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Alicia hesitated but then, suddenly determined, pushed open the door of the beautysalon.

"Hi Alicia," the receptionist wellcomed her, "Didn't know that you've an appointment."

"I've not but I would like to know whether I could get a haircut."

"Well, let me see.................You are lucky, Sandra can take you right away."

"Oh.....errr......I....it doesn't suit me right now. Could I come back later?"

"Of course. But you have to wait then till........Yes, not before five o'clock. Is that a possibility?"

"Yeah, that's okay. I'llbe there."

"See you later then."

Corinne shrugged when Alicia had gone and said to Sandra who had come forward, standing against the desk: "She didn't come for a trim, otherwise she wouln't have gone. Think she wants a major change but isn't yet sure."

"I don't know, she never asked me to cut more than an inch. She has beautyful hair."

"Yeah and so long. It's all up to you, sweetheart."

"See to it that I can do her at five. Wonder why she she should want to cut it."

"What d'ye think? Trouble with her boyfriend? Or perhaps a new job? Wonder whether she will come back."

---

"Such a wimp you are!" Alicia abused herself while walking away. "You want to do it. Why didn't you seize the opportunity? What is this delay good for?"

At five o'clock she was back. "And no more backing out," she told herself.

"Hi Alicia," Sandra greeted her, "What can I do for you?"

Alicia was standing next to the chair at Sandra's station: "I want a haircut."

Sandra went to her knees and started brushing Alicia's luscious auburn locks which extended to her buttocks.

"Your hair is so healthy and shining, so thick and long. What cut do you have in mind?"

Alicia asked: "May I sit down?"

"Sure."

Alicia looked at Sandra and said with a ponding heart: "I want all cut off and my head shaven."

Sandra stood aghast: "You must be kidding."

"No, I'm serious."

"Why should you do that? You've such lovely hair!"

"I know but I have my reasons."

"Alicia, it would be such a waste! You shouldn't do that!"

Sandra tried to talk her out of this fatal decision but Alicia wouldn't listen.

"In any case, when you really want to carry on this wretched plan, you have to find another salon. I won't do it and I'm afraid other stylists possibly will refuse too."

Corinne saw Alicia leave the salon; "Is something wrong, Alicia?"

Alicia hesitated, then said: "Well, I asked Sandra to shave my head but she won't do it."

For a moment Corinne stood dumbfounded, then she smirked: "Perhaps I can help you. I know someone who will not ask questions. Want his address?"

"Yes, please."

Corinne opened a drawer of her desk, seized a businesscard and handed it to Alicia: "Good luck."

With a mean grin on her face she saw Alicia walk away.

When Sandra came up to the reception desk Corinne asked her: "What was the matter with Alicia?"

"She wanted me to shave her head."

"And you wouldn't do that?"

"Of course not! This is a respectable salon."

"Is it irrespectible to shave a woman's head?"

"It is not done here. At least I've never witnessed one."

"As no one ever asked for it. But I should think that clients wishes should be honoured. What would you do if I asked you to shave my head?"

"Oh, I would do it! To see you fired immediately afterwards."

"And you would wellcome that?"

"Of course! Then I would be set free of your disturbing presence." Sandra said it laughing. "Just kidding, you know me better."

Corinne laughed too: "But what did you tell her? Did you give her the name of another salon where she might have more success?"

"No, I only said that she should try."

Corinne only said: "Oh." But she thought: 'Hopkins will do the job.'

---

The environment looked shabby, just as the shop. It needed fresh paintwork, inside as well as on the outside. It was small too, containing two old-fashioned barber chairs with cracked leather covering and spotty chrome framework. Surprisingly the tools: combs, brushes, scissors, razors and clippers were modern and of good quality. The barber, sitting on one of the chairs, reading a magazine, wore a pair of blue jeans with tears and a dirty T-shirt. He seemed to be middle-aged, balding and apart from a black beard with silver threads he bore a strong resemblance with Anthony Hopkins, the famous actor.

Alicia opened the door reluctantly and the barber looked up at her: "What'ya want?"

"My hair cut off and my head shaved," Alicia couldn't believe her own recklessness.

The barber showed no emotion, pointed at the other chair, saying: "Sit!"

With a throbbing heart Alicia climbed on the chair who was much bigger and higher than the chairs in a beauty salon. The barber gathered her hair into a ponytail and tied it with a blue ribbon near to her scalp at her crown. He told her to keep it up while he swung a cape across her shoulders and fixed it snugly. The cape was not clean and covered with hair from a former client but Alicia didn't say anything. The barber flicked on a pair of clippers and put them in the middle of her hairline. Unceremoniously he moved them to her crown but halted at about an inch in front of the base of the ponytail, leaving only stubble in its wake. Alicia knew that there was no more way back. A few tears trickled down her cheeks. Holding the ponytail in his left hand he let the clippers run from all directions towards its base. At last only at the crown it still was attached to Alicia's head. That didn't last long; a few sweeps and he held it up like a trophy. Which in reality it turned out to be.

The barber dangled the ponytail, which had a length of about 2 and 1/2 feet, in front of the eyes of Alicia before putting it down on the counter.

"Want stubble or smooth?" he asked her.

"Clean shaven," Alicia answered.

He nodded, filled the basin with hot water and sank a towel in it. He wrung the towel out and covered her scalp with it. Alicia couldn't see her image as the chair was turned to the opposite wall which had no mirror. After a few minutes the towel was removed and her head covered with warm lather. The barber took a straight razor and sharpened it. Then he started at the hairline shaving away the lather and stubble and bringing to view her pale scalp with a dark shadow, caused by the auburn roots. He shaved to the crown, then down the sides and at last from crown to nape. He lathered her head for a second time, now starting at her nape and shaving upwards to the crown, also from the sideburns to crown and at last from crown to forehead. Meticulously he convinced himself that not a single remnant of hair was spared. He wiped her head clean and rubbed an oily substance into her scalp.

"All done," he said with a grin while he turned the chair so that Alicia could have a look in the mirror. But the mirror had been weather-beaten and cracked which made the image hazy. In any case she didn't recognize the person she saw, with a head resembling a balloon, floating free above her cape-covered body. She rose from the chair.

The barber looked at her. Suddenly he could speak more than a few words; "See, it's not of my business and ya needn't answer me but why did ya do this?"

Embarrassed Alicia looked at him. The reality of her decision had sunk in and she doubted if she had taken the right one. Already she missed her beautiful tresses. She was in need of communication with someone, even with this boorish man who had sheared her as if she had been a sheep. Tears welled into her eyes again and she wiped with her hand across her cheeks.

"You may ask, it is no secret. My boyfriend betrayed me and to punish him I decided to throw away his dearest toy: my hair. He loved it and always played with it. Well, that won't more be possible. I told him my intention and he begged me not to do it. I nearly wanted to give in but I didn't and now I don't know if I really wanted to do this."

Tears were now coursing down her cheeks. Hopkins gave her a tissue: ;;Did ya forgive him?"

"No......not yet........but we work together......that's to say in the same building. So I have to see him every day."

"Isn't that hard?"

"Yes....but oh, well...you see, I still love him. So....perhaps...who knows..."

Alicia tried to pull herself together and reached for her purse: "What do I owe you?"

He made a fending gesture: "No money. Want to show ya something."

He went to a door at the back of the shop and held it open. Alicia hesitated.

"Come on, I'm not going to rape ya. Just watch.."

Alicia entered the room behind the shop and stood aghast. The walls of the room were covered with plaits, ponytails and strands of hair of different lengths and colours. In particular one long ravenblack braid drew her attention. She noticed that her ponytail would match perfectly with the others.

"You want my hair to expose here?" she whispered.

"If ya don't mind."

"No, it seems....well, a little weird."

"Cut them all off myself."

"How many years?"

"About fifteen."

"Do you still see those women?"

"Some of them. Not much of them are still bald. Will you?"

Alicia didn't understand the question.

"You mean staying bald? I don't know. No, not always, perhaps some time."

"When ya leave da hair here ya may come back for a shave whenever ya want, without charge."

"It's a deal."

"May I know da name?"

I'm Alicia. What's yours?"

"Call me Anthony Hopkins. Everyone does."

They shook hands.

"Listen Alicia, I know the names of all the women whose hair is exposed here. But no one else. Your anonymity is assured."

Alicia had noticed that no names were attached to the hairstrands.

"Please, get ya ponytail and hang it on the wall where ever ya want."

"There isn't more much room, is it?"

"There always will be room."

"Why do you do this?"

"Well, some collect stamps or coins. I collect hairstrands."

"Did you shave all of them bald?"

"Nay, only a minority."

"Do you show them to everybody?"

"Listen, this is a private collection. I show them only to them people I select. Want to know more?"

Alicia smiled. She began to like him.

"I'll come back," she said.

"Leaving ya being another person than the one who came in. What d'ya think of ya new self?"

"I wasn't able to see my image clear in the mirror."

"Nay, it is trash. I should replace it."

"You should do more renovations."

"I know. But I don't like too many alterations."

"You don't have another mirror?"

"Yep, in my bathroom upstairs. Shall I show ya?"

"Okay."

Alicia had expected a similar neglected room as the ones downstairs but though it certainly wasn't luxurious, it looked like it had been installed recently. Now she could very clearly see her reflection.

"My god, this is weird," she sighed, "All of my hair gone." Again tears began to flow.

Hopkins approached her and put one hand on her shoulder: "This is ya real self, not hidden by all that hair. Ya should be more self-confident."

"You sound like a father to me," she sobbed.

"Ya don't have one?"

"No, he died when I was a little girl. I kow him only from pictures."

Alicia looked at her image again: "You don't like hair, do you?"

"That's not the truth. But when a woman has pretty features and a well-shaped head, small ears lying flat to her skull and a slender neck.....well, she should show them. And ya do."

Alicia had to admit that the overall image wasn't that bad as she had feared. But she had to get accustomed to being bald, it had been such a big change over.

"It's a real alteration," she said. "Did I say that I love alterations?"

Hopkins grinned: "Ya're a woman, that's the difference."

Fort the first time Alicia laughed.

"Better to go now," he said, "But I hope ya'll be back soon."

Alicia took her purse and brought out a scarf. Hopkins said: "Let me see," and took it out of her hand and put it in his pocket.

Worried Alicia said: "I cannot go outside without covering my head."

"Yeah, ya can and ya will. Ya're gorgeous and anyone may see ya as ya're."

"But they will gaze at me!"

"Well, let them. Why should ya care? Let them gossip about ya or laugh at ya. It shouldn't bother ya."

"You mean that I shouldn't cover my head at all? Also not wearing a wig at my work?"

"No, ya shouldn't. Everyone ya know will get accustomed with ya new appearance. When ya wear a wig it won't work."

"Maybe you are right. I'll think about it.

"Just try. Beginning by now."

Alicia took a deep breath and opened the front door..........

People in the street looked at her, some of them staring, others gave her a short look and turned their eyes away. Alicia didn't lower her eyes, she thought of the advise of Hopkins and looked straight back. Some boys whistled when she passed: Alicia smiled and waved but didn't stop.

She went to the busstop and waited, looking around into the eyes of anyone. Great, almost everyone looked away!

In the bus a person of about thirty sat down next to her.

"I love your haircut," he turned to her after a few minutes.

"Really? A headshave it is."

"Whatsoever. I think it suits you, I like it."

"Why don't you do it as well?"

"Oh no, it doesn't suit me at all." He shook his head.

"How do you know?"

"When I entered the army my hair was long. I think for that reason it was cut extremely short, next to nothing. I looked horribly, my head is not shaped for it. Yours is perfect."

"Thank you."

"May I touch your scalp?"

"Have your way, it'l be a little oily."

Surrounding people looked at them and some laughed but not awkwardly. They were amused by the spectacle. Two teenage girls giggled.

"Imagine me as bald as she. Can you imagine the face of............." They snorted with laughter when they pronounced the name of a teacher but Alicia couldn't understand it.

How right Hopkins had been! If she had covered her head she would never had the guts to mingle with the crowd uncovered. But what to do at work? Should she wear a wig? Or just show up with her bald head? If she did , what would happen? Would her boss kick her out? She had to be dressed decently bur there were no regulations about a hairdo. Well, she worked in an office together with a lot of other computer slaves, having no contacts with customers, so what? Besides she had told Ray, her (ex) boyfriend what she intended to do. She had to show him that she had been serious. He didn't work in the same room but all the same for the same company so they met every now and then. Alicia decided to enter her office with her head uncovered the next morning.

When Alicia entered the building in which she had a small apartment she froze. She saw Ray standing at her door! At first he didn't recognize her, then came running to her.

"You did it!" He shouted very angry. "You stupid, stupid cow! Do you think to punish me? You only punished yours

elf! Don't think I give a shit about you! You are nothing but trash!"

He went away leaving Alicia dumbfounded and upset, not knowing what to say. Trembling she staggered into her apartment and sank down on a chair. Had she overrated her mark? Had it all been in vain?

She called her best friend Elaine: "I'm utterly confused and I need to talk to someone." Despair sounded in her voice.

"I'm coming over to you."

Elaine gasped seeing Alicia opening the door. They hugged each other, tears streaming across Alicia's cheeks.

"I'm so unhappy. Ray cursed at me and......oh, I've lost him and all has been in vain," she sobbed.

"Alicia, listen to me for one time! I've more than once told you that Ray doesn't love you. He used you, he only wanted to flaint with you, especially because of your beautiful tresses. We all at the office knew that, only you wouldn't believe it. You really punished him by cutting them."

"But since he is out of my life it makes no sense. I did it for nothing!"

"I think you had to sacrifice your hair to get back to reality, to find your real self. All the time he kept you entangled in a magic spell. Do you see now that he isn't worth you?"

"My feelings for him are weakening but I can't believe that he only used me."

"Alicia, wake up. How did he show you that he loved you?"

Alicia tried to remember and began to cry again.

"He did things to me I've never told you. His favourite game was to tie me up at his bed, eagle spread, so that I was helpless. Then he played those weird games with me. I don't want to speak about it but you may imagine."

"Yeah, I can. Why did you let him do it?"

"Because I love....loved him."

"You should accept that he played with you. All of us knew. It may be hard but you have to cope with reality. He deceived you. Do you realize that?"

"Yes I know."

"And don't bother about your hair, you are looking cute. And it will grow again."

"That will take a very long time."

But tension and apprehension diminished. Alicia succeeded in producing a faint smile, though Elaine didn't treat her gently.

"Look here, Alicia, you were right to cut off your mane as you did cut your bonds of love with that action. It is a symbolic deed, not an act of revenge. You didn't punish yourself. Keep that in mind."

"Well, I think I understand you. You have given me a new point of view. I have to make a new start, haven't I? Yes, I now see that Ray is a bastard. The more I think about it, the more I realize that he abused me. But it is not easy for me to recognize that. After all I loved him."

"I know but you have no choice, Alicia. Life goes on and you have to follow."

"I'm trying, Elaine. But I need time. In any case I thank you that you changed my vision. It shows me that it has not been futile to shave my head as it symbolizes the end of my old life. Is that just it?"

"Exactly, and now you have to start your new life. New, free and uninhibited."

"Well, I'm going to make a clean sweep," she grinned, "with a clean head. But what am I to do tomorrow? Show up at the office just like this: a bald pate? Or shall I buy a wig?"

"Noway, you needn't be ashamed. Everyone will wonder but soon the all will be accustomed to your new image. Don't you dare to appear with a wig."

"Okay, you are such a good friend. I'll do as you want."

Alicia hesitated and then asked Elaine: "Have you any idea who the bitch is?"

"What? Don't you know that? You did quarrel with Ray, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but I was so angry that I didn't think of asking."

She saw the odd look in Elaine's eyes.

"You know, don't you?"

"No, I've only heard rumours."

"So.....what do they say?"

"I don't know whether I should tell you. What are you intending to do? Besides, you will hear it soon enough."

"For gods sake, Elaine, you are my best friend, aren't you? Tell me!"

"Okay. They say that it is a girl working at the beauty salon which you attend."

Alicia was flabbergasted. She tried to imagine who the guilty one could be. And then she remembered that sometimes Ray had accompanied her. And on these occasions he and Corinne seemed to get along very well together.

"Corinne," she said.

"You should be sure, Alicia. These are only rumors."

"I'll find out."

---

It wasn't difficult. Alicia had called Tony, a friend of Ray.

"Don't lie to me, Tony, I know enough about Ray and Corinne, except how long it is going on."

"About three weeks. I'm so sorry for you, Alicia. I warned Ray that he should not lose you but he didn't listen. I don't know, I think the devil has got into him."

"Yeah, that woman is the devil. Well, thank you, Tony. You did what you could do. I hope he is happy with his slut."

---

"Elaine, I need your help."

"What are you up to, Alicia? I hope you don't plan anything illegal?"

"No, no, I only ask you to call my beauty salon and ask for an appointment with Sandra, preferably at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, no matter which day."

"I'm not in need for a haircut!"

"It doesn't matter, you won't get one. When you arrive you tell Sandra that you want all of your cut off and your head shaven smooth."

"Oh no! I would do anything for you except this."

"Don't worry! Sandra will refuse to do it just as she wouldn't do it for me."

"But imagine that she has changed her opinion and is ready to do it."

"Well, then you back out at the last moment. Say that you have not the guts to do it after all. But she won't have changed, on the contrary, she will try to talk you out of your intentions. You should insist but not too intrusive. You should give her the impression that you still have doubts and at last you give in and leave. But take care that you attract the attention of Corinne. If she doesn't ask you what went wrong you should say anything. I mean to say that you make clear to her that Sandra refused to shave your head. Then she will give you an address."

"Anthony Hopkins."

"Yes indeed. Then you tell her that you are shy to go to him alone and ask her to accompany you. As it will be late in the afternoon you won't have to wait long before she will be free."

"And if she wouldn't come with me, for any reason."

"Use your charm and inventively. You should persuade her."

"And you are there with Hopkins?"

"Indeed."

"I can imagine what you intend to do. It smells after illegality."

"No, don't bother. Hopkins will take care of her."

---

Everything passed off according to the scenario. At a quarter to six on Thursday night Elaine and Corinne arrived at the barbershop.

"Hi Corinne, who did ya bring?"

"This is Elaine. She wants her hair cut off and her head shaven. Would you do that, please?"

Hopkins hardly looked at Elaine. He pointed to the chair: "Sit."

Elaine felt uneasy. Alicia ought to be here. Reluctantly she sat down. Hopkins shook out a cape, draped it across her shoulders and fixed it.

A door at the back of the shop opened and to her relief Elaine saw Alicia enter. Corinne looked at her as if she had seen a ghost.

"Well, Corinne, do you recognize me?"

"Yeah.....you came last week for a headshave and as Sandra didn't want to do it I gave you this address."

"Don't lie to me, you filthy swine! You stole my lover from me!"

"Your lover? Who....what?" She looked embarrassed.

"Do have such an ephemeral memory or are you so short-sighted? Or perhaps you changed and found a new lover."

Corinne got uneasy: "Ray is my boyfriend but I didn't know anything about you."

"Liar!"

"No, really. At first I didn't know that he had a girlfriend. Only later but it was too late then. That it should be you ...no, I had no idea who she was. He didn't tell me."

Did she play-act or did she really had had no idea?

"In any case you stole him from her, that means me. You have to be punished for that."

"It has not been my fault but Ray's. He did not tell me about a other girl and he seduced me."

Alicia laughed jeeringly.

"He seduced you! Well, I've made inquiries about you. You are too willing to have yourself laid and spread your legs by any man who approaches you. And you know how to seduce them. You are a liar and a whore and you know it! Mr. Hopkins will make short work of you."

Hopkins had been listening to their discussion. Now he said to Corinne: "Sit down in that chair."

"You are not going to cut my hair, are you? I've sent you so many customers."

"Girl, women come here as they know I will shave them. For no other purpose."

"I only came to bring you Elaine."

"You have disappointed me, girl. I didn't know you to be such an intriguer."

"But that isn't true! It's all gossip and insinuation. Please, believe me."

Alicia couldn't contain herself: "You dirty shameless slut! For what you have done to me I would like to slam you to pieces but I'll give you a chance. At first I wanted to make you fully hairless including your eyebrows and eyelashes but that would make you unemployed. When you agree to sign this paper I will be content with shaving your head only and Hopkins will provide you with a wig. So you may choose."

Corinne was crushed. She fixed her eyes on Hopkins: "Please, don't cut off my hair."

Then she addressed Alicia: "Look, I'm extremely sorry. I'll do anything if I can save my hair."

Alicia looked at her with disdain: "No way. You are a whore and you should be punished being one. Don't you know? Whores should be sheared. Well, Mr. Hopkins, I'm fed up with all this talk. Shave her. But first you have to sign this paper."

Corinne began to cry: "What paper?"

"Read it. You state that you are here voluntarily. If you don't sign we shall rob you of every hair on your head and body."

Corinne knew that she had lost and had no choice. She sat down and signed the paper.

Corinne a had rather short hairdo, an earlobe-length bob. Hopkins used his clippers without a guard and started at her nape, moving them across her crown to the front. Several more sweeps followed and soon on the right side of her head only short stubble remained. A few minutes later also the blonde hair on the left side was lying on the floor. Sobbing Corinne underwent the ordeal but she calmed down when Hopkins had covered her scalp with shaving gel and began to shave her. In a way she seemed to like the feeling of the scraping razor across her skull.

Corinne rose: "You did promise me a wig."

"It will be at ya salon tomorrow when ya go to ya work," he answered, "but now ya're going home bald as ya're."

Corinne nodded and turned to Alicia: "I'm really sorry and I mean it. But I told you the truth when I stated that I had no idea it to be you."

"It doesn't matter if it was me or some other girl. It was wrong anyway."

"I know. It has been my fault as well as Ray's. I deserved it to be punished."

"Well, I've had my revenge and you your punishment. I'm satisfied. You may have Ray. I hope for you that he takes you back. He loves hair, you know."

Alicia produced a malicious smile.

"Well, a bastard and a slut, as you've called us. Maybe a good couple," Corinne said with self-mockery.

"I've used rather bad language, I suppose. I'm sorry for that. Maybe you are not that bad."

"Oh, I can live with it. As well as being a baldy. After all my hair was rather short and soon it will be short again."

She turned to Elaine: "Guess you didn't come for a shave. You acted as a bait to get me here."

Elaine was still sitting in her chair with the cape across her shoulders. She had listened and looked on how Corinne had been shaved. It had aroused her and had caused strange, confusing emotions. She looked at Hopkins.

"Didn't you say that every woman who enters here knows that she will leave with a bald head?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't apply to ya."

"I don't want to be an exception."

Amazed Alicia looked at her: "Elaine, you don't want that."

"That's what I said: no exception. Alicia, I don't do this for you but for myself. Please Mr. Hopkins, shave my head."

Alicia couldn't believe it! As if she was dreaming she looked on how Elaine's shoulder length thick dark tresses were severed from her head and slipped across the cape to the floor. Hopkins spread shaving gel across her stubbly scalp and shaved it smooth.

Corinne too watched, again going through her own recent shearing.

Hopkins picked up and gathered the severed strands, both Elaine's dark and Corinne's blonde and tied them to two tufts of hair.

"Well, I'm never," he said, showing them to the girls, "Again two items for ma collection. Mind to see? Ya may hang them on the wall yaself," he grinned, handing over the tufts to Corinne and Elaine.

Giggling the three girls entered the room with hair covered walls.

"Wait", he said, "I want to shoot a few pictures while ya're putting up ya locks."

While the two girls fulfilled their tasks Hopkins turned to Alicia: "Could ya forgive Corinne, Alicia?"

Corinne turned round and looked into the eyes of Alicia.

Alicia hesitated one moment, then said: "Well, what the hell! Ray isn't worth it. Yes, I do."

"Shake hands then."

They did, while Hopkins took a photo of it, broadly laughing.

"And now another," Corinne called cheerfully while she approached Alicia and kissed her on her cheek.

"Okay, let's go," Alicia said.

Laughing and cheerfully chatting the three baldies walked away as old friends. Needless to say that they attracted a lot of attention of the passers-by. But that didn't bother them.

The end.

---

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