out and didn?t answer. ?Honey?why are you pouting?? Mommy asked me as she lifted my chin. I tried not to show I was sad but I couldn?t help it. I waited for her to tell me my turn was next, to say something, but she didn?t. She just looked at me. I couldn?t hold it in anymore and I started to cry. I had to tell mommy.

?Mommy, I want my haircut like Bubby?s.? I sad quietly. Mommy?s eyes got big and she got a really big smile. Laverne wiped off Bubby?s bald head and he jumped down and came over to mommy.

?Sweetheart?is that why you?re crying?? Mommy asked me; I nodded my head slowly; a tear running down my cheek. Cheniqua, honey?you?re a girl and little girls don?t get their heads shaved.? Mommy said to me; I started to cry harder. Mommy took my hand and pulled me softly towards her. ?Well?I have noticed the way you look at your brother after his head has been shaved; and how hard it is for you to keep your hands off his freshly shaved head. The two of you are twins; I suppose it’s time you start looking alike.? Mommy said as she took my hand and led me over to the big barber?s chair.

?Cheniqua, honey, I want you to be sure this is really what you want; and I want you to understand, that once all your hair comes off, it?s going to stay off, just like Bubby?s.? Mommy said as I looked at her and nodded. ?Are you sure?? Mommy asked me as she sat me in the barber?s chair and the Laverne put the cape around me and fastened it. I looked at her and nodded again, happily.

?Shave it all off?? Laverne questioned mommy.

?Yes.? Mommy answered. ?Just like her brother?s, completely bald.? She said as she stood next to me. Laverne took the big clippers and turned them on. She placed them at my forehead and shaved a path right down the middle of my head. I sat there shivering as she moved the clippers over my whole head, front to back, sides, everywhere; until I had nothing but stubble left. I never could imagine how it would feel to really be shaved; but I was being shaved and now there was no turning back. Mommy reached up and rubbed my head. I couldn?t believe it; I was going to finally be bald. Bald, like Bubby! I tried to reach my hand up and feel my head but mommy stopped me and just smiled.

?Laverne, I know your going to lather and shave her head nice and smooth?but I was wondering, is there a way to make her new haircut last longer?? Mommy asked as she rubbed her hand over my stubbly head. ?I see the way Cheniqua looks at her brother after his head has just been shaved; she can?t keep her hands off his shiny bald head. I?d really like hers to be something she can remember.?

?Actually, I could wax her head. That would remove ALL her hair at the roots. It would take about 6 weeks before any hair started to re-grow.? Laverne said as she rubbed my buzzed scalp.

?Hum, I was actually thinking along the lines of something more permanent.? Mommy said as she looked at Laverne and winked.

?Well, the waxing will be just temporary. If you want her permanently bald, you would need to have electrolysis done on her whole head.?

?Would that leave her permanently bald? Mommy asked as she looked at me and smiled.

?Well, it will take about 6 treatments, but yes, after the final treatment, she would be permanently slick bald.?

?Now, that sounds like just the thing I want. Do you know where I could go to have the electrolysis done on her head? I?m sure there aren?t many places that would use electrolysis on someone?s head; especially a little girl?s.?

?Actually, I could do it here. I do have a 2 customers that I have done electrolysis on their entire head to keep them slick bald. One is an adult and the other is a 16 year old girl but, I?m sure I can do it for you if it?s what you want. I would need you to sign a release form stating that you want the electrolysis done on her whole head; since she is under age; to protect both of us just incase.? Laverne said to mommy while she rubbed my stubbly head.

?Oh, you?ve done electrolysis on another girls head?? Mommy asked Laverne.

?Yes, that?s right. It was a punishment from the girl?s mother. The teenager refused to take care of her hair and it was really a tangled, knotted mess. The girl?s mother was tired of her daughter?s hair. She came to me originally just to have her whole head shaved completely bald but, after talking with her, she too decided to just have electrolysis done on her daughter?s whole head to make her permanently bald. Once all the treatments were over, her daughter?s head was as smooth and as shiny as a new cue ball; ten times better than if it?s just been shaved.? Laverne answered mommy as she showed mommy a picture of the girl.

?Wow. Her head is so shiny; it does look like a cue ball.? Mommy said as she laughed. ?What do you think about being permanently bald Cheniqua? Would you like that?? Mommy asked me as she and showed me the girl?s picture. ?You would never have to have your head shaved again?it would be so much easier to take care of; look how pretty and shiny the girl?s bald head is!? When mommy showed me the picture, my jaw dropped open. The girl?s head was so bald and shiny, they were right; it looked just like a cue ball with a face.

?Oh, mommy?can I please, please, please?? I pleaded as I grabbed hold of mommy?s hand.

?Well?you have to be sure honey. Remember, permanent means forever; it can?t be undone. Just like the white girl in the picture; you would be completely bald for the rest of your life.? Mommy replied as she knelt down to look me in the eyes. ?Yours wouldn?t be a punishment like hers was, but, you would still be completely bald forever.? I looked at her with puppy dog eyes.

?Oh, please mommy! I know this is what I really, really, really want!? I said as I bounced up and down in the chair. Mommy leaned down and kissed the top of my stubbly head.

?Wax her head, Laverne. After you?ve finished, start the electrolysis to make her permanently bald; I?ll sign the release form.? Mommy said as she stepped back and let Laverne get to work. I was so overjoyed I could hardly sit still. I was smiling so much it was making my face hurt.

Laverne put warm wax on my head and put some cloth over the wax. She pressed it all down until it looked like a white cap on my head. I could only see a little of my head in the mirror but I was dreaming about how I was going to look completely bald.

?Cheniqua, I?m going to have to pull these strips off your head now; it?s going to hurt a little but if you want your bald head to be really smooth and shiny, this is the only way without having to shave your head every day.? Laverne said to me. I nodded my head and mommy held my hand. Laverne grabbed the cloth and ripped it off my head. She was right, it really hurt. Mommy squeezed my hand as I started to cry. Laverne repeated this until all the cloth and wax was gone from my head; leaving my head completely bald. Mommy rubbed my now completely smooth bald head.

Laverne pulled out a machine with what looked like a writing pen on the end of it and she began running the pen over my whole head, top, sides, back; she did this over and over until she had done my whole head; this took a long time, it seemed like hours. She turned off the machine and rubbed her hand over my bald head. She then took out some stuff from a jar and rubbed it over my bald head for about 5 minutes. She used a cloth and began rubbing in every direction; up, down, left and right.

?This is scalp wax and moisturizer, it will sooth her skin from the waxing and make her black head really super shiny; like black plastic.? She said to mommy. The cream really felt nice on my bald head. After a few minutes, Laverne stopped rubbing the cloth on my head and turned the chair so I was looking in the mirror. ?What do you think Cheniqua?? Laverne asked me as I took my hand and rubbed my beautiful black, shiny bald head.

?Oh, mommy, I love it!? I said as I rubbed my hand all over my head. Mommy began rubbing my bald head as well as she smiled.

?Laverne, it feels so wonderful; so much smoother than Bubby?s bald head; you can hardly tell she ever had any hair.? Mommy said as she looked at me and smiled.

?Oh, yes?because Cheniqua?s complexion is so dark, and she had such dark hair; it will look as if she never had any hair. It?s not everyday I get to use electrolysis on a pretty little girl?s head. If you think your bald head feels wonderful now, just wait until the last treatment. Over time, all of your hair follicles will close and the end result will be nothing but absolute smoothness and shininess, as your head becomes more permanently bald.? Laverne said as she handed a jar to mommy. ?This is the scalp wax and moisturizer; you need to rub it on Cheniqua?s head twice a day. After you rub it in really well, you need to use a soft cloth and buff her bald head for at least 5 minutes; that will bring out the shine and make it really super shiny. The longer you rub and buff her bald head, the shinier it will get.? Laverne said to mommy as she took the jar.

?Cheniqua, don?t you think you should thank Laverne for giving you such a wonderful haircut and making your pretty bald head so shiny?? Mommy asked me as she kept rubbing my bald head. Mommy was right. My bald head was soooooo smooth and shiny! It did look like black plastic. I loved the way it felt and looked as I looked in the mirror. All the lights were reflecting off my shiny bald head; it was wonderful!

?Oh, yes, thank you Miss Laverne for giving me such a wonderful haircut!? I said as I looked at her and smiled.

?Awe, your very welcome Cheniqua. I?m glad you love it.? Laverne said as she hugged and squeezed me. ?Latisha, you will need to bring her back once a week for the next 6 weeks to complete the electrolysis treatments; that is, if she doesn?t change her mind.? Mommy nodded her head.

?Oh, I?m quite sure Cheniqua won?t change her mind. She has made her decision and she will be completing the rest of the treatments. Will her head need to be re-waxed or shaved between weeks?? Mommy asked as Laverne removed the cape and I stood up. I couldn?t keep my hands of my beautiful bald head; I just kept rubbing my hands all over it.

?No. It will take at least 6 to 8 weeks for any hair to even start to re-grow. If any does re-grow, just bring her back in and I will wax the area for free? Laverne answered as mommy opened her purse.

?What do I owe you Laverne?? Mommy asked as she took out her credit card.

?Tell you what?the waxing and Steffon?s head shave is on me. The electrolysis will run about $1100.00 dollars. If you want to divide it up over the 6 week period you can or, you can just pay for it all at once.? Laverne said to mommy as she took the credit card.

?Well, just go ahead and take it all out at once; that way, you will be paid and Cheniqua will be ready for her next treatment, even if I can?t be here.? Mommy said as she smiled at Laverne and rubbed her hand on my slick, shiny bald black head. Laverne agreed with a nod and had mommy sign a small piece of paper that came out of a machine and another piece of paper.

?My slowest day of the week is Monday so we?ll just set all her treatments up every Monday at 10:00 am.? Laverne said to mommy as mommy nodded and shook her hand. ?Now you be a good girl Cheniqua and keep using the moisturizer and scalp wax twice a day on your pretty little bald head and I?ll see you again on Monday.? Laverne said to me as she hugged me and rubbed her hand on my bald head again.

Mommy took my hand and led Steffon and me out of the barber shop. For the first time, Bubby rubbed my bald head and giggled. I was so happy. I couldn?t keep my hands off my bald head. I kept rubbing it?s smoothness as we walked down the street to our car. This was the beginning of what I knew was going to be a wonderful summer!

To be continued?