I always had a fascination with cutting women’s hair. My story starts when I was asked to go to a remote village in the country to do some research on the changing climatic conditions there. My boss had arranged for me to stay with a local barber since there was no proper accommodation available & the old man rented out rooms to travelers.

I reached the village in the afternoon. It was a quiet place with narrow streets with rows of wooden houses on either side. I asked the locals for the address & they directed me to `Joe’s barbershop’, which was on the edge of the village facing an open landscape, & you could see the hills at a distance. `Just ideal for my research’ I thought. The wooden house I stayed in was a barbershop on the ground floor & had living quarters on the first floor.

The barbershop too was an old fashioned one with two chairs with leather cushions facing two mirrors. On the walls were shelves where the barber kept his haircutting tools.

The old barber was a nice old man but did not speak much. He showed me my room. I put down my stuff & walked to the window. As I looked out to the stretching vast landscape I noticed another house a little distance away, which was the only other house closest in the vicinity. I asked who lived there? “Just old man Bill and.” came the reply & the barber walked out of the room.

Next morning I dressed up & went for a walk through the open landscape. As I passed by the other house I saw a girl coming out of the house carrying a bag on her shoulders. She was wearing a red full sleeve top & a long black skirt reaching her ankles. She gave me a quick glance and walked past me. She was a cute looking dame about 23 years old. I wanted to see her hair but she had covered her head with a scarf & all I could see from the partially pulled back scarf that her hair was dark brown.

Next day the barber had told me in the morning that he would be going to get some supplies & would return late at night so he gave me the keys to the house, the entrance to which was only through the barbershop. That afternoon when I entered the barbershop to go to my room, I heard the door open behind me & a very sweet voice called out `Joe’. I turned around & saw the same girl standing there.

`Joe isn’t here’ I said `he will be back at night”. The girl frowned a bit & said “oh”. She said that she had got him some cake but she would have to take it back as it would get spoiled by the night.

“Well I happen to have a sweet tooth that is if you would like to share it with me?” I said jokingly. She pleasantly smiled & said, “of course.why don’t you sit at the dining table & I’ll get the dishes”. I was taken aback `dining table? Dishes?’ I thought. She walked past me opening another door in the room that opened to the dining room with a kitchen on one side. “You know this place very well are you related to Joe? I asked. `No’ she said I live here with my uncle `Bill’ & `Joe’ happens to be a close friend & I often bring him food.

We sat down to eat & then she finally removed her scarf. She was sitting to my right on the corner of the table. From what I saw I was both amazed & astonished at the most unusual hairstyle I had ever seen. Her hair was in two braids both of them were at least 2 inches in thickness. I assumed her hair would be at least down to her butt as both the braids were doubled up halfway & the end of the braid was tied to the base forming a long loop. The folded braid itself was reaching her elbows in length.

We started talking & I found out that she was a plain simple country girl. Her name was Carol & her parents expired when she was 9 & she had been living with her uncle ever since.

She seemed to be enjoying my company. “That is a very unusual hairstyle,” I said. She just smiled & said `yes’ most of the girls in the country keep it like this’. I asked if I could touch her hair & she said she didn’t mind I reached out to touch her braid it was silky soft. I ran my hand up her braid feeling the silky soft twists run through my hand. I with drew my hand telling her that she had beautiful hair to which she smiled & said thanks. She then asked me my purpose of visit I told her about my research & asked her if she could show me around the area. She pleasantly agreed & told me that since the next day was a Sunday she would have ample time after 2 in the afternoon to show me around.

I couldn’t sleep the whole night fantasizing about her beautiful hair, I had to get my hands on those looped braids again, I had to pull those ribbons out, I had to unravel her crowning glory. Next day I woke up late. I checked the time it was 11:45. I bathed & got dressed up. The barber was in his shop reading the newspaper. He told me that he had some lunch for me in the dining hall. I ate & he asked me where I was going. I told him that I was going to explore the area. He told me that he would be going out for a week now but he had asked his friend Bill to ask his to niece fix dinner & lunch for me.

It was nearly 2 now. I walked towards `Carols’ house & stood at the gate. She saw me from the window & asked me to come inside. I went in she was just keeping aside some clothes & asked me to wait for a while. The house was spick & span. I sat down & after 5 minutes she came out said that she was ready. I asked where her uncle was & she told me that he had gone to visit a relative & won’t be back before 7 in the evening. As we walked towards the woods I found out that even though she loved the countryside she had a strong desire to see the city life & she really wanted to go out & explore the world. I told her a lot of stories about the life in the city & she found it very exciting & wanted to know more.

We had been walking for a quite some time now & she wanted to rest for a while. We sat down on a rock overlooking a brook. It was all nice & quiet. We sat next to each other. She closed her eyes & took a deep breath. I was thinking of an excuse to get my hands on her hair when she suddenly leaned back her head & took her scarf off. She stretched by leaning back her head completely that her braids hung at the back were nearly touching the rock.

She finally looked at me & asked why was I staring at her like that. “Your hair is beautiful,” I said as I reached & held her braid in my hand. My fist was curled around her braid with my thumb running up & down stroking the curves of her braid. She didn’t seem to mind my touch at all. Gathering some courage I grabbed both the braids in my hand & pulled them down. Her head came up & she let out a soft moan. I moved behind her took hold of her left braid & this time pulled the black ribbon out. I was amazed at what I saw. The braid was of equal thickness & was at least 4 feet long with the last 4 inches of it unraveled. She sat absolutely still. I began unraveling her braid. Knot after knot her hair came loose & I was getting really excited as her hair fell in gentle waves. It was an amazing site with half of her hair falling in gentle waves & the other half still intact. I reached out & for the left braid & undid it quickly. I dived my hands into the beautiful long thick silky mass of her hair gathering it at the nape playing with her hair for a while. Her hair was so thick that when gathered at the nape in ponytail I had to use both my hands to keep it together. I kept playing with her hair stroking it, combing it with my fingers, pulling it, and winding it around my hand.

After sometime I asked her to stand realizing her hair. When she stood her hair fell in gentle waves all the way down her back ending to her thighs. “You rea
lly seem to like my hair,” she said. “Its beautiful” I said. She picked up her scarf tying it on her head & said, “Now I need to comb my hair else it will all be in tangles. “I would love to do the honors,” I said.

We walked back to her house. It was getting dark by then She took me took me to her room & sat at her dressing table. She took out a brush & gave it to me. I started brushing the thick silky mane & was totally mesmerized which was the same way she was feeling as I could see she had her eyes closed & sat in a completely relaxed state of mind.

She said that she really liked it & wished that there were someone who would brush her hair for her more often. I was really enjoying this when she opened her eyes & saw the time. It was 6: 30. She stood up, with me still holding her hair. She turned to me & said with a little concern that we will have to do this some other time, as she had to fix dinner for her uncle who would be back soon. Reluctantly, I let go of her hair.

She was back again at night with dinner. “I got you food,” she said. “Before I eat,” I said, “I was wondering if you would let me comb your hair?” She was surprised a little and asked what was there on my mind. I simply told her that I wanted to comb her hair out see how ponytails would look on her. She had a concerned look in her eyes & said `Maybe later’ its too much effort to put it all back” she said. I reached out for her braid and said it won’t take long besides you said you wanted your hair combed out & played with. She agreed with some reluctance & sat at the barber chair. I undid her braids & combed them out & put them in a single ponytail. “Ever thought of cutting your short” I asked. She jerked up with a start & said “No way” I like it long”. “But isn’t it too inconvenient to take care of it?” “It sometimes is but I have gotten used to it now”. “I really think a shorter style would suit you,” I said running the brush through her hair. “You are really trying to push me to cut my hair but it won’t happen” she said. I combed out the tangles & started running my hands through her straight hair from the top to the bottom. I took one of the ribbons & tied her hair at the nape into a ponytail. She reached out to touch her hair & said it felt great. She said she had to go now.

We met again in the next day. She had put her hair in a single braid this time. We walked towards the same spot as the other day. As we reached there I took hold of her braid stroking it gently. She understood what I wanted & turned around. I rolled her braid around my hand till it was tight to her scalp. Maintaining my grip on her hair I turned her face to face me & we started kissing each other intensely. I turned her face again & undid her braid & held her hair in a loose ponytail halfway down her back & wound the rest of it around my hand again. She said that had to go now, as it was getting dark.

It was dark by the time we reached back. On the way back an old woman had told Carol that her uncle was in the neighboring town but was held back due to bad weather & would be back in the morning. I stood by her as she unlocked the door. She hesitated a moment before entering & then asked if I would like to come in. I stepped in locked the door behind me & picked her up in my arms & carried her to her bedroom & that turned out to be the wildest night of my life.

Next afternoon she was back again. She kept the food on the table & said she had to go to the market for a while. She came back after a while, I had finished by then. She asked how was the food & I said delicious. She was about to leave when I asked if she would like to stay for a while. “What about your research?” she asked. “I am waiting for some equipment to come & it won’t be here till tomorrow,” I said. She said she would finish up & be back in half an hour & as she turned to leave, I caught her by her braid again & tugging it gently pulling her back “you can do your chores later I said”. “Oh.ok” she said with a slight grin. Holding both her braids in my hands I marched her into the barbershop & made her sit on one of the chairs. I pulled back her braids so that her head was facing up. I kissed her forehead & told her that toady I would give her a hairstyle that she would love.

I quickly began untying her neatly done braid & as I did I again said that she should go in for a shorter hairstyle. “I guess if we continue like this I’ll have no other option but to cut my hair short,” she said. “So would you like to have your hair cut today?” I asked. “No way “she said, “I was just kidding,” there is no way that I am cutting my hair short”. I had unraveled her left braid by then & began combing through the dark tresses. She was enjoying it when my hand pulled the ribbon out of the other braid & it fell down like a rope. I began undoing the other braid when my eyes spotted a big pair of scissors kept on a nearby shelf. I was getting excited with the feel of all that beautiful hair in my hands. I brushed her hair out till she was almost asleep. I stopped for a while, went to the shelf to get the scissors, I slipped the scissors in my back pocket & as I was coming back to her she had begun gathering her hair. I watched for a moment as with a great effort she managed to put all her hair in a massive but loose bun. Just as she was about to get up from her chair I pressed my hand on her shoulder & pushed her back. I was behind her with my hand gripping her bun. “Its enough for today, I should leave now” she said. “Just a little while more & it will soon be over” I said undoing her bun. She sat back with a little reluctance this time & in the mirror I could see she had an expression of fear in her eyes as I stroked her hair.

I brushed her hair straight down & pulled the scissors out of my pocket. She immediately jumped up as she saw the scissors but I pulled her back with her hair back into the seat. “Please don’t cut my hair,” she said crying. “Grabbing her hair I pulled her head back & kissed her forehead & said “Relax it will look good on you”. But she kept pleading trying to hide her hair with both hands even tough it was in my grip. I let go of her hair she immediately stood up & tried to go when I stood in front of her. “I won’t let you go till you let me cut your hair,” I said. She tried to turn & run but I caught a sheaf of her hair & pulled her back. “Do you have to?” she asked with tears running down her cheeks. “Trust me it will look good” I said. “How much will you cut?” she asked. “Why don’t we decide that when you sit down”. Reluctantly she sat down on the barber chair. I pulled her hair behind the chair & fastened a cape around her neck. He silky straight hair was nearly touching the floor.

I picked up the comb & scissors & combing my way down I held all of her hair midway in my left hand. “How about here?” I said snapping the scissors. She was too terrified to say anything. She just nodded & closed her eyes. I placed the scissors in her hair just above my fist, `schnik, schniik, schniik ` went the scissors. Her hair was thick & it took me a while to chop it off. I could hear her sobbing but ignored it. She opened her eyes & saw with horror in the mirror that I was holding 2 feet of her beautiful hair in my hands. She quickly checked her hair where it had been cut & began crying as now it reached only to the middle of her back. She slowly tried to get up from the chair thinking it was all over when I pushed her back in the chair again. She looked at me with astonishment & fear. “I am not done yet,” I said. I gathered the rest of her hair in a ponytail & tied it with a ribbon on the nape of her neck. I turned the chair a
round so the now she was facing me. Even though her eyes were shut now I could see tears running down her cheek. She opened her eyes & looked at me with questioning eyes I reached for the back of head with my left hand & gripped her ponytail & then I kissed her. She was moaning softly & her tears had dried up. I gripped the ponytail tightly & brought the scissors with my right hand just above my fist & started cutting. There was a loud scrunching sound as the blades bit into the thick strands of her ponytail her head bobbed a little with movement of the scissors after a hard snapping effort the ponytail came free in my hand. Her hands quickly went up to her hair where in place of her lush long beautiful tresses remained only stubble.

“What have you done?” she said sadly. I turned her around once again to face the mirror. This time I picked up the spray bottle & wet her remaining hair. I picked up a comb & small scissors & began working on her hair. She looked completely depressed. After an hours effort I had managed to give her a cute pixie cut. She got up & left without saying a word.

I followed her to her house & found her crying sitting in front of the mirror with her face buried in her hands. I grabbed her elbow & picked her up and kissed her tight & told her that I loved her & also that she looked beautiful. I took her to bed & both of us were in a different world for the next few hours.

My equipment arrived the next day & a month later I finished my research. I went back to the city with a surprise waiting for everyone when I introduced everyone to my wife `Carol’.