She looked again at Carol’s hair and groaned inwardly and wished once more that Carol hadn’t cut it; although she appreciated that the new shape had been superbly cut. The silken chestnut hair in the front fell in a heavy swoop from a high parting, across her forehead to jaw level. The other side was tightly cropped above her ear, and then the crown hair fell in a head-hugging cap almost to the nape where the last inch or so had been clippered skin close. The asymmetric shape suited Carol’s features perfectly and was a complete contrast to her hair before the cut, which had been almost waist length.

Carol was her best friend and the girls had been very close for more than 10 years and spent most of their leisure time together as well as sharing each other secrets and sometimes their possessions. They had met when they were 8 years old and they were often taken for sisters, as they looked alike, the main difference had been their hair colouring. Jane’s hair was a light golden chestnut but now of course the length was completely different, hers still long to her waist but Carol’s waist length tresses had been surrendered to shearing scissors a few days ago. They had both had long hair for as long as they could remember and had been very proud of their long tresses, spending a lot of time and money to keep their hair in perfect condition. Their hair had been greatly admired and envied by many and they had always been adamant that they would always keep it long. They often visited salons together to have the ends of their hair trimmed to keep it in perfect condition. Many times the stylists would spend ages trying to persuade the girls to have their hair restyled and they would often lead the hairdresser on and pretend to be tempted into allowing the long hair to be drastically scissored but then at the last moment they would insist on only having a fraction removed from the ends. They often laughed together at the obvious disappointment shown by scissor happy hairdressers as they were deprived of chopping off their beautiful silken tresses.

Now to Jane’s great surprise the almost unthinkable had happened, Carol’s treasured long hair had been cut short. Yes, it had been superbly cut: Yes, it had been greatly admired by almost everyone: Yes, Carol herself loved her hair short but NO, Jane was not going to follow suit and have her hair cut short. She was terrified at the thought of her own long hair being cut off and just could not imagine how it would feel to have short hair for the first time in her life. However, she now found that lots of their mutual friends were expecting her to follow suit and also cut her hair short. Indeed, even Carol had made fun of Jane’s fears about having her long hair cut and had told her not to be silly as it would obviously suit her and it was time she had a change.

She had heard the story of Carol’s haircut a number of times now, as everyone had been interested to know how and why she had had her beautiful long hair cut short. Carol had been in London with a number of work colleagues staying at a large hotel and before dinner on the final night her boss had suggested she used the hotel salon which could be charged on the company bill. She found her boss very attractive and had been shocked and a little hurt when he said casually that perhaps she should update her image with a new hairstyle. Thirty minutes later in the salon, still feeling upset, she had told the stylist she wanted her long hair restyled. Before she had time to realise fully what was happening, her head had been pushed forward and he began lopping off great lengths of her hair. In a few short seconds he had removed the bulk of her long hair and she was ushered away and her hair shampooed and before she had much time to reflect on the loss of her treasured long locks he began cutting more hair off. For almost half an hour he worked on her hair with scissors and then he had tipped her head right forward and began using the clippers on her nape hair. “Oh I was so frightened when he started using them I nearly died but it is an incredible exciting feeling when they begin running up your head and I was almost disappointed when he stopped.” At this stage in the telling of her experience she would run her hand up the back of her cropped head and exclaim, “It is very short I know but it feels wonderful!” A lot of people, mostly males, seemed to find the urge irresistible and would also run their fingers over the very short nape hair.

Jane was reluctantly now coming to the conclusion that no matter how much she hated the thought of having her long hair cut off that it would not be long before she succumbed to peer pressure as she was now being constantly asked when she would be having her hair cut short. She agonised over the decision for days and the more she thought about it, the more upset and frightened she became. She envied Carol who had had no time to worry over the decision but had just made her mind up on the spur of the moment and had not even realised her hair was going to be cut short until too late. Ironically the man who had suggested her hair appointment had been shocked when Carol turned up for dinner with her hair cropped as he said that he loved long hair and had only meant she should try dressing it differently for a change!

It was finally her mother who almost unwittingly finally made Jane’s mind up for her. She had only just seen Carol’s exciting new look and had commented casually that it perhaps it was time Jane had a change as well. Jane realised that perhaps she was being stubborn in clinging to her long hair and she determinedly went straight away to the telephone and made an appointment for the next morning at a nearby salon. She told no-one, not even her mother or Carol what she had done and finally felt a little easier now she had made the decision about her hair.

After a restless night she told her mother she was going shopping and walked to the salon where she had made her appointment feeling very miserable but resigned to now having her long hair cut. An hour later she left the salon feeling really disappointed about her new hairstyle. She had told the girl that she wanted her long hair cut off and had steeled herself to leaving the salon with a short hairstyle that she hoped she would be pleased with. Instead the girl had only cut off about 6 inches and so her hair was still below shoulder length and had been dried in a sleek off the face style that really didn’t look all that different to the way she usually wore it. She knew that all her friends and Carol in particular would think that she had chickened out of having a drastic cut which was not the case.

She had only walked a few yards from the salon when across the road she saw a shop she hadn’t noticed before. It was simply called ‘Offcuts’ and proclaimed it was a Unisex salon specialising in Clipper cuts. She recalled that Carol’s hair had been cut with clippers at one stage and she determinedly crossed the road as she noticed the sign saying ‘No Appointments Necessary.’ She would go and have her hair cut again and this time ask for it to be short. She pushed open the door and entered, feeling nervous but very determined. The salon was quite small with just two large chairs in front of a mirrored counter and three more chairs in a waiting area. Both the large chairs were occupied and the sound of busily snipping scissors came from one and the buzzing sound of clippers from the other. Both operators were female, and the one nearest the door, who was a very attractive woman of about 25 with extremely short blonde hair, glanced at Carol and said, “Can I help?” Sara swallowed nervously and then said, “I would like my hair cut please. Can you do it this morning?”

“Yes, of course,” she replied. “Take a seat, y
ou won’t have to wait long.” She indicated the vacant chair and Sara sat down alongside a teenage youth and an older woman. Carol took a few deep breaths and tried to relax but she was feeling extremely nervous now and wondered if she was doing the right thing. The girl who had spoken to her was snipping away at a middle aged man’s hair but in the other chair a young girl was sitting calmly as clouds of her dark hair was falling like rain around her as clippers were being used on her chin length hair, cutting it to within half an inch of her scalp. The girl wielding the clippers also had her own hair really short but it looked extremely attractive, suiting her fine features. Carol watched with fascination as the clippers were run again and again over the girl’s head and she admired the courage of the girl and wondered how she felt as so much of her hair was removed.

The man from the first chair was soon finished and the youth went forward and took his place and then a minute or so later the white cape was removed from the young girl who got up and ran her hand across her short cropped hair and smiled happily. She was replaced with the other waiting woman and with a little lurch in her stomach, Sara realised that it would be her turn next. She wondered which of the stylists would be doing her hair but in fact they finished together and they both stood smiling at her and then the senior girl ushered her into one of the chairs and the all enveloping cape was placed around her and the other girl stood nearby.

As Sara settled herself in the chair and tried to calm her pounding heart, the girl gently smoothed the freshly washed hair and said with a slight enquiringly smile on her face, “Didn’t I see you just come out of the salon across the road? Don’t you like the way they have done your hair?” Sara could see the two girls watching her through the mirror and said firmly, “No. My hair was really long and I had made up my mind to get it cut short, but the girl has only taken about 6 inches off.” The stylist was still touching Sara’s hair with her fingers, lifting it away from her head and then allowing it to fall gently back around her shoulders and then she said, “Right, well we specialise in clipper cutting here and you have come to the right salon this time if you want a short haircut. Do you want a clipper cut?” Sara felt her stomach lurch again at the thought of the clippers being used on her hair but she was determined now to have a real change. She swallowed nervously and then said, “Yes, that sounds fine.”

The girl had been gently lifting the long hair at the back and after checking the nape of her neck she released it and then moved in front of her and smoothed the hair at the side. She stepped back and said, “You have a lovely hairline. Short hair will look great on you.” She glanced at the other girl and said, “I will start with a number three guard.” She was standing in front of Sara now, blocking her view in the mirror but from the corner of her eye Sara saw the assistant pass her a large black object. She heard the click of a switch and then a deep humming sound and then the girl held her head firmly on the crown and began pushing her head towards the buzzing clippers. Sara felt them touching her forehead and then the note deepened as they were forced into her hair. Her stomach lurched sickeningly as suddenly great locks of her silken hair began tumbling down past her shocked face as the girl drove the clippers right across the top of her head. She felt in the grip of some monstrous nightmare as her head was held tightly and the buzzing clippers began another run from her forehead across the top of her head and more of her silken locks tumbled down in front of her eyes.

“Oh!” she gasped. “Please stop,” but inwardly she knew from the amount of hair, which had already been cut off, it was too late. The girl paused in her shearing and said, “What’s wrong?” Sara was close to tears and she said, “I didn’t want my hair clippered all over, I thought you would just cut the underneath.” The girl smiled down at her and said, “You did say you wanted a short clipper cut. Don’t worry, a lot of girls get a little panicky at this stage but just relax and let me finish. You are going to look really good with your hair short.” Sara gave a little groan of despair as she now fully realised what was in store for her hair and bit her lip hard to prevent tears from spilling out. The girl holding the buzzing clippers gave a little smile and then firmly re-positioned Sara’s head and began running then back from her forehead. Masses of the long silken hair tumbled down past Sara’s shocked face and began forming a heavy pile on her lap.

The feel of the clippers on her head was a strange but erotic feeling and although Sara hated that her hair was being cut so short she found she was enjoying the sensuous feeling. She closed her eyes and allowed her head to be guided into the shearing blades as the girl skilfully and rapidly ran them across the top of her head. It seemed incredible that all the hair dropping into her lap was coming from her own head and she knew that when she plucked up courage to open her eyes again she would be looking at herself with just a very short covering of hair on her head. The stylist moved swiftly to the side now and the clippers buzzed angrily around her ear for a few brief seconds and Sara felt the hair tumble down on to her shoulder and then a soft swish as it dropped to the floor. Now to the other side where the same action was carried out and then her head was pushed firmly forward and she felt the clippers being run up the back of her head to the crown. Several passes were made and then Sara could feel that all her long hair had now been removed.

There was a click and the buzzing ceased and Sara raised her incredibly feeling light head and opened her eyes. She could see her reflection but could hardly recognise the frightened looking image that stared back at her. She looked like a little boy! She bit her lip to force back the tears that were springing to her eyes and saw that the girl had swiftly changed the clipper head and then clicked the switch. The soft buzzing sound increased as the stylist brought them hear her ear and said, “I am just going to clean up the line now.” Sara watched numbly this time as she felt the cold steel gently brushing her head and saw little snippets of her hair dropping away from the clippers. She had to endure this for a further few minutes as the girl near shaved her hair around her hairline and then at last the dreaded tool was switched off and put down. The girl ran her hand several times over Sara’s head to check its evenness and then held a hand mirror in place to show Sara the view of the back of her head.

The back had been cut skin close right up to the crown and a band about an inch wide had been shaved above her ears, and the rest of her hair had been clippered down to less than half an inch. Sara felt it was the most hideous hairstyle she had ever seen and barely knew how she managed to pay the girl and stumble away from the salon. On the way home she could not stop herself from touching her cropped head and shuddered every time she felt her near naked scalp. She felt that everyone was looking at her and dreaded the thought of the comments she would receive from her friends and family when they saw her hair. Why oh why had she been so influenced by her friend’s new haircut.

The End