That little girl!

By JimB           ©opyright August 2017
“Good night everyone”, I (Mandy) said to all my co-workers.

“Have a great Thursday night.

“See all of you tomorrow afternoon”.

“AFTERNOON”, Zoe, a co-worker, called out me as I passed her desk.

 

“Yes, tomorrow my half day, I come in at one-thirty and leave around seven, then around nine till one Saturday”.

 

“Going to sleep a little late”, I told them, as I reached the elevator. “And, a few things to get and maybe a visit to the hair salon”.

 

As I stepped in the open elevator, Marjory came running, “HOLD THE DOOR”.

 

“Thanks, my son is waiting for me down out front.

 

“He will be in a little run. He has my car to go to his prom tonight”.

 

“Prom night”, I mentioned as the elevator door closed. “Did not realize it was that time of the year”.

 

“Yes, it is”, Marjory replied. “Having teenagers …..

 

“Now I know how my parents felt when I was his age’.

 

“Well, I am putting those days off for while. Maybe in five, or six, years:.

 

The elevator reached the first floor and the door opened.

 

As we stepped out the elevator Marjory pointed out the front of the building to a young boy standing by a car, “See I told you. That’s my son”.

 

“Who worries the most”, I commented”, “you or dad”!

 

“Both”, Marjory said shaking her head. “Not like his dad ….. Different times. We can only hope he thinks before his …..

 

“You know, does his thinking for him”.

 

I opened the front door and Marjory walked to her car and son. Her son had the passenger door open and walking around to the driver’s side of he car.

 

“Ants in his pants”, I commented and Marjory just shook her head.

 

“What fancy hair style are you going to get”, she asked.

 

“Hummmmm …… Don’t know”, I replied. “Been thing about a little shorter”.

 

“Nice. They saying it will start warming next week”, Marjory answered as she got into her car.

 

“See you tomorrow “afternoon”.

 

I waived and walked to our parking lot down the street. As I turned I noticed the sign on the little coffee shop next to our office building, “Buy a MOCKA get three chocolate donut FREE”.

 

My kind of deal.

 

As I entered the shop I noticed my image in the large glass window display bouncing back at me.

 

“Hum, hair style”, I thought to my self. “More like I need a hair cut’.

 

I decided to sit and drink my mocha and have one of the donuts.

 

When I sat at the table, I noticed at the next table was a little girl, around nine, with her mom.

 

Her mom was a little upset with her, as she continued playing, more pulling her hair.

 

Her mom reached over and patted her little hand, “STOP that”.

 

“Let me cut my hair like I want”, she sneered at her mom and continued pulling her hair, “and I will not do it”.

 

“Bridget ….. I told you NO”, her mom told her, patting her hand again. “You’re dad said the same thing.

 

“Give it up. It is not going to happen”.

 

“When I get old enough I will do it”, she sassed at her mom. “That will be in ……”

 

“Not too soon for me”, her mom mummed a little. “Let’s go. We have to drop off your dress at the dressmaker.

 

“Then, to Miss Kagen’s for a little trim ……

 

“NO …… Not another word …… The answer is still NO ….. NO …… NO ….. NO ….. NO…..”

 

They walked out the door. The little girl pulling on her, shoulder length, blondish hair. Her mom patted her hand again and pushed her out the door.

 

“Miss Kagen’s”, I thought to myself. “That name sounds familial”.

 

I looked at my watch. It was getting close to six (pm).

 

I reached the corner, cross the street, and started walking to the company parking lot, when I noticed …..

 

I noticed the sign on the little shop with the revolving red and white strips pole …… “Miss Kagen’s Barbershop”.

 

Under the name was written, “I cut men, boys, women and girl’s hair. I specialize in hair cuts for girls and women”,

 

I have been working for Middle Construction Company, LLC for four years and parked my car in their parking lot across the street from “Miss Kagen’s Barbershop” and never noticed it. And, what is most interesting no one ever mentioned it, not even the men.

 

When I got to the parking lot, I turned and looked at “Miss Kagen’s Barbershop”. I reached my right hand up to my shoulder length light brown hair.

 

I pulled it out a little and looked at the ends and the damage. Damage from the weather and no shampooing regularly. Tossed in hardly brushing it …… and you have badly split ends and wiry hair.

 

Then, as I started to walk across the street, I noticed the, “CLOSED ….. Come back tomorrow ….. I open at 8am”, sign in the large widow.

 

“Well”, I said out loud, lucky no one was around me, “I will come back tomorrow before I go to work”.

 

I got my car out the parking lot and drove home.

 

I undressed and took a nice warm shower, then filled the tub and had a nice warm soaking then I shaved my legs, underarms, and pubic.

 

Watched some television, then off to bed.

 

I slept to nine, earlier than I was planning, took another shower, this time I shampooed my hair but not applying any hair rinse.

 

I started to take a dress out the closet but changed my mind. It was Friday and I would be getting off around seven.

 

“Gold Bond”, a little bar two blocks pass the parking lot, would be just opening.

 

I have not been out in months. I did not have to stay late, just about two hours then home by eleven.

 

I did not have to be at work until nine-thirty Saturday morning anyway.

 

I reached back in my closet and took out my little brownish knee length skirt and light brown blouse.

 

I started not to put on a bra, but if I did that I would get more attention from my co-worked, mainly the males, than work being done. I could wear it and take if off before leaving work and heading to “GOLD BOND”.

 

I put on my garter belt and natural stockings then my bikini under pants. I thought about three inch heels because I would be working in shoes, I wore to work.

 

But, given the floor was carpeted with a soft wove, we, the female workers, would take off our shoes and walk around in our stocking feel, even bare feet, and the management would not say any things as long as we did out job, our work.

 

So, I choose the five inch stilettoes I purchased a few years back and have only worn them four, maybe five or six, times. They would make my five-six figure more like five-eleven, maybe look six feet.

 

I put two clear stone in my ears then two inch looped gold rings.

 

Then, I put on light makeup, did not want to cause a problem at work, like the last time when I over done the make-up for the Halloween Office Party.

 

It was close to ten thirty and I headed out.

 

Headed out to the company parking lot then across the street to “Miss Kagen’s Barbershop for a nice hair cut

 

Then, to work.

 

Then, God Bond.

 

After a twenty minute drive and I was parking my car in the company parking lot.

 

As I walked across the street, to “Miss Kagen’s Barbershop” I could see, through the large glass window, she a had a customer in her chair.

 

When I opened the door I noticed the customer in the chair was a young lady in her twenties.

 

As I started to take a seat in the waiting area, there was another customer, in her late teens.

 

“Two a head of you, sweet”, Miss Kagen said over the clipping of the scissors.

 

I smiled and took a seat and picked up the magazine on the chair next to me.

 

“First time”, the young lady next to me asked.

 

“Yes”, I replied a little curious about her question. “Why do you ask”!

 

“The magazine”, she commented, extending her right hand. “My name is Ruth.

 

“The magazine is from the 1950’s”.

 

We shook hands, “My name is Mandy and ‘yes’ this my first time here, at Miss Kagen’s”.

 

“You will like how she cuts your hair”, Ruth told me. “I have been coming to her since I was eight.

 

“Never got a cut I did not like. Name the cut and she can do it ….. Do it real great, too”.

 

“You looking for some special”, Ruth continued as Miss Kagen was finishing the young lady in her chair.

 

I tugged at my shoulder length hair, “Been awhile and these shabby ends need to go.

 

“And, with the warm weather coming next week, I thought something shorter …..”.

 

Ruth patted my left knee, got up and walked to the barber chair, “Miss Kagen will take care of them”.

 

I sat back as the cool breeze from the air conditioner touched my face and my hair. It was so relaxing.

 

I looked up at the barber chair. Miss Kagen had capped Ruth and was combing her hair out from a center part down the center of her head. Her hair came to just to below her ears.

Then, she used a hair bush to bush her hair again from the center part.

 

Turning back to the shelf, behind the barber chair, Miss Kagen asked Ruth, “Short like you said you wanted last week”?

 

“Yes”, Ruth replied as she brought her left hand from under the cape and combed it through her hair on the left side of her head. “But, I wondering ……

 

“How would something a little short look on me”?

 

Miss Kagen walked back to the right side of the chair, scissors and comb in her hands.

 

She combed Ruth hair back off her face, on the right side., “You would look great”.

 

“Let’s do it”, Ruth answered and put her left hand back under the cape.

 

Miss Kagen started combing and snipping, combing and snipping ……

 

Taking Ruth’s hair to almost an inch from her head. I took a deep breath and sat back in the chair.

 

I have seen women with their hair cut this short, but never seen them get it cut so short in the hair salons I went to.

 

Miss Kagen worked slowly around Ruth’s head. Cut hair falling on the floor, on the cape, piling up in Ruth’s capped lap.

 

Miss Kagen even cut the hair on top of Ruth’s head to the same length.

 

Then, she asked Ruth, “Left or right side”?

 

“Left”, Ruth replied. Miss Kagen walked around the front of the chair to Ruth’s left side and parted her hair on the ach.

 

Miss Kagen walked to the shelf and put the scissors on it. Then, she reached under the shelf and took hold of something, I could not see.

 

She titled Ruth’s head down, so she was looking at her chest and lap.

 

She combed Ruth’s hair downward, then upward …… Then, downward again.

 

Miss Kagen combed Ruth’s hair up from the hairline, then I heard a loud “CLICK”.

 

I have heard that sound before. I watched as she brought up the clippers with her right hand.

 

Then, she moved the clippers over the comb. My eyes looked to the floor behind the chair and saw hair slowly come to a stop.

 

I looked up at Ruth as Miss Kagen combed the comb upward again, then the clippers slowly moved over the comb and hair fell to the floor.

 

She continued this up the back of Ruth’s head then moved to the left side of the chair and slowly combed and clippered the hair in the same matter she did the back of her head

This was followed by, Miss Kagen walking around in front of the chair to finish the cutting, clipping on the right side of Ruth’s head.

 

As Miss Kagen walked back to the shelf and put the comb on it, I was able to notice how short Ruth’s hair had been cut, clipped. It was about half an inch on the sides and the same in the back I thought, not being able to see it.

 

Ruth turned her head to the left then the right, as she looked at her self in the large wall mirror, behind where I was sitting.

 

Miss Kagen turned back to the chair, pushing Ruth’s head down again.

 

“CLICK”

 

The clippers came to life again. I watched as Miss Kagen’s right hand move the clippers up the back of Ruth’s hand again. She only went up a little then repeated the clipping.

 

Next she walked to the right side of the chair and the clippers, in Miss Kagen’s hand, did the same clipping of Ruth’s hair on the right side, then walking around the back of the chair the left side of her head and the hair was clipped in the same matter.

 

Turning the clippers off and hanging them under the shelf she picked up the comb. Turning and walking to the right side of the chair, she began slowly moving the comb downward the upward and snip off came small length of hair as she blended the shortly clippered hair with the longer hairs on top of Ruth’s head.

 

My mind went back, back to when I would go to the barber shop with my dad and brother. The barber cut their hair the same way. My dad referred to his cut as a “Business Man’s Cut” and my brothers as a “Little Boy’s Cut”.

 

Miss Kagen removed the cape and tucked a towel in Ruth’s blouse and spread it over her shoulders.

 

My mind, still back to the days as a child and going to the barber shop with my dad, told me what was going to happen next.

 

When my mind came back to realty as I watched Miss Kagen softly spread shaving lather a long Ruth’s hairline. She took a straight razor from the glass cabinet, took hold of the leather strap hanging from the right arm of the chair and strop it to an edge.

 

Dropping the leather strap, Miss Kagen slowly shaved a thin edge along the bottom of Ruth’s hairline.

 

Finished, Miss Kagen put the straight razor back on the shelf. Tapping some powder on the hair brush she turned and dusted Ruth’s neck as she pulled the towel out her blouse.

 

The chair came to a rest and Ruth stepped out the chair.

 

She motioned with her left hand to the chair, “You are next”!

 

I got up and slowly stepped towards the chair. As I stepped by Ruth, she told me, “See ….. Great hair cut”.

 

We smiled, she stepped toward the waiting chair and I stepped in the chair.

 

If was so much more comfortable than the ones in the hair salons.

I placed my left foot on the metal foot rest and crossed my right leg over it. My skirt came up some but I did not reach and try to pull it down.

 

Why, I did this I do not know. Why I did not try to pull my skirt down more, I did not know.

 

Miss Kagen was removing a comb from some tubed object then wiping if off. Ruth walked by and paid Miss Kagen.

 

As she walked by me, she leaned over to my right ear and whispered, “I am not …… You know …..

 

“Just coming to Miss Kagen for my hair cuts, I have come to like my hair cut short. Shorter the better”.

 

“See you in two weeks Miss K”, Ruth said and waived to me, in the chair, and Miss Kagen in the mirror.

 

After capping me and pumping the chair up some, Miss Kagen inquired, “Well, you want to get rid of these split ends and wiry hair”!

 

She was reading my mine.

 

“Yes”, I replied to her, with a soft voice as I felt my heart pump a little quickly then slowed.

 

Miss Kagen brushed her fingers through my hair. She turned my head to the right, to the left.

 

Stepping behind the chair she brushed my hair up the back of my neck.

 

She walked around the left side of the chair then in front of the chair.

 

We looked at each other. Her look made me feel funny, funny in a trusting way.

 

“Whatever you think will be great with me”, I softly said. She smiled and walked behind the chair.

 

I watched in the larger mirror as she picked a comb then reached under the shelf.

 

She turned to the chair.

 

“Hi, Barber”, a woman’s voice said. “Sorry, we could not come yesterday afternoon. The dressmaker had to take more measurements, for Bridget’s dress”.

 

I looked at the door as they walked in. I could not believe my eyes. It was that little snotty girl from yesterday and her mom.

 

“Have a seat Bridget”, her mom told her, as she walked up to Miss Kagen. “I brought you your invitation to Bridget’s party. Dan mailed the others and forgot yours and ….. Would you believe the families ….. Both side”.

 

“Thanks”, Miss Kegan told her as they gave each other a kiss on the cheek. “Well, Bridg how old will you be”?

 

““NINE”, Miss K”, Bridget said in an upset matter.

 

Miss Kagen just shook her head.

I felt the comb combing down the back of my head, then a second and third time. It did not comb upward, just downward.

 

“CLICK”

 

My head was pushed down and I was looking at my caped lap and my crossed legs.

 

“I remember you”, a loud childish voice shouter. “You were at the coffee shop yesterday and sat at the table next to where we were sitting:.

 

“CLICK”

 

“Bridget, how many times have I told you not to sneak up on a customer in my chair”, Miss Kagen told her in a somewhat authority voice.

 

“YES ma’am”, Bridget replied and back to a waiting chair.

 

“CLICK”

 

I felt the metal of the clippers touch my neck just below the hair line, slowly Kiss Kagen moved it up the back of my neck and head.

 

I closed my eyes as she began the upward movement of the clippers, then another, another …..

 

When she stepped to the right side of the chair she raised my head up and I could feel hair pushing up the back of my head when it hit the collar of my blouse.

 

“HOW short are you getting your hair cut”, the childish voice asked. Bridget was standing at the foot of the chair. “I like your shoes. How high are they”?

 

“Bridget”, her mom called to as she patted the chair next to her. “Sorry about that. She gets a little inquisitive when she see a woman, or girl, getting her hair cut’.

 

I smiled at her.

 

“Miss Kagen is surprising me”, I told her. “How are you going to get your hair cut”?

 

“I want …..”, she started to say but her mom cut her short, “You were told NO way”.

 

She shrugged her little shoulders and sat next to her mom.

 

I looked in the mirror just as Miss Kagen placed the clippers, with an attachment, at the center of my head and slowly pushed it back over my head.

 

I took a deep breather as she moved the clippers back over my head again. Then, I closed my eyes as she placed the clippers back at my forehead and slowly moved it back over my head again, again, again …..

 

She patted me on my right shoulder, “Now the left side”.

 

As I watched her walk around the back of the chair to the left side ……

 

“Miss K is giving you a Crew Cut”, Bridget voice said. I opened my eyes to see her stand in from of the chair.

 

“You have some nice legs”.

 

“WHAT”, I said.

 

“Your legs”, she said again, “they are nice legs. Better you shave them every day”!

 

“BRIDGET”, her mom called to her.

 

Miss Kagen reached to the shelf and picked up a comb. She turned and combed my hair back with it.

 

Then, she just combed back a little and raised the clippers to it. Slowly she moved it over the comb.

 

She combed another section of hair back over my hair and the clippers were slowly moved over the comb.

 

She continued this until she reached the back of my head. Looking it over and liking the results, the comb was put back on the shelf.

 

I looked at my self in the mirror. I could not believe I had let her cut my hair like this, so short and level.

 

My head was pushed down and I felt the cold metal of the clippers touch my skin below the hairline.

 

I also saw Bridget standing at the foot of the barber chair, looking up at me with a smile.

 

The clippers slowly moved up the back of my head, again and again. Miss Kagen stepped to the right side and the clippers did their job and my hair was a quarter of an inch. Then, the left side.

 

“MOM”. Bridget said to her mom.

 

“NO WAY”, she told Bridget again.

 

“BUT, MOM”, Bridget replied quickly. Her mom repeated again “NO WAY” and patted the chair next to her.

 

“Miss K know how your hair is to be cut”, her mom told her. “Just how you have been getting it cut”.

 

To myself, I said, “Let Miss Kagen run the clippers over her head and cut off all her hair:.

 

I felt something warm being spread across my hairline of my neck. I looked in the mirror as Miss Kagen began spread the warm shaving lather alone my hairline of the left side of my head then the right side.

 

She was going to shave that little thin line along my hairline.

 

Miss Kagen began shaving the little line.

 

My eyes looked down and Bridget was standing there with a smile on her face that was from ear to ear.

 

She turned to her mom. Her mom looked at her, “NO WAY”.

 

As I looked at my self in the mirror Miss Kagen was dusting the back of my neck and removing the towel.

I uncrossed my legs, which surprised me did not come numb from being crossed so long, and I stepped out the chair when it came to a “bump” stop.

 

I walked to the chair I had sat in when I came in and looked at my hair cut in the larger mirror.

 

For some reason I was not upset with Miss Kagen. I was not upset she had cut my hair so short, without me telling her.

 

I pick up my purse, opened it, walking back to the barber chair I saw little Bridget climbing in a booster chair. She was all smiles.

 

“My turn for a hair cut”, she told me.

 

I handed ten dollars to Miss Kagen.

 

“No”, Miss Kagen told me. “First hair cut is on me. Just come back in two weeks for another hair cut”.

 

I smiled at her and thanked her for the “great” hair cut and told her I might be back before two weeks.

 

I walked to the door and started to open it, when …..

 

“But. Mom”, Bridget was bagging her mom. “Miss K”, she bagged with Miss Kagen.

 

Her mom and Miss Kagen just stood there shanking their head at Bridger and smiling at each other.

 

Something was up. I had to see what it was.

 

I sat in the chair next to Bridget’s mom. I looked at her and she smiled at me.

 

“MOM”, Bridget cried out to her mom. “Come on ….. Just one time”!

 

Her mom replied, “NO WAY”.

 

“Another short Bob”, Bridget cried. “Another short BOB.

 

“Can Miss K cut it shorter than last time”?

 

Her mom, Miss Kagen, just looked at her.

 

Miss Kagen began combing her hair out from a center part. Combing around her head making sure each combing was done well and to the full length of Bridget’s hair.

 

Combing finished Miss Kagen put the comb on the shelf and reached under the shelf.

 

Bridget was too low in the barber chair to see anything in the large mirror.

 

“CLICK”

 

Bridget looked up with a smile. Her head leaned forward a little.

 

I looked at her mom who was smiling back at Bridget.

 

“NO WAY”, her mom told her. “just sit there …..”.

 

Miss Kagen pushed her little head down and raised the singing clippers to the back of her little head.

 

Slowly she moved the clippers up the back of Bridget’s head. A bigger smile came across Bridget’s face.

 

I looked at the floor behind the chair. A lot of blondish brown hair was falling to the floor.

 

The cape began to pop up as Bridget kicked her little feet up into it.

 

“Now Bridget”, her mom told her. “Stop that or else …..”.

p                                                                                      per

“Come on Bridg”, Miss Kagen told her as she patted her on her left shoulder.

 

The kicking stopped. Bridget kept smiling as Miss Kagen move the clippers up the back of her head again, again, and again.

 

Then, she stepped to the right side of the chair and I got to see the clippers.   There was NO attachment on the head.

 

I watched as Miss Kagen moved the bare clippers were moved slowly up the right side of Bridget’s head.

 

I could not believe this. Her mom was just sitting there as her young nine year old daughter was getting all her hair cut off her head with clippers.

 

Miss Kagen placed the clippers at her forehead and slowly moved it back over Bridget’s head. She was smiling more and more with each movement of the clippers over her head.

 

Finished, Miss Kagen hung the clippers back under the shelf.

 

She turned and removed the cape and tucked a towel in Bridget’s blouse.

 

“Happy Birthday Bridget”, her mom told her. “One of your presents from me and dad”.

 

I looked back at the barber chair, as Miss Kagen wrapped a warm towel around her little head.

 

I tried to swallow but could not. I could not believe what I saw. I could not, even thought I kind of knew, believe what was going to happen to Bridger.

 

She was still happy, still smiling. I could not understand this. I wanted to get up and leave but I did not want to do so.

 

I could not believe I wanted to see if my mind, my thoughts were correct.

 

Miss Kagen began lathering her little head. My eyes told me my mind was correct.

 

Bridget was getting her head shaved.

 

Her mom leaned over to me.

 

“She has been wanting to get her head shaved ever since her older cousin, William, got his shaved”, she told me. “Bill was fifteen at the time and Bridg was three.

She asked us to let her get her head shaved then but we told her NO WAY.

 

She began asking us, her dad and me, more and more and more, until one day I told her, “When you turn nine”.

 

I looked at the barber chair. Bridget was still smiling as Miss Kagen shaved her head, first the back and sides, now the top of her head.

 

“For awhile”, her mom continued telling me, “she never asked again and we thought she had forgot about it.

 

“Then, three months back she started ask, reminding, us. We told her NO WAY.

 

“Last week we thought it over and decided it would be one of her birthday presents.

 

“I came in for a trim and Barbara and I had a little chat and she said ‘sure”.

 

““Better I do it then you walk in the bathroom and she is trying to shave her head”.

 

“It was hard keeping the secret”.

 

When I looked back at the barber chair Bridget was sliding out of it. When her feet hit the floor, she ran to her mom.

 

“THANKS MON”, Bridget told her with a smile. “I have to give dad a big one when he gets home from work, tomorrow”.

 

She looked me. She saw the look of disbelief on my face.

 

“It’s only hair”, she told me as moved her left hand over her shaved head. “It will grow back, it’s only hair”.

 

I smiled and touched my own new hair cut. Cut shorter than I ever thought I would get it cut, let alone let some cut it without me telling them to cut it so short.

 

“Yes Bridget”, I said to her. “It is only hair and hair does grow back, if you want it to”.

 

“If you wanted to”, my mind said to my self. What was I thinking!

 

Bridget was hugging Miss Kagen when I looked up.

 

I stood up, “Come on Bridget”, I told her as I looked at her mom. “Lets, me and you and your mom, go to the coffee shop for a Mocha and chocolate donuts. My birthday gift.”

 

Bridget took my hand as we walked out Miss Kagen’s Barbershop.

 

“Mandy”, Miss Kagen said, I turned to her. “Remember come back in two weeks”!

 

I looked at Bridget, “When will you becoming back for another cool and smooth hair cut”?

 

She turned and looked at her mom.

 

“When you want to”, her mom told her.

She looked at Miss Kagen, “We will be back next Wednesday around five thirty, after I get home from school and feed my kitten”.

 

I looked at her and smiled then told Miss Kagen, “You have us down for our appointment”!

 

Bridget looked at her mom ……

 

“Let’s go get the Mocha and chocolate donuts”, her mom replied and motioned both of us out of Miss Kagen’s Barbershop.

 

 

 

Hummmmm ……

 

 

 

Sorry for taking so long and writing another story and for it to be so long.

 

Once, I got started with the story line ……

 

I was going to make it two, or three, parts.

 

But, once I got writing I decide to make it a long one instead.

 

 

JimB    ©opyright August 2017