I was working with Krissy, Claudia and Ellen one day when a woman and her two children came in.  I was cleaning my station so I waited on them.  “Hi, My name is Bonnie, what can I do for you?”  I said.  The woman replied, “I’m Cindy.  I’m a single mother and am going back to work full time next week.  I think it will be best if the kids both got shorter haircuts.  It will make life easier.”  She said.  I nodded and said, “I completely agree.  I’m also a single mom, and I gave my girls short haircuts a while ago.  It’s saved us so much time.”  “Good, I know I’m making a good decision then.”  Cindy said.  “So who is going first?”  I asked.  Cindy put her hand on her son’s shoulder and said, “This is Tommy.  He’s 7.”  “Ok, come on back and we’ll get started.” I said.  Tommy and Cindy followed me to my station and he climbed into my chair.  I tied a tissue around his little neck then caped him.  I brushed his soft strawberry blonde hair and asked his mom, “So what are we doing here?”  “Well I definately want to get rid of the length.”  Cindy replied.  Tommy’s hair was cut in one of those popular shag styles, and almost covered his ears.  “Did you want a standard boy’s haircut, or something shorter like a crewcut?”  I asked.  “Definately a crewcut.  Something quick and easy.”  Cindy said.  “Ok, but just so you know, he’ll need to get it cut more often.”  I told her.  “That’s fine, his sister can bring him in, as she will probably be needing frequesnt haircuts as well.” Cindy told me.  “So how short were you thinking?”  I asked.  “A quarter inch on top and zero on the back and sides please.”  She replied.  “Alright, let’s get you cleaned up sport.”  I said patting Tommy on the head.  He smiled slightly.  Cindy nodded and went back to the waiting area with her daughters.  I put the number 2 guard on the clippers and turned them on.  Tommy was wide eyed as I placed them on his forehead.  As I pushed them back, soft strawberry blond hair rained down to the floor.  Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzzzzzzaaa.  I worked fast, shaving the top to a quarter inch, then I shaved the sides and back.  I turned the clippers off for a second to take off the guard, then pushed Tommy’s head down and shaved the back down to stubble.  Buzzzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.  I did the same to the sides, then I turned the clippers off and uncaped him.  I put a towel over his shoulders, then spread some hot shaving cream on his hairline and sideburns.  I used a straight razor to shave the edges clean, then I wiped them off, and took off the towel.  His mom walked over and rubbed his head.  “Why, is that my little boy?  I don’t even recognize you without all that hair.  I can actually see your face!”  Cindy exclaimed.  Tommy beamed and reached up to touch his newly buzzed hair.  “Oh I like it Mom, its great!”  He said.  “I’m glad dear.  Now go sit over there and tell Lacy it’s her turn.”  Cindy said.  Tommy ran over to his sister, who rubbed his head and told him how cute he looked.  Then he pointed to myself and Bonnie, and the girl frowned and rolled her eyes.  Cindy turned to me and said, “I’d like a nice clean flattop for Lacy.  She’s in high school and a good short flattop will be perfect for her.” “How short would you like it?”  I asked.  “Half inch on top and tapered to a shaved nape in the back please.”  Cindy said.  Then she motioned for the girl to come back to the station and mouthed, come here.”  The girl huffed and stood up.  She slowly walked over.   “Have a seat and Bonnie can clean you up too.”  Cindy said.  The girl climbed into the large red leather barber’s chair.  Cindy held her daughter’s shoulders and said, “This is Lacy.  She’s 16.  She’s going to cooperate and sit still like her brother.”  Cindy said giving her a stern look.  She added, “Am I clear?”  “How much is she cutting off mom?”  Lacy asked as I tied a tissue nice and tight around her neck.  “You’ll be getting a nice short haircut today Lacy,and I don’t want any complaints, got it?”  Cindy said in a no-nonsense tone.  Lacy nodded and crossed her arms while I threw a cape over her and tied it around her neck.  She scowled as I brushed her hair.  It was soft and strawberry blond like Tommy’s, and cut in a bouncy layered style that fell just below her shoulders.  Cindy stood and watched to make sure Lacy sisn’t act up.  I picked up the scissors and sliced through a chunk of her hair.  She ghasped, “What are you doing?”  “I told you, you’re getting a SHORT haircut today.  Bonnie’s going to give you a nice flattop.  It’ll be so much more neat and clean looking, and very easy to maintain for you.  Now be still so Bonnie can do a good job.” Cindy said.  “What’s a flattop?”  Lacy asked.   Cindy said, and she whispered to me, “Why don’t you turn the chair so she’s facing the waiting area and not the mirror.”  and then left to go back to the waiting area.  I turned the chair so she was facing her mom and brother.  Then I picked up another long chunk of her hair and sliced through it.  Snip snip snip.  I cut all around her head, reducing her hair to about an inch long.  When all of Lacy’s lsoft long strawberry blond hair was off her head, I put the scissors down and uncaped her.  She started to stand up and turn towards the mirror as I shook the cape, but I pulled her back down so she couldn’t see.  “Aren’t you done?”  She said.  “Oh I was just getting rid of the length.  Now I can start the actual haircut.”  I told her.  “You mean you’re gonna cut off MORE?”  She asked horrified.  “I’m going to give you a flattop, like your mom said.  So it will be a bit shorter than this.”  I pulled out the clippers and when she saw, she whined, “Please, PLEASE don’t use those on me.”  “Well I need to use them, I can’t very well give you a flattop without clippers now can I? Just relax and I’ll be done before you know it.  Besides, it’s quite a good feeling having them run over your head.”  I said.  She sank back into the big barbers chair as I put the half inch guard on the clippers.  “Now sit still for me Lacy.”  I said.  She sat up straight with her head erect and I turned on the clippers.  POP hummmmmm.  I placed them on her forehead and pushed them back, making the first pass a bit slow.  Buzzzzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzzzzzaaa.  Her eyes were closed tightly as I continued to shave the next path on top of her head.  Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.  Short chunks of Lacy’s strawberry blond hair rained down and landed in her lap of on the floor.  Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzaaaa.  I finished the top, then I switched the guard on the clippers to a quarter inch and popped them back to life.  “head down.”  I instructed Lacy.  She bent forward a bit, but I pushed her head into her chest so I could shave the back.  I ran the loud clippers up the back of her head several times.  Buzzzzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzzzzzaaaa.  When it was all shaved down to a quarter of an inch, I lifted her he
ad back up straight and attacked the left side of her head.  Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz.  More and more of Lacy’s soft hair fell to the ground and I continued to shave her.  Soon I was clippering the right side of her head.  Then I finally turned the clippers off.  I took the guard off them and picked up my large flattop comb.  I said, “Now you have to sit up real straight and be very very stil so I can get the top even, ok?”  She nodded and sat like a statue as I placed the comb flat on top of her head and turned the clippers back on.  I skillfully evened the hair on top of Lacy’s head making it nice and flat.  Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzaaaa.  Then I put the flattop comb down and used a regular comb to give her a nice fade.  I started on the left side of her head and shaved her sideburn off, leaving just stubble, and gradually shaving less and less as I neared the top of her head.  When I was satisfied, I switched to the right side of her head and shaved it to match the left.  Buzzzzzzzzzzzzaaaa.  Then I pushed her head back into her chest and shaved the back as well.  Buzzzzzzzaaaaaaaaaa.  When I sure that I had tapered everything nice and close, I turned off the clippers, uncaped Lacy and put a towel over her shoulders.  I took a hot washcloth and wiped her nape and sideburns where I had shaved her hair to stubble, then I pumped some hot shaving lather from the machine and spread it thick around her nape and sideburns.  I stropped a straight razor on the leather belt attached to the chair to sharpen it.  Then I tilted Lacy’s head a bit and slowly scraped away some of the stubble on the right side of her head.  I shaved the left side nice and smooth also, then I pushed her head down once more and shaved Lacy’s nape.  I wiped the excess lather off with another hot washcloth, then I dusted some sweet powder on her newly shaven skin, and untucked the towel.  “All done Lacy.”  I told her as I spun the chair so she could see her new haircut.  Cindy walked over and rubbed Lacy’s head.  “Oh this is perfect.  She looks terrific Bonnie, great job!”  Cindy said.  Lacy looked expressionless when her mom asked her if she liked it.”  Cindy shrugged and said, “Oh well, you might as well get used to it.  Now go get your brother and we’ll go finish running our errands.”  Cindy paid me and asked, “So how often will they need to come in?”  “Every two to three weeks for a complete trim, but I always suggest stopping in on a weekly basis for a nape shave, to keep it looking clean and sharp.  I don’t charge for those, and it’s really quick.”  I told her.  “Well I know that hair so short only looks good for a few days after it’s buzzed, so maybe I’ll have them get full haircuts every week, what do you think?”  She asked.  “That’s probably the best way to go if you want to make sure they always look their best.”  I agreed.  “Great, well I’ll send them in next week after school.  Thanks a bunch Bonnie.”  Cindy said as she and her kids took off.