Ok, let me just fill you in. This is my first haircut story. It is mostly true, just the name of the barber and the name of the shop have been changed. I was eleven and going into middle school, when I took my first of many trips to the barber shop. I was the second oldest out of five kids. My name is Andrea, or Andi, for short. My brother Tracy was thirteen at the time, then below me came Matt, who was nine, Patrick, who was seven, and Mary, who was five. Our mother had passed away a few months before, and money was somewhat tight. Not that we were poor, but my dad tried to save wherever he could, and since haircuts at the barber shop were cheap, when it came time for Mary and I to get one, he sent us along with our brothers to see the barber.

My dad was always at work, so when it came down to getting haircuts and stuff, he just called up Barber Bill, and sent my brothers down to the shop. Mary and I, being girls, could live without haircuts for the summer, so we hadn’t gotten our hair cut in a while. Although now that I remember it, Tracy had also avoided several, and his hair was growing long. A few days before school started, we were all at breakfast together, and talking about school. My dad brought up the topic of haircuts. He said that he wanted Tracy to take Matt and Patrick down to the barber shop for haircuts that morning. Tracy started to whine, and said, "aw, come on dad, my hair looks groovy like this. All the guys are growing their hair out." "I don’t care." My dad said. "I am not sending you to school looking like a girl." Tracy humphed, then got up and got another piece of toast. When he sat down, my dad said, "You know, Andi and Mary could probably use a trim too. I’ll just send them with you." Then we all finished breakfast, and dad sent us to the barber shop.

After we had started walking down tow, my dad called the barber shop. "Good Morning, Bill’s Barber Shop, I’m Chris, how can I help you?" Said a young man on the other line. "Hi, this is Larry Pike, and I’m sending my five kids down to your shop this morning." Dad said. "Ok, great." Chris said. "Did you call to let us know how you want their hair cut?" "Yes, indeed I did," My dad chuckled. "Could I have a word with Bill, to tell him how he should cut it?" "Oh, well sir, Bill’s actually out of town today, but either myself or Jeff would do it." Chris said. "That will be fine," Dad said. "Now, what can I do for you?" Chris asked. "Hmm," My dad said. "Well, the girls just need trims, a few inches maybe, then the boys, well, school is starting, so something that will look nice for pictures. Let’s see, the two younger boys had mushroom cut’s their whole lives, and I want to get rid of those. Just standard boy’s haircuts will be fine, but make them a bit on the short side, please." Dad said. "Ok, and didn’t you say you had an older boy as well?" Chris asked. "Yes, well, he may be a bit of a problem. He’s grown his hair out, and doesn’t want it cut. It’s quite long, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say he looked like a girl." Dad laughed. "He’s going to be in eighth grade this year, so I think it’s high time he had a more mature haircut, don’t you think?" Dad asked. "Oh, absolutely sir." Chris laughed. "So, how short do you want me to cut it?" "Oh, I’d sat fairly short. Make sure you take it all off, and don’t let him try to talk you out of it. Heck, you have my permission to strap him to the chair if need be." Dad said. "Ok, I think we can do that sir." Chris said. "Great! The kids should be down any minute, thanks for your help son." Dad said. "No problem," Chris said. "Oh, and by the way, who is going to pay for this?" Chris asked. Dad answered, "I gave my oldest son money, so he will pay you when they get there." Dad said, then hung up the phone.

We were tired from walking, so we all stopped at the fountain before we went to the barber shop. Matt and Patrick were chasing each other ahead of us, and Tracy and I took turns holding Mary. Finally, we reached Bill’s Barber Shop. We all waled in together, and sat down in the waiting area. Tracy had to go to the bathroom, so he gave me the money. I walked up to the counter, and the barber behind it greeted me and said, "Well, you must be the pike kids!" "How’d you know?" I asked. "I just got off the phone with your father." Chris said. "Bill’s gone today, so I’ll be cutting your hair. By the way, my name’s Chris." He said. "Oh, this is from my dad," I said, handing Chris the money. Chris took the money, and handed me some change. I shoved it into my overall’s pocket, and went back and sat down. Tracy came out of the bathroom, and sat with us. Then Chris came out from behind the desk, and said, "Ok, who’s first?" Tracy and I stood up at the same time. He sat back down and said, "Go ahead Andi." "Ok," I said. Then I followed Chris to the back station of the barber shop. I hopped into the big red chair, and sat down. It was sooooooo comfy. I could have fallen asleep. Chris took a tissue out of the dispenser, and wrapped it tightly around my neck. Then he snapped a red and white pin striped cape over it. "Ok, I understand this all need to come off," He said, as he ruffled my hair. "Oh, um just a trim please." I said. "Oh, you’re gonna get a little more than a trim kid." Chris laughed. "It’s all coming off." He said. "Wait, no, my dad told me you were just going to trim my hair. You can’t cut it all off." I said, getting scared. "He probably wanted you to cut Tracy’s hair off, not mine sir." I said. "Your dad said you might try to get out of this. There’s no way I’m gonna believe you and give your poor sister this haircut." Chris said. "B b but I’m the sister, can’t you tell?" I said, frightened. "Oh baloney. Do you really expect me to believe that you’re a girl? (At this point I should tell you that I didn’t exactly look like a girl. I had overalls on, and I was flat chested. Plus, I was an inch or two taller than Tracy. My hair was long though, it touched my shoulder-blades.) "Yes! I said loudly, this is a mistake. I’m the girl, Tracy’s the boy." I wailed. "You can’t fool me son. Tracy’s smaller than you, and Tracy is a girl’s name. You’re name’s Andy. Don’t try to tell me that you’re a girl. I know you want to keep your long hair, but kiddo, you’ve got no choice. It’s all coming off." Chris said firmly. I jumped out of the chair then, and bolted towards the door. Chris was too quick though, he caught me before I had taken five steps. "Come back here." He said, grabbing my arms. and pulling me beck to his station. Greg, and ya come give me a hand here?" Chris called. Greg walked over to the chair, and held me down while Chris strapped my arms and legs to the chair with thick leather belts. I kicked and screamed, but they still didn’t believe me. "Nooooooooo, please, don’t cut my hair." I cried, as I saw his sharp scissors in his hand. Why didn’t Tracy hear me, and come save me? I wondered. Too late. I felt the cold steel blades on my neck, and head them crunch through my hair. "Stoooooooop! Please! This is a mistake. I’m telling the truth. Go ask them." I said, pointing to my siblings. "None of them were there. "Where are they?" I cried. "They went to the soda shop down the street. They’ll be back by the time I’m done with you." Chris said. I reached up and felt my shorn hair. "Please, I’m begging you. I’m telling you the truth. Please, don’t cut my hair off any shorter. Please." I whimpered. "Oh, stop it." Chris said. Then he took the big clippers off the hook, and put some plastic thingy on them. Wh wh what are you going to d do with those?" I asked. "I’m gonna give you a haircut boy. You sure won’t look like a girl when I’m done with these." He laughed. I jumped as I heard a loud POP hummmmm. Then I felt the loud buzzing coming closer to my head. "Please, don’t do this to me." I cried." Then I screamed as I saw those hungry clippers coming straight for my forehead. I tried to duck my head, but Chris grabbed it firmly, and wouldn’t let me move. I screamed and cried, "Stop, help. Please," but no one listened. Chris kept on buzzing. I felt them chewing through my locks, and freeing my hair. Chris was merciless. He shaved completely over the top of my head. leaving me with nothing but some fuzz. I was balling. My face was so wet. That buzzing was going to ruin my sixth grade year. I was going to be teased so bad. I mean, it was bad enough I looked like a boy to begin with, but with this? Oh, it was terrible. Chris was awful. He ignored my crying, and continued to take away my beautiful hair. I felt the top of my head very light and cold. I shivered. Then, Chris said loudly, "Head down!" I tilted my head down, but he firmly shoved it into my nonexistent chest. " I saw the humongous mound of my hair on the floor and sobbed. I felt the noisy clippers moving up the back of my neck. My nape soon became chilly. Then the right side of my head. Then the left. Oh, how I longed for this to be only a bad dream, but it was not. My head was becoming lighter and lighter as more and more hair was taken off. I felt the clippers run all the way up the back of my head several times. Finally, the loud buzzing came to a halt. I started to stand up, but then I realized that I was belted in. "Not done yet boy." Chris said. "Are you almost done?" I asked. "I mean, it’s pretty short like this, isn’t it?" "Ha." Chris chuckled. "This," he said rubbing my head, "This was just to get the bulk of it off. Now I can start on the real cut." He laughed. Once again, I heard the clippers start to humm. "No, please." I cried. I tried to duck my head, but Chris grabbed it, and pulled my head up. "Sit still kid." "No, You can’t cut my hair. Please sir, this is a huge mistake." I balled. ‘Now you shut up, and sit still." Chris shouted at me. "Please. Stooooooop." I cried. Then Chris slapped my cheek, and said, "I told you to be quiet boy." He yelled. "Pleeeeeease. I’m a girrrl. Please st stop c c cutting my hair." I sobbed. Then he slapped my other cheek even harder. "Oooooooooooowww." I screamed. "Get over it." Chris said. Then I felt the cold blades of the clippers on my forehead. Chris swiftly took off a path of my hair. The cold air burned my tender skin. I kept sobbing, but Chris ignored my cries, and kept buzzing. I felt the cold breeze hitting the whole top of my head. Then, Chris took off my sideburns, and the sides of my head. He worked quickly, and pushed the clippers practically into my head. I was sure I was going to be bald. I felt the air on the sides, then Chris said loudly, "Head Down." I did as I was told, but Chris pushed my head down even further, almost choking me. The whole back of my head was quickly feeling the cold air. My whole body shivered. Chris forcefully held my body still, so I couldn’t move. Finally, I heard the clippers halt. Chris put them on the counter, and then took the cape off of my sore neck. "C Can I g go now?" I cried. "No." Was all Chris said. I sat there, unable to move, wondering what on earth he was going to do. He left for a moment, then came back with a
big white towel, and put it around my shoulders. He tucked it under my collar, then left again. Then he came back with a hot washcloth, and rubbed it over my head. Chris left me again, and got a long knife looking thing off the shelf. He swiped it over and over on a big leather belt. Then he walked back to the chair, and put it on the counter. There was a big chrome machine in front of me. He stuck his hand underneath the pump, and pumed out some white stuff. "W what is that? I asked. "Shaving cream." Chris replied, as he started spreading the hot shaving cream on my head. He’s really going to shave my head I thought. The hot shaving cream did feel nice on my freezing cold scalp though. "Wh wh why did you p put shaving cream on my h head?" I asked. "Because I’m going to shave your head." Chris said, without the slightest sound of care in his voice. "Noooooo." I wailed. "I’m a girl. You can’t shave my head." I cried. "Boy, if I have to tell you to be quiet one more time, I’ll pull down your pants, and paddle your behind." Chris said. Then he held my head up straight, and put the razor on my forehead. I felt him quickly shave a path down the center of my head. Cold air rushed to the newly shaven skin. "Stoooooooop. Please, I’m a girl, you can’t shave my head." I balled. "Oh, you’re in for it now boy." Chris said, as he shaved another path down my head. Then he put the razor down, and yelled, "Greg, can ya come give me a hand here?" Greg ran over, and said, "What?" "Hold this boy down while I spank his behind. He needs to learn a lesson." Chris said, as he unstrapped my arms and legs. As soon as they were free, I stated to bolt out of the chair towards the door. Greg grabbed my arm, and squeezed them so tightly that they were bruised. He held me up straight while Chris undid the buckles on my overalls, and let them fall to my feet. Then he walked behind me, and pulled down my underpants. I screamed and screamed. "You shut up boy. You had a good and proper warning." Chris said. Greg pushed me to bend over. Then all of a sudden I felt a sharp pain on my ass. "Oooooooooowwww." I screamed at the top of my lungs. Chris whipped my ass over and over again. Finally, he stopped. Greg lifted me up, and Chris said, "Get your clothes on and get your ass back in the chair. I stood there and was about to bend over, when Greg said, "Uh, Chris, the kid’s a girl. He pointed at my bare privates. I quickly covered them up, and pulled my clothes back on. "Oh my God." Chris yelled. "I I’m so sorry dear. I had no clue." He kept blubbering and apologizing for several minutes. I sat back down in the chair, and said, "Just finish it so I can go." I cried. "Oh, I feel so bad. I feel like the biggest idiot in the world." Chris said. "You should." I said. Then I sat still while he finished shaving my head. My head was cold and bare. He rinsed my small head with a hot washcloth, then took the towel off my shoulders. I didn’t say anything. I just walked back to the waiting area. Just then my brothers and sister came in, with soda’s in hand. All four of them screamed bloody murder when they saw me. Tracy went over to Chris and punched him in the face. Chris didn’t budge. "What the hell did you do to my sister?" He screamed. Chris said nothing. Tracy punched him again, this time giving him a bloody nose. "You’re gonna pay for this." Tracy yelled, as he walked back to me, and gave me a hug. "Come on Andrea, let’s get out of here." He took my hand, and the five of us kids walked home.

When my dad came home that evening, he saw what the barber had done to me, and raged down to the barber shop. He yelled at Chris and Greg in front of about fifteen guys waiting for haircuts. By the time my dad had finished yelling, all fifteen men had left. My father ended up pressing charges against Chris, charging him with child abuse, sexual assault, and stupidity. We won the case, and Chris had to pay me five hundred thousand dollars, as well as shave his own head, and keep it that way for ten years. My dad home schooled me that year, so I didn’t have to go to regular school. Chris lost his barber license. Tracy kept his long hair. I grew my hair to my waist, and kept it that way all through high school.