I started work at a new job about 4 months ago. There is a really cute guy named Richard, who I was too shy to speak to.  I was being ignored big time! He never spoke to me until one day I decided to cut my hair. I had been wanting to for over two years, but never had the courage. It was down past my shoulder blades but this summer I made the commitment to go for it! I was in terror as I watched her cut over 15 inches. As I watched I got a bit more courageous but she didn’t want to go too short. It ended up about 6 to 8 inches long. I liked the look but the change was a shock. My friends said I was crazy.

The next morning as I got on the elevator who should I meet but Richard. He stared at me for a moment then said, “Gee you washed your hair and it shrank!” We both laughed and it was a good icebreaker for my first day at work with short hair. As we went up to our floor he smiled, “You know that the first cut is just the beginning. Now that you have done this, I’ll bet for the next six months it going to get shorter and shorter!” I giggled back knowing inside he was probably right.

Over the next month we would smile as we passed but we never really spoke.
Five weeks later I decided to go back for a trim. I wanted to invite another comment from Richard and tried to imagine what he might say as I told her to it cut shorter. She was reluctant and said my hair was really healthy and suited me long. But I insisted, and 8 inches became 4. She adjusted her clippers and trimmed around my neckline leaving it just an inch.

Monday morning Richard walked passed and stopped. He grinned widely. “So I was right!” I blushed and confessed, “I like the feel of it!” He noticed she had used clippers around the back and joked. “If you go any shorter she’ll be using those clippers over everything!” I gasped and cringed. He snickered. “Hey then I could use mine and do it for you!” I stared at him and smiled, “Is that a deal?” Richard kept his hair buzzed to just a shadow and told me it needed to be trimmed every two weeks. I didn’t know if I should take his comment as a proposal or a dare. He never answered my question, but it definitely stirred my imagination.

It was just three weeks later when I returned to the salon. The woman who cut my hair was away so I got a different girl. I kept staring in the mirror as I waited. The hair on top was just over 4 inches, and clipped about and inch and a half at my neck. If it meant getting Richards attention I figured I would let her use the clippers and do everything about an inch and a half.

When I told her what I wanted, she recommended just using scissors. She could tell I was nervous but I insisted. She began sweeping up the side clipping my hair an inch and a half all the way up. I was shaking as I watched. I was amazed how much different it looked. But she only did a bit of the top near the back and left the front longer. I wanted her to do everything but she said it would be too short. She thought it would make me look like a boy. I didn’t care. It was only an inch of hair and I wanted to get Richard’s attention. When I got home I looked in the mirror and shuddered. It really did look like a guy’s haircut.

Bravely I walked into work Monday morning. My heart sank as I learned Richard was on holidays for two weeks. As people commented and stared, I was not sure if they were examining my hair or my sanity.

I remembered what he had said about short hair needing trimming every two weeks. So the Saturday before he returned I decided to get it trimmed again. I mean who would notice trimming just 2 weeks of growth?  But I wanted it to look it’s best. I was tired of arguing with the stylists about using the clippers so I decided to try a small unisex shop just a few blocks further up. I went early hoping to avoid a crowd but the place was empty with just one guy working.

I complained how much trouble I had getting my stylist to cut my hair really short. I told him, “She used the clippers on the back and sides but I wanted everything cut even. She refused because she said I’d look like a boy.”  He ran his hand over my head and felt the short bristles at the back then smiled, “No problem!”

He picked up the clippers and ran his comb through the top. “Do everything?” I took a deep breath and nodded.  He tilted my head forward and pressed the buzzing clippers into my hair right at the front.

Suddenly a great blob of hair dropped into my lap. Panic ran though me as I stared at over 3 inches lying there. There was no turning back and began to cry as he continued. When I looked up I was trembling. He was shaving everything to a shadow the same length Richard did his.

I left the shop in shock. There was no way I could go to work on Monday. I took the day off and bought myself a wig. The next morning Richard noticed right away and joked, “Bad haircut?” I told him it was as short as his but once it grew a bit I would allow him to trim it, maybe in about 3 months. He laughed, “That sounds like fun but my partner would get mad. He’s the jealous type!”

“He’s jealous?” Richard was gay? I sat there stunned realizing I’d shaved my hair like a gay guy?