It was cold, but Carol Christmases long thick dark brown hair helped keep her that bit warmer, a comfort blanket if you like. Her hair hung down past her waist, and in this sort of weather she always loved to tuck it inside her coat so that it clung close to her body, she loved the feel of it. Her usual stylist Anne, was on holiday and the shop was closed, so she was going to have to find another salon to have her hair trimmed.

Carol loved her hair and everything about it was thick, and oh so straight, people used to think that she spent all day ironing it to make it as straight as it was, but no she didn’t, it was all natural, barring the products that she used of coarse. Yes, Carol was indeed lucky to have such beautiful straight thick hair. Her mother had always kept on to her to get it cut, and maybe add a few curls to give it some body. Carol would never ever do that she hated curly hair and to have it short, well forget it, it wouldn’t happen. She used to grin when a girl walked past her with her hair cropped in one of those pixie cuts, and when she saw an older woman with a perm, well, it really gave her a good laugh. Yes, she loved her hair just as it was and would never change it for anyone.

As Carol walked down the high street a small salon caught her eye, she stopped and looked in through the window. Carol had never before noticed this insignificant place. Sues cutting place, she read. The stylist in the shop smiled at her and walked towards the door. The door opened.

"Hi can I help you." Sue smiled at Carol and beckoned to her to come in.

Carol hesitated for a second, but not for long, as she slowly walked over to the door, and in she went in.

"Hi I’m Sue come and take a seat"

"Well, I have been looking for a salon to get my hair trimmed," Carol managed.

Sue took her coat and within a few seconds had seated Carol in her chair. The rather large red barbers chair that more than adequately filled the gap in the centre of the shop.

"That’s it you make yourself nice and comfy." Sue ran a brush down through Carols hair.

"What lovely hair you have," Sue caped her and almost immediately started trimming Carol’s hair.

Carol sat there in stunned silence, this woman was cutting her hair without any consultation whatsoever.

"Excuse me, umm, I haven’t actually told you how much I want cut yet." Carol blurted out.

"Oh don’t worry I know exactly what your going to want," Sue brushed Carols hair through once more and then continued to snip away at the ends of her locks.

"I haven’t much time you see so I’ll just trim it for you now and you can come back another day to get it cut properly, will that be ok my darling? Sue fondly ran her long finger nails through Carols long hair touching her scalp. Carol shivered.

Carol was freaking out what was she on about cut, come back again, darling!!? She liked the feel of Sues fingers running through her hair, and as she looked into the mirror she realised that she could indeed do with a proper haircut. What was happening to her??? Carol paid and left quickly, but as soon as she alighted herself from the red barbers chair she knew deep down that she would indeed be coming back for a proper haircut soon.

That night Carol lay in bed playing with her hair, it was beautiful and in such good condition she loved it but knew that in the morning it would all be coming off, she played with herself until she finally fell into a deep sleep.

First thing the next morning Carol rang her mum and asked if she fancied going shopping with her, they arranged to meet up a 10am in the high street. They met up and went into a local cafe and sat drinking coffee. After coffee the two of them walked down the high street, pausing now and then to look into different shop windows.

Mother ran her fingers through Carols hair.

"All this hair you should really think about cutting it all off Carol, it would look so much better dear, after all your not getting any younger now are you." She released the hair from her grip knowing that she was wasting her breath again.

Carols mother wore her hair in a longish bob slightly layered nothing fancy, but all the same quite stylish. Although she was always going on to Carol to have some curl put into her hair she herself would never actually want curly hair herself, and had quite frequently told Carol as much. When Carol was a young girl her mother had always made sure her hair was kept nice and neat for school, she had favoured a nice bob, cut close at the nape with clippers, and made sure the fringe was also nice and short. She liked to see hair kept nice and neat especially when she had full control of how short it would be cut. Yes, Carols mum liked to watch hair being cut off.

"Your right mum I do need to get it cut a bit do you think a perm would suit me?"

"Sorry." Carols mother could not believe what she had just heard.

"I said maybe I should have my hair cut and perhaps a curl or two, you always said you wanted me to have that done."

"I know what I said but I didn’t think for one moment that you would take any notice of me."

"Look mum why don’t we both go and get our hair done, my treat ok."

"Ok your on, lets go do it."

The two walked on down the high street arm in arm, mother constantly running her hand through Carols long hair. She would finally get her wish and see her daughters long hair being cut nice and short again. A good day indeed.

"We shall go to my salon Carol, Angela my stylist will cut and perm your hair for you, she really is good with cutting long hair off." Carol’s mum knew that if she could get her there then her fate would be sealed.

"No mum I’ll take you to my salon, look here it is." With that Carol opened the door and ushered her mum into the smallish salon.

"See were here now and they are very friendly here your like it I promise you."

Zena came over to the pair of them, took their coats and hung them up for them.

"That’s it come on over and have a seat while I make you both a coffee."

They sat down and waited while their coffee was being made. Sue swept long lengths of hair away to join the rest of the pile that was in the corner of the salon. Another customer had been sheared to perfection. Carol told her mother that she could go first and prodded her towards the chair, carrying her coffee over for her, she placed it on the shelf by Sue’s station. Sue came over and helped Carols mum into the large barbers chair, mum felt somewhat out of place in it, but slowly, as she became comfy the chair began to work its magic on her, and within a few minutes she was all smiles and asked Carol how she thought that she should have her hair cut.

Carol knew that the chair had some sort of power, as how else did she let a complete stranger cut her hair without even a by your leave. So now she had decided in advance to take full advantage of the situation, and as her mum always wanted her to get a perm, today it would be her turn to have a perm, a nice tight one at that.

"Well, mum I think as your getting on a bit I think a nice short haircut would suit you, and maybe some curls." Carol smiled in the mirror at her mother and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, Sue should take it quite short, then perm it really tight and then cut some more off."

"I think that’s a very good idea Carol don’t you dear." Sue ran hers hands down through the long bob.

Carols mum sat staring into the mirror and finally agreed that indeed it was a good idea and wondered why she had never had it done before.

Sue soon had her caped and Carol stood and watched as her mothers hair was slowly layered all over until it was around two inches or so long. Sue seemed happy with the result as did Carols mum, who couldn’t keep her hands off of it. Masses of hair filled her lap and covered the floor around the chair. Zena escorted her to another area and soon the smallest perm rollers were tightly wound onto her short hair. Next the perm solution was applied. Zena told her that she would leave it on so as to get the maximum tightest curl possible. Meanwhile Carol asked Sue to make sure that she re-cut her mums hair as she wanted her to have it really short. Sue reassured her that she would indeed cut her hair again to get it really close especially around the sides and at the nape area.

Carols mum smiled as Zena applied the neutraliser, and said that she couldn’t wait to see the result, Zena smiled back and assured her that she would be pleased with it. Later Carol came over and chatted with her mum while her hair was being washed out, and the followed her back over to Sue’s station.

"Right now lets get this blow dried for you and then were going to cut it nice and short for you, ok?"

Carols mum smiled again and Sue began to dry her hair in a natural way by running her fingers through the hair while directing the heat in a random direction. Within a few minutes the short hair was dry and Carol was at her side running her fingers through the cropped curly hair.

"Mother I just love the feel of these beautiful short curls, they are so soft I just want to touch them and kiss them." Carol lent over and put her lips to her mothers head and let out a sigh.

Her mother just stared into the mirror and then eventually raised both hands and ran them up the sides, through to the top, very slowly, and then ran them down to the nape area all the time sighing as if in some kind of deep trance. With her eyes closed she again ran her fingers up through the sides and slowly pulled them away from her head until the short lengths pulled out from between her fingers.

Carol hadn’t finished with her yet and was soon instructing Sue as to how she wanted her mothers hair re-cut. Sue picked up the clippers and fitted a no four guard, smiling at Carols mum she gently bent her head forwards and slowly began to run the clippers up through the short curly hair.

"Oh I’m losing my curls."

"Don’t worry I’m only tapering the back and sides for you, your still going to have plenty of curls left."

Carol placed a reassuring hand on mums shoulder and with the other picked up a few short lengths of curls out from her mothers lap. She loved the feel of the short lengths of hair, and soon had gathered quite a handful of them.

Sue clippered her hair all the way up to her crown and then switched the guard to a number three and repeated the action, this time not taking them up so far and blending all of the hair at the back in nicely. Sue finished off with clipper over comb at the bottom inch or so giving her a lovely tapered nape. Carol ran her fingers up the nape area and nodded to Sue with approval.

"Yes, that’s just right Sue nice and neat, eh mum, just how my mum always liked to see hair cut, nice and neat."

"Do you like it mum?"

"Oh yes Carol I cant think why I haven’t had it like this before.!"

"Sues just going to finish the sides off and your nearly done."

Sue shaved the sides in nice and neat, then re-cut the top to leave it about and inch and a bit long, still long enough to allow the curl to show but not too long.

Mothers hands ran through her new haircut while under the cape a wet patch formed. Hair now covered the floor, and as she got down from the chair she kicked it dispassionately and admired her new cropped look in the mirror. Carol was pleased with the result. She smiled at Sue and climbed into the waiting chair.