A Busy Day at Master Barber's Busy Barber Shop   (Part 2)

As the Bayani’s father went to unlock the handcuffs he looked at the barber and said, “"Kung tungkol iwanan ko ang mga posas na ito sa upuan na ito at nagbibigay sa iyo ng key nakikita kailangan ang mga ito sa bawat oras na dalhin ko ito Bayani pabalik sa ginupitan?" how about I leave these handcuffs on this chair and give you the key seeing you will need them each time I bring this Bayani back to be shorn?.

Barber looked at him and said “na higit na mas pinapahalagahan ginoo” that’s much appreciated sir as the boys’ father unlocked his sons hand and the handed master barber the key and said “thanks we will be seeing you again soon”.

Master Barber was about to start at Dalisay’s haircut. She was already in the barber’s chair where I and Amihan had been shorn all caped up and waiting to be shorn. Datu stood up once again and walked up to the Dalisay with a smile on his face and said "Barber Wallace go even shorter at the top to on her hair can ya!”

“Sir … Yes Can ….Sir….Sure thing" Barber Wallace responded to Datu with a smile on his face just as he looked at Dalisay and said to her with a loud and sarcastic tone “stop the tears and sulking or I will handcuff you to the chair just like that sissy looking Bayani do you understand me?”  Dalisay with tears now falling as like rain buckets as she realised that she was about to shorn suddenly muttered the words “ हाँ नाई महोदय कृपया लेकिन बहुत कम नहीं “ Yes barber sir but not too short please.

Master Barber just ignored Dalisay, saying nothing as he started to pull her long hair out from under the cape. Then picked up his comb and started combing out sections right on top of Dalisay’s head and continued combing the hair hanging down her right and lift sides then back to do away with the knots.

Her brother Datu returned to the waiting chair next to me with a smile on his face and looked at the Shirin the youngest sister who was sitting next to me and said, “आप सबसे कम उम्र के हैं और अपने बाल कटवाने के लिए कम से कम हो जाएगा .......... अब चुप रहो और नाराज बंद चिंता मत करो.” don’t’ worry you are youngest and your haircut will be the shortest……….now shut up and stop sulking”.

Dalisay’s eyes as well as mine popped as we watched him move to his work bench and pick up his electric clippers with no guard, Andis Black Clipper Comb commonly used for clipper cuts or flattops and starts the clipper-over-comb cutting technique. This cutting technique is usually used by barbers for sides/sideburns and the bottom area of the haircut by the neck. However club cutting, free hand clippers over comb and or scissor over comb are only usually use to do away with the bulk of one’s hair by experienced or military barbers.

Master Barber used the comb used to elevate segments of Dalisay’s hair starting at the right side and then cut by one stroke of the electric clippers which are held in the barbers’ cutting hand. The clippers’ stationary blade (the lower blade) is positioned so as to be parallel to the comb. This technique is ideal for cutting very short hairstyles without wasting too mush time using scissors.

To Dalisay’s horror all she could see with the humming of the clippers as they munched through her long hair at the face of the Andis Comb inches away from her scalp was more than 60” of hair raining down onto the cape in front of her time after time.

The barber soon moved to the back of her head, tilting it forward slightly, continuing the clipper-over-comb cutting technique and within only a few minutes and no more then four strokes of the humming clippers Nrrrrrrr across the face of his Andis comb. Dalisay soon had her head down looking into the pile of hair that had gathered in her lap and could feel the weight of her head getting lighter and lighter after each and every stroke of the clippers that he took back there.

Soon the barber moved around to her right side and followed suit.

“Wow nice work,’ we could all hear the police woman say out loud as the barber continued cutting away.  

All Dalisay could feel at this moment was embarrassment to be seen getting shorn like this.

Suddenly, the humming sound of the clippers stopped and barber walk back to his work bench.

Dlaisay’s hair was very roughly cropped to about 1.5” all over her head. You could see every feature on her face and neck now that there was no more hair to hide behind anymore. Her college girl cheeks stood out more noticeably now without the thick black long hair.

Barber came back behind her again with something in his hand but she didn’t get a chance to see it other then the cord that was leading to it. He tilted her head straight down to her chest and we all heard the sound of the same Electric Andis Clippers pop on yet again. Nrrrrrrr. The sound of them filled the room.

He had his hand on top of her head holding it straight down and she felt the clippers being placed on her nape. They moved up the back of her head quickly in swift motions from her nape to her crown, pass after pass. He then tilted her head to the left and we could all see them work there way up behind her right ear. Then over her right ear pass after pass taking her hair down to very short peach fuzz. He came over to Dalisay’s left side and worked them over the left side as well.

He went back to his work bench and changed the blade on his clippers to 000 - 1/125 and came back tilting her head forward again tapering the back of her head before changing the clipper blade once again to 0000 - 1/100 and creating a tight taper / faded effect along her hairline all the way around the back before moving to right side followed by the left side and repeating the process and completing the tapered / faded finish.  The sound of the clippers and Dalisay sulking filled the room.

He finished with the clippers and took a spray bottle and sprayed the top of my hair making it soaking wet. He took a hairbrush and hairdryer and started drying it straight back making it stick up on the top. When he finished it was all spiked up on the top of her head.

"Over here gal now" Barber Wallace yelled out at Shirin the youngest of the sisters with he long tresses of black hair pointing to the vacant red barbers chair that Sissy Bayani had occupied  next to that Dalisay was sitting in.  As Shirin hesitated "move your bum faster" Datu yelled at her.

The younger lady haircutter then grabbed a neck strip and wrapped it snug around her neck. 

Then she flung over the same white cape around her shoulders pinned the cape snug around her neck.

Shirin looked to see the reflection one last time with her long hair covered over by the cape around her shoulders and the piles of her sisters Amihan, Dalisay and others hair that covered the floor.

"She's all ready for you Master Barber"

The barber now picked up his Andis Black Clipper Comb and his Joewell M2 Series professional Shears with Offset Handle (Professional Barbers' Scissors) moved back behind Dalisay and tilted her hear back towards him before taking the Black Clipper Comb and starting at the front of her head and working all the way back cutting the hair which was sticking up spiked on the top all the way down to the same length as a military academy boys induction flattop. The spiked hair at the top of Dalisay’s head did not exceed the length of 2.5 to 3 inches at her fringe.

It was definitely a stylish short haircut where her sides and back had been tapered very short indeed, and the top is left about half an inch longer at the very most.

Barber then took a dusting brush and poured some baby powder onto it. He brushed off Dalisay’s neck and over her cute ears and forehead while he loosened the cape. He slid the cape off of her shoulders allowing all of her long locks of hair to fall to the floor in front of her and pile up on top of all the long tresses of hair which he had shorn just before.

With a big smile on his face he took his hand mirror and showed her the back of her head before removing the cape and saying “सब किया, अब वह एक जवान कॉलेज / स्कूल लड़की और नहीं एक एक चेहरे की विकृति के रूप में वह पहले किया था की तरह लंबे काले बालों के साथ कवर सिर की तरह लग रहा है ” all done, now she looks like a young college / school girl and not a head covered with long black hair like a mop as she did before to her brother Datu and his wife Seritha .

  

Just as the barber was about to walk towards Shirin, the female police officer says “Master Barber could you at least get these young boys shorn so the van can pick them up in 15 minutes or so and the 4 girls can wait till later when your done with that young lady” pointing to Shirin. Master Barber maaari mong hindi bababa sa makakuha ng mga batang lalaki ginupitan kaya ang van pick up ang mga ito sa 15 minuto o kaya at ang 4 na batang babae ay maaaring maghintay hanggang mamaya kapag ang iyong mga tapos na binibini.

Master Barber looked at Datu and said” सर यह ठीक है अगर मैं पुलिस अधिकारी के लिए इन दो लड़कों में पहली बार करते हैं, यह बहुत जल्दी होगा मैं वादा करता हूँ ” Sir is it ok if I do these two boys for the police officer first, it will be very quick I promise?

Datu looked at his wife Seritha and then at Master Barber and said “कोई समस्या नहीं है, हम पुलिस अधिकारी को खुश रखने की जरूरत है.जबकि अपने इस पर आप मेरी बहन नाराज शिरीन की हथकड़ी का उपयोग देख वे कुर्सी के लिए सुरक्षित कर रहे हैं कृपया सकता है? No problem, we need to keep the police officer happy. While you’re at it could you use the handcuffs of my sulking sister Shirin please seeing they are secured to the chair?

“बात तो सुनिश्चित महोदय, अब थोड़ा नाराज एक बंद करो और मैं आप लंबी प्रतीक्षा नहीं रखेंगे” Sure thing sir, now stop the sulking little one and I will not keep you waiting long, said Master Barber to Shirin as he unlocked the handcuff and secured it to her hand.

With a loud voice he looked at the two boys headed for  Juvenile Lock Up and said to the fat boy with hair touching his shoulders at the back and a fringe touching his nose “Get your Ass into the chair here now” pointing at the red barbers chair that Dalisay had just been shorn in.

Suddenly the female police officer grabs the boy by the shirt at his neck and helps to push him into the barbers chair faster and telling master barber ”take it all off …. Regulation Juvenile Lockup Haircuts for them please sir” .

The lady haircutter then grabbed a neck strip and wrapped it snug around fat boy’s neck. She flung over a white cape around his shoulders pinned the cape snug around his neck.  He looked up at his reflection one last time with his long hair covered over by the cape around his shoulders.

"He's all ready for you Master Barber"

Master Barber responded “Madam Yes Madam a military buzz cut it will be”.  This is the simplest and quickest boy haircut. This military style haircut is easy to maintain and is perfect for boys in prison, army or boot camp and who won’t or don't like to spend time on their appearance. A 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch guard on the clippers is often used to create the desired length all over the head. After the hair is cut, the edges are tapered really short cleaned up. This haircut certainly means keeping the barbers clippers, buzzers well oiled.

Master Barber walked towards his workbench and picked up the Electric Andis Clippers, and a bottle of clipper oil, he oil the machine before applying the 3.5 - 3/8"  blade to start with taking into account the long tresses of hair that covered the fat boys’ head.

Barber came back behind the fat boy again with something in his hand but he didn't get a chance to see it other then the cord that was leading to it. He tilted his head straight down to his chest and all that could be heard was the sound of the Electric Andis Clippers pop on Nrrrrrrr the sound of them filled the room. With one hand he picked up sections of the boys hair touching his shoulders and with the other he placed the clippers on the boy’s nape and moved up the back of his head quickly in swift motions from his nape to his crown, pass after pass.

At this point all the fat boy could see was piles of his long tresses land on his lap and the floor before his very eyes, but he did not seem to mind considering he had a smile on his face as if he was thinking this was all only a dream and not reality.

Tresses are locks of long hair, commonly seen as a woman's hair or a hippy / sissy boy sporting long hair. For ones head to shorn, is to have his or her tresses of hair cut short.

Barber now tilted fat boys head to the left and we could all the electric clippers work there way up behind his right ear. Then over his right ear pass after pass taking his tresses of hair down to short fuzz.  Barber then moved over to his left side and worked them over the left side as well.

Again the electric clippers went silent for a few seconds.

Master Barber now changed the blade on his clippers to 000 - 1/125 then came back behind fat boy once again and tilted his head straight down to his chest again; all that could be heard was the sound of the Electric Andis Clippers pop on. Nrrrrrrr and the barber took to tapering the back of his head  before changing the clipper blade once again to 0000 - 1/100  and creating a tight taper / faded effect along fat boy’s hairline all the way around the back before moving to right side followed by the left side and repeating the process and completing the tapered / faded finish. The sound of the clippers and fat boy’s state of laughter filled the room.

Master Barber walked towards his workbench and picked up the Electric Andis Clippers, and a bottle of clipper oil, he oil the machine before applying the 3.5 - 3/8"  blade to start with taking into account the long tresses of hair that covered the fat boys’ head.

He finished with the clippers and took a spray bottle and sprayed the top of fat boy’s hair making it a little damp but not soaking wet. He took a hairbrush and started brushing it straight back making it stick up on the top. When he finished it was all kind of spiked up on the top of his head. Master Barber then took the clippers again, this time with 000 - 1/50" blade and came back behind fat boy.

All in the barbershop waiting area watched and smiled as Master barber tilted fat boys head back slightly but firmly with one hand and with the other hand placed the humming clippers at the boys fringe and started to pass them from fat boys fringe across the top of his head quickly in swift motions all the way to his crown, pass after pass.

Soon fat boys head was shorn to a perfect military buzz cut. He now tilted the boy’s head straightforward as he did with mine and others alike and slid the razor into his nape scrapping it across the back of boys’ neck.  He ran them up over his right ear and down his right cheek. He went around to his left side and ran them over his left ear and down his other cheek. He wiped his hairline off with the towel and threw the towel into a bin. He put some lotion on his hand and applied it to his skin where he had just shaved. The smell was like a tough guy’s aftershave lotion and very cooling on the skin.

“Short enough madam” he said to the female police officer. The female police officer then walked towards the barber’s chair and carefully inspected the fat boy’s military buzz cut before saying “Good Job Sir as always”.

With a big smile on his face he took his hand mirror and showed fat boy the back of his head before removing the cape and saying “all done boy.

As fat boy got up from the barbers chair Master Barber with a loud voice looked at the second boy headed for Juvenile Lock Up and said to the tall Asian boy with hair also touching his shoulders at the back and a fringe touching his eyes “Get your Ass into this chair here now” pointing at the red barbers chair that Fat Boy had just been shorn in.

Suddenly the female police officer grabs the second boy by the shirt at his neck also and helps to push him into the barbers chair faster and telling master barber ”take it all off …. Regulation Juvenile Lockup Haircut for this one too please sir”

The Asian Boy was not happy and far from passive he started yelling “No...No Pig... Pig do not cut my hair” and swinging his legs around. Quickly the officer took her handcuffs and secured his right hand to the chair before asking the barber “Sir could I borrow another pair handcuffs’ for his leg?”.

Master Barber quickly obliged and handed her a pair handcuffs which she used to secure the Asian Boy’s left leg to the chairs foot rest.

The term “Pig” is street talk for police officers in some parts of the western world especially amongst street kids and gangs’.

The lady haircutter then grabbed a neck strip and wrapped it snug around Asian boy’s neck. 

She flung over a white cape around his shoulders pinned the cape snug around his neck.  He looked up at his reflection one last time with his long hair covered over by the cape around his shoulders.

"He's all ready for you Master Barber"  

(To Be Continued - Parts 3 through 5 will follow soon)