My name is Natasha, or Tasha for short.  The summer I was six years old, my mom made me get my hair cut off.  Up until then, my silky light brown hair stayed neatly trimmed above my shoulderblades.  One morning she told me I needed a haircut, so I got dressed and followed her to the car.  We passed the salon where I normally got my hair cut.  She parked in front of a barber shop instead.  I was confused.  She got out and opened my door.  “Come along Tasha.”  She said.  I hurried out of the car and entered the barber shop.  “Why are we in here mama?”  I asked her.  “For your haircut.”  She replied.  The barber said, “Hi I’m Bill.  What can I do for you?”  Mother said, “Tasha needs a haircut.”  “I don’t do long hair mam.”  Bill said.  “Yes I know.  I want something short.”  Mama told him.  “Very short.”  She added.  The barber nodded and patted the large red leather barbers chair motioning for me to get in.  He had to put a booster seat in it first.  Mother held my hand to help me climb in.  “So what would you like mam?”  Bill asked.  “Flattop.  Half an inch on top, taper the back and shave her sideburns clean and the back up to that level please.”  My mom answered.  “Very well.”  Bill said.  Mom sat down in the waiting area and before I realized what had happened, Bill hacked off my hair at the nape of my neck.  Then he tore a tissue from a dispenser and wrapped it tightly around my little neck.  He threw a big cape that covered my feet over me and tied it tightly over the tissue.  He put a plastic thing on a big set of clippers and said, “sit still for me.”  I nodded.  I was startled by a loud POP, followed by a low hummmmmm.  I saw the big roaring clippers inching towards my forehead.  The barber pushed the clippers back starting at my widow’s peak, and as they started shaving my hair they changed to a loud Buzzzzzzz sound.  I liked the way it felt, getting shaved.  As he flicked the hair off they went buzzzzzaaa, then hummed until he started shaving the next path.  Buzzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzzzz Buzzzaaa.  I felt my head get lighter as Bill shaved the whole top of my head.  Buzzzzzzzzz buzzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzzzaaa.  Then he turned the clippers off and put a different plastic thing on them.  He pushed my head one way and shaved the side.  Buzzzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzaaaa.  Then he shaved the other side.  Buzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzaaa.  Then he pushed my head down and shaved the back.  It ticked my neck.  As more and more of my hair was shaved off, I had to fight the urge to reach up and touch my new short hair.  I know how it feels because boys at school have short hair like this.  All of a sudden the buzzing stopped.  I slowly lifted my head up.  Bill was taking the plastic thing off the clippers and he picked up a big comb-ish thing.  He said, “now sit as still as you can, ok?”  “Yes sir.”  I said.  I sat up straight as Bill placed the comb on top of my head, and turned the clippers back on.  Hummmmmm.  As they shaved over the comb they made a funny vibrating feeling and clickety-clack-buzzing sound.  I sat so still as Bill shaved the top, then he put the comb on the counter, and grabbed a smaller one.  I tipped my head to one side, and I felt the cold blades of the clippers shaving off my sideburn.  Buzzzzzzzaa.  Then she quickly shaved off the other one.  Buzzzzzaaa.  Finally Bill pushed my head down and shaved the back like the sides.  Buzzzaaa.  He didn’t go up very far.  Just a little.  Then he stopped.  He untied the cape and tissue, and took a small brush and dusted off my neck and head.  I stood up and he pulled me back, saying “not done.”  He put some hot white stuff on my neck and sideburns, then took a straight razor form his pocket.  He sharpened it on the leather belt attached to the chair, then he tipped my head to one side, and carefully shaved my sideburn.  It made a quiet scraping sound and felt really good.  Like how good scratching feels when you’ve got an itch.  Then he did the same to the other side.  He pushed my head into my chest and shaved the back.  Finally, he took a warm washcloth and wiped the places he shaved.  He put a few drops of some smelly oily stuff in his hand and rubbed the shaved spots with it. It was cold and stung a bit.  He put a dab of gel on the top of my head and ran a comb through it then he patted me on the back and said, “all done kiddo.”  He handed me a mirror.  I reached up and felt my new short shaved hairdo.  I grinned.  I looked at my mother who was also smiling.  “Perfect.”  She said, as she handed Barber Bill some money.  She rubbed my new shaved hair then took my hand and helped me out of the chair and we went home.