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Hi, my names Cynthia although most people call me and I prefer to be called Cindi. I live in one of Australiaís largest cities with my husband Chris and three boys (Russell, Karl and Mark) whose ages range from thirteen down to nine. My own dark black hair is styled in a short bowl type geometric cut styled high up on my neck with clippers and with a heavy fringe at the front and bangs in front of my ears. My neck is clippered with a light undercut on the sides and back and razor shaved below the longer bowl cut hair. I have been getting my hair cut on a regular basis every four weeks at “Austen Klipper Kutters” a small boutique salon in the city which caters for both men and women and is owned and run by the Austen sisters Denise and Jane. While I am happy for Jane to do it I usually try and get an appointment with Denise. Denise generally looks after the men clients and as a result is not afraid to use her big ìOSTERî clippers when she cuts my hair. This I enjoy very much. While Denise does an excellent job I find her charges very high at seventy five bucks per cut.

While our boys were growing up Chris and I were trying to save hard to buy our first home and things were looking more grim with the continual cost increases in day to day living so we looked for ideas on where we could save more. It was Chrisís idea that perhaps I could cut the boys and his hair which would save us five or six hundred bucks a year for an initial outlay of about a hundred bucks to buy the kit required including a reasonably robust pair of electric clippers. I laughed at first at the thought but when I realised Chris was serious I said well why not. Iím willing to
give it a try if your prepared to suffer the humiliation from any botch ups but I would like a bit of training of some sort. Thatís fine said Chris Iím sure we can find some tutoring somewhere local to get you a bit of training.

Chris and I went out and bought the required equipment including a pair of good but not too long hairdressers shears (scissors), a pair of good thinning shears, a nice fluffy neck brush, a barbers cape and finally a pair of brand new ìWAHLî Super 89 Adjustable Blade electric clippers with a full set of blade attachments from number one through to number twelve. These would eventually become my pride and joy in our bid to save and pay off our mortgage.

Since I was only interested in learning the techniques for cutting mens hair I was somewhat lucky to have a family with four males. All four of my males hair had grown to a reasonable length, so all were badly in need of a good hair cut. It had been about ten weeks since I had taken the boys to see Kerri, the local pretty female barberette bimbo who owned and ran ìKerriís Kuttersî one chair barber shop and who seemed to be racking in the dough at twenty dollars a pop for what to me seemed to me to be a relatively simple procedure taking a short ten minutes in her chair and twenty cents worth of electricity through her clippers. Iíd watched her enough times over the previous three years as she had cut our older boys hair and Iíd often thought to myself; if that blonde bimbo can do it that easily then so can I. Iím gonna learn and get into it.

I found and enrolled for a night class haircutting course at our local high school. The course ran for two and a half hours per night, one night per week for a period of eight weeks. Carole, the tutor, was a fully trained hairdressing instructor with many years of salon haircutting experience and was good at demonstrating the various techniques which included finger length scissor cutting, scissor and clipper over comb techniques, basic buzzing using the clippers with the various sized attacheable combs and using the bare blade for the closest neck buzzing with use of the taper adjust lever on the side of the clipper to adjust the length of hair on that final neck shave at the end of the haircut.

ìRemember lever up for the closest cut and lever down for a longer finishî Carole would emphasise.

Carole made the tutoring sessions fun and each night we were required to take our own model either male or female depending on what type of hair cutting we wanted to learn so my three boys were each destined to get two haircuts during the course. I saved Chris to be my last model as I didnít want to totally humiliate him in front of the other students who included some rather classy ladies who Iím sure were there to learn fun things to do with the clippers both in their line of work in their parlours and in satisfying their husbands in the bathrooms, bedrooms and for some perhaps the pleasure room of their homes.

For the first three weeks of the course we practised cutting with the cutting and thinning shears so the hair was left reasonably long at the end of the session ready for the clippers later on in the course. On weeks five six and seven we practised various types of hair cuts using the variously numbered clipper cutting guides attached to the clippers with the aim of it all building up to the finale test night. At the end of week seven my three boys all had relatively short and tidy haircuts but nowhere near as short as I planned to take them in the future I thought to myself.

Chris and I were down to be fourth in turn in ìthe chairî on the final night and before our turn some of the other ladies taunted and teased him a little with words like ìWill you let me buzz you tonight babyî and ìmake sure Cindi gets those clippers close to you tonight darlingî. I donít think Chris enjoyed the humiliation he had to endure in front of Carole and those other ladies, incidentally only one of whom had bought her husband along as the final night model, as I snipped, thinned, clipped and buzzed his hair away leaving him with a perfect number eight buzz finished off with the use of the flat top comb on top and nicely tapered on the sides. The girls all clapped when I had finished the cut and even Carole was impressed.

While I donít think Chris was overly happy at sitting in front of a bunch of ladies, some rather classy ones at that I think he was happy with the overall result although I realised I was going to have to think of some ways to make my sessions cutting his hair a little more interesting in the bathroom at home if I was to keep him from sneaking back to the sexy sultry Kerri and paying her twenty bucks for a few minutes in her chair in the saloon. I must admit that Chris had confided to me that his pole had turned Kerriís barbers cape into a tent shape on more than one occasion when he was sitting in her chair having his hair cut while much of her cleavage was showing and with her long naturally blonde hair loose and flowing down to her waste. However I was happy and knew I had plans for our future sessions that I know Chris was going to enjoy.

The week after the end of the course I decided it was time for the boys to have the close crop. I set up my equipment and chair in the kitchen before the two older boys arrived home from school. Russell arrived home first and before he had a chance to argue I said okay buddy in the chair its close crop time. To my surprise he didnít even argue as he sat in the chair. I whipped the cape around him and with the number two guide attached clicked the ìWAHLísî into life and plunged them up the back of his neck over his occipital bone to the front of his head, the clippered hair falling onto his cape covered lap. Go to it mum he said I am enjoying this as I made pass after pass over his head in all directions ensuring I had a uniform length all over. I then removed the guide and with the bare blade lever up proceeded to taper Russellís hair into the number two cut hair on the sides and back. A quick dust down with the neck brush and off with the cape, it was all over in five minutes. This is great I thought to myself.

Next our youngest, Mark. I quickly ushered him into the chair whipped on the cape and started the clippers. Five minutes later he was out of the chair with a close crop similar to Russellís. Karl arrived home s
oon after I finished Mark, and with the clipper blades still warm from Markís haircut he was in the chair and shaved within minutes. My boys were now three of a kind all with close cropped clipper cuts.

Since finishing the course I have continued to cut my four guys hair with the boys all getting the all over buzz cuts every two weeks. A buzz cut needs to be done that often or it starts to look scruffy. For winter I give them a number eight buzz on top with the back and sides tapered (I donít particularly like mens hair cut square at the back preferring the tapered look) and for the summer I take it down to a number two all over. The boys love it and also love the fact that it is their mum doing the clipping.

I prefer to cut Chrisís hair in a private session in our bathroom when the boys have gone to bed at night. We have had some beautiful nights over the years with me doing his cuts sometimes topless or when the night is particularly warm completely naked. Chris enjoys these sessions, sometimes undressing as well, and we usually end up making mad passionate love at the end of the hair cut.

About three years ago we decided we had saved enough, including the savings from me doing the family haircutting, for a deposit on a home of our own. We searched around and finally found a relatively new home in a newly developing area across town but much closer to where Chris worked and before long we were up and moved. Our new home included an upstairs master bedroom with its own bathroom en-suite and walk in wardrobe, something which Chris and I had never had before. This was one of the driving factors in us buying the house as we wanted our hair cut bonding sessions to become even steamier than before.

As you know, when you are a family on the move it is sometimes difficult to get to know your neighbours, but in our case it was very quick mainly because of our boys. Kids are always quick to make new friends and ours were no different. Our boys were very quick to make friends with the children across the road who happened to be a family of three boys almost the same ages as ours and it wasnít too long before their friendship led to Chris and I meeting their mum and dad. Sharron (just call me Shaz like every body else does) was her name and his was Garry (yep call me Gazza like everyone else) Collins.

We got to know Shaz and Gazza really well over the next few months and Shaz had obviously taken note of the boys nice and tidy haircuts. One day while we were having coffee at my house she said to me that it must cost a fortune to have the boys hair cut as often as I do to keep them that closely cropped all the time. She said that Gazza and her couldnít afford to have their boys and their own hair cut more than once every four months as poncy Priscilla who owned and operated the local barbers shop with the apt name of ìPrunersî charged the earth at twenty five bucks for a mans cut and twenty for schoolboys, and as a result her boys always looked scruffy. She said that Priscilla would cut ladies hair but only with clippers and Shaz said that she was not ready to make that sort of sacrifice on her long blonde locks so far, preferring to go into the city to see Chantelle, the only straight female at ìTeazersî the ladies salon where most of the operators were poofs of either the male or female variety but they did a good job said Shaz and so they should for the sixty bucks they charged. Shaz indicated that Gazza was starting to balk a little at the sixty bucks ìTeazersî charged and had suggested that she should start looking elsewhere for her hairdos.

I told her that I had been cutting Chrisís and the boys hair for the last three years and was now quite confident doing the short clipper cuts. With that remark Shazís ears pricked up. Well how would you like to cut my boys hair as well she said. No problem I replied but the boys have no say on the style, they get what Iím in the mood for on the day. Great said Shaz, Iíll pay you for the cuts so how much do you want she asked. How about five bucks a shot I replied. Fine said Shaz when can I send them over as their hair is pretty long at the moment. This afternoon after school if you like I replied. That would be great replied Shaz as she stubbed her smoke out in my ash tray, yes both Shaz and I enjoy a smoke with our coffee. Shaz got up and left saying she would send the boys over after they got home from school.

Sure enough at four that afternoon there was a knock at the door and Shazís three boys were there. Hello Mrs Lauper said Shazís oldest boy Glenn, mum told us to come over to your house for haircuts, is that all right. Sure Glenn I said I had coffee with your mum earlier today and offered to cut your hair to save you guys some money, who wants to be first. I will be said Glenn. Fine I said as I grabbed one of my low backed chairs from the dining area and set it up on the kitchen floor. I then went up to our en-suite and took my bag of haircutting equipment from the vanity cupboard and went back downstairs. Come on then Glenn sweetheart I said come sit up on the chair.

I took the cape from the haircut bag and placed it around Glenns neck before removing the rest of the equipment from the bag. Glenns hair was down to his shoulders and I must admit I was quite looking forward to getting at it with the shears and clippers. Did mum give you any instructions as to what I am to do I asked. No she said you were to do it your way and we werenít to moan. Fine I said as I picked up the comb and shears. I combed Glenns hair to get the knots out of it and then using the shears cut around the bottom of his neck, cutting off about three inches of hair all round. Then using the finger technique I cut the long hair in top down to about four finger lengths all over. Finished with the shears I took a Winfield Blue ciggie from my pack and lit up exhaling the smoke toward the ceiling.

The shears had already made a big difference to Glennís looks but who was I to miss an opportunity to give the clippers a good run I thought to myself as I picked them up and clicked them into life. I attached the number eight cutting guide and with no hesitation placed them at the top of his forehead and ran them straight back over the top to his occipital bone. After half a dozen passes in each direction, front to back, back to front, right to left and left to right the top was reduced to about an inch and a half all over. I then removed the number eight guard and replaced it with the number four and starting at Glenns front right sideburn clippered the sides and back around to his left ear tapering the number four into the number eight cut hair on top. I then repeated the tapering process using the number two and number one cutting guides before making a final buzz around the bottom of his neck with the bare blade ìlever upî. To finish Glenn’s cut I took my flat top comb and with the bare blade clippers ìlever downî carefully buzzed the center top of Glenns hair into a nice flat top from the all over oval finish of the number eight all over cut.

I brushed Glenn down with the fluffy neck brush and removed the cape. Thanks very much Mrs Lauper he said as he got down from my chair that feels really great. I finished my ciggie and stubbed it out in my ashtray. Who wants to be next I asked the other two boys. I will be said the youngest whose name was Darren. Okay I said hop up in the chair. While I felt like doing Darrenís hair in a slightly longer cut I felt it would be unfair so he ended up with the same haircut as Glenn. After forty five minutes I had finished the three boys cuts with Brendan being the last in the chair. I must admit the difference in their appearance as they walked out the door was amazing. Glenn gave me the fifteen dollars which Shaz had given him to give to me for their hair cuts and they all said thank you very much Mrs Lauper as they left. I packed up my kit and returned it to the vanity cupboard and swept the hair from the floor into the dustpan and into the kitchen pedal bin.

That night I got an early evening phone ca
ll. It was Gazza. Hi Cindi he started, great haircuts you gave the boys today after school do you mind if I come over for one myself he said. Fine I said when do you want it. Can you do it if I come over in half an hour or so. Fine I said the boys are just finishing their dinner and Chris wonít be home for another couple of hours so that should be fine Gaz. True to his word Gazza arrived over thirty minutes later by which time I had set up my equipment in the kitchen once again. How would you like it cut Gazza I said as he seated himself down in the chair and I fastened the cape around his neck. How about just like you cut the boys this afternoon he replied.

I didn’t bother to shorten Gazzaís longer hair with the shears instead electing to get straight into it initially with the number ten blade attached to my trusty ‘WAHL’ machine. I attached the number ten blade and lit a ciggie before clicking the ìWAHLísî to life and making the first pass from the nape straight over the top of Gazzaís head. The large swath of hair that had built up on my clippers dropped over the front of his face into the cape. Christ what are you doing to me he said as he saw the hair fall. You said you wanted it cut like the boys and this is only the first pass I replied wait till I go over it again with the number four blade. I took another drag on my ciggie and continued to clip Gazza with the number ten. A couple more passes up the back and Gazzaís hair was shortened to a more respectable length from where I could see where to start the haircut properly.

I turned off the machine and swapped to the number four blade before switching the machine back on and starting in front of his right ear I worked my way right round to the other side clipping right up to the level of Gazzaís occipital bone. Once I had tidied up the back and sides I moved to the front and began running the clippers over and over Gazís head making sure I clipped all the hair to a nice even length. I took a final drag on my cigarette and stubbed it out in my ashtray blowing the smoke towards the ceiling. Finished with the number four I replaced it with the number two blade and once again starting in front of his right ear worked my way right around the back of his neck to the left side tapering the hair into the number four cut. I made a final round of his neck with the bare blades first tapering into the number two and then with the clippers inverted shaving the neck hair down his neck. I finished off Gazís haircut by taking my trusty flat top comb and combing it through the top of his hair before running the clippers over the comb to produce the perfect flat top. I turned off the clippers and placed them on the kitchen bench. I brushed Gaz down with the neck brush before removing the cape. Gaz got up from the chair and went to the bathroom to have a look at my handiwork in the mirror. He came back from the bathroom. Great job Cindi he said in his aussie accent, youíre certainly a ripper with the clipper and I think Iíve just found myself a new barber. He said thanks Cindi and thrust a ten dollar bill into my hand as he walked out the door. Not bad for ten minutes work I thought as he left.

Well it did not take long from the neighbourhood gossip to get round that I owned a pair of hair clippers and was alright at doing boys short haircuts and soon I had a regular following of clients. I would often get a call from kids mothers during the day enquiring if I would be able to cut their sons hair after school. Wherever possible I would make it happen.

Well time has now marched on some more and as a result of my requests from local neighbourhood mums I have moved up in the barbering world. Chris suggested that we could probably make a bit of money from my haircutting so I went off to the local Technical Institute and completed a Diploma in Barbering while at the same time Chris arranged for an extra room to be built on to our house and I now have my own barber shop business “Cindis Clippers” and I am now known in the neighbourhood as “Cindi Clipper Cutter”. I do not run it full time but am open every Monday to Friday afternoon normally from one through to six in the evening. Of course the shop is always there so I can do appointments if required. Even at just five half days per week and normally anywhere between ten and twenty haircuts each afternoon we have an extra three hundred or so dollars coming in each week which is quite handy.

THE END

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