A Busy Day at Master Barber's Busy Barber Shop (Part 8)

Ma’am then turns to Bella and said… “After the haircuts I think we should treat Master Barber and Imee to a coffee and snack at Mazza Gallerie. It is small upscale shopping mall in Chevy Chase on the border of Maryland and Washington, DC. There is a McDonald’s and my favorite Mazza Café and Subway there. My treat …. And I will not take no for an answer Bella”

Bella looked at Stephanie, the female police office (Ma’am) with a smile on her face and said “Ma’am YES Ma’am”.

As Imee walked back towards the chair where Alcee had just been shorn and was still handcuffed, the Barber shop door opened and a lady wearing an Indian Sari walked in with a teenage child who looked very tense and had tears on his eyes. 

The mother looked at Sir and said “Good Afternoon I am after a proper short back and sides for this young man………he starts Grammar School next week.”           

Master barber looked at the lady and said “Sure no problem Ma’am”.  He then turned to Bella and the Female Police Officer and said with a smile on his face “Strange times have changed….. Grammar Schools would never have enrolled or allowed any boy with that boofy hair he has to enter their gates let alone for any St Edwards boy to even be seen with long hair right! ” 

Bella smiled and said “Sir my neighbors’ younger brother back home attends a military school and I remember his dad having to take him for a drastic haircut the night before his admission interview because the school was so..so strict and boys with long boofy hair are usually tagged sissy’s and  automatically refused admission without any thought or hesitation”

The Female Police Officer (Madam) looks at boy’s mother and asks” you mean he is going to be a St Edwards Grammar Boy…. Right?” 

The boys’ mother answered “yes my son here is a very smart boy and was chosen because of his grades”.

“Sir, he really needs either you or Imee to take care of him I think Sir” The Female Police Officer (Madam) said to Master Barber before looking at the boys mother again and with a firm voice said “Well you brought him to the right place, all St Edwards boys must be well groomed short back and sides haired boys and looking at your little man here with his boofy long sissy hair, he needs more than just a trim from some fancy shopping mall salon apprentice.  The barbers here will be able to rectify this problem, so take a seat here in the waiting area and do not worry. You young man get your bum into that chair over there” pointing to Imee who was removing the cape and handcuffs’ off Alcee.

“Now keep your mouth shut boy. Go and wait your turn in the chair there” yelled Master Barber at the soon to be St Edwards Grammar Boy also pointing him to Imee’s direction.

Master Barber (Sir) looked at the boys mother and said”ma’am do not worry we will rectify his problem, and make a Grammar School boy out of him, I promise you ma’am”.

The boy’s mother just looked at Sir with a sign of relief on her face and said “oh thank you  ... thank you sir …”

As the boy walked slowly and hesitantly towards Imee, Alcee’s bum had left the barbers chair making room for boy’s bum. Imee looked at the boy and said with a firm and assertive voice “hurry up ---- here boy”.  The boy gave Imee a distressed look showing his unhappiness and mental suffering, grief and anxiety that this visit to the Barbershop was causing him.

Again Imee could be heard saying “hurry up ---- here boy” as the boy finally stood in front of the chair and frowned at his mother saying “मैं अपने बालों मम्मी कटौती नहीं करना चाहते हैं ... और इस व्याकरण स्कूल माँ के बारे में परवाह नहीं है” I do not want to cut my hair mummy...and do not care about this Grammar School mummy, before his mother replied with a loud and firm voice “मुझे लगता है कि नाई कुर्सी जोनाथन में आपको ले जाने के लिए पहले आप अपने बाल कटवाने मिल जाएगा और आप ग्रामर स्कूल के लिए जा रही हो जाएगा, तो एक मूर्ख की तरह व्यवहार कर रही रोक” you will get your haircut and you will be going to Grammar School, so stop behaving like an idiot before I have to carry you into that barber’s chair Jonathan.

Suddenly, a loud and commanding voice sounded “Sit DOWN on that chair now and don't move!" as Master Barber Snapped at Jonathan. 

Jonathan was somewhat shocked by Sir’s authoritative and commanding voice and immediately followed his orders sitting the barbers chair.

Imee, the lady haircutter then grabbed a neck strip and secured tightly around Jonathan’s neck with just enough room to breathe. She then picks up a white cape and with a sudden violent flick emanating from the action places it around Jonathan’s body, simultaneously pulling the cape up securely and forcing it around his neck, pinning it securely and fastening the stud of the cape tightly around Jonathan’s neck.  

Jonathan felt the pressure of the stud in the back of his neck. The sensation of the cape around his arms and below his knees resting and stroking his bare skin seeing he wore school boys' shorts.

Jonathan looked up in absolute silence at his reflection and the long thick hair that dragged over his face several inches below the chin and the sides and back which also dragged down inches below his neck and the barbers white cape around his shoulders one last time.

"Now stay there and don't move till sir has finished with the other hooligan" said Imee with a loud and serious voice pointing to Cindy who was already handcuffed to the barber’s chair next to his and caped waiting her turn to be shorn.

Imee looked at Sir and said "He's all ready for you Master Barber”.

Master Barber had just finished a telephone discussion at the counter and walking towards the chair where Cindy the female hooligan was waiting to be shorn when Bella looked at Stephanie the Female Police Officer (Madam) and said “why doesn't Sir finish with that boy first seeing his mother is waiting and you said you need to call for the police van to take the girls back anyway Madam?

“Great idea Bella” replied Madam before walking up to Sir as he approached the barbers chair Cindy sat in and said “Sir I think you could take care of the boy here first seeing his Mum and Grammar School are waiting for him Sir”.

Sir replied “ OK …. Ma’am”

Sir walked towards his workbench and picked up the Electric Andis Clippers, and a bottle of clipper oil again, he oiled the machine yet again before applying the 3.5 - 3/8” blade to start with taking into account the long tresses of hair that covered Jonathan’s head.

Master Barber (SIR) came back behind Jonathan who was in the chair with something in his hand but the Jonathan didn't get a chance to see any part of it other then the cord that was leading to it and said out loud “All off Regulation Grammar School Short Back & Sides for Jonathan here ma’am right” to Jonathan's mother who sat in the waiting area.

Jonathan’s mother (Mum) was so proud; nobody in her family had ever been clever enough to go to a grammar school so much so that she had told everyone she met about it.

Mum looked at Sir and pondered for a moment was a tidy up sufficient or does he really need Regulation Grammar School Short Back & Sides she thought?

“OK I think a bit shorter than what he has now.. and like you said Regulation Grammar School Short Back & Sides would be good Mr. Barber Sir” with smile of relief on her face.  But what mum didn't know was Master Barber’s Regulation Grammar School Short Back & Sides unlike previous tidy ups Jonathan got at some shopping center salon were quite different and indeed short.

Before Jonathan could say anything Master Barber now standing behind Jonathan tilted Jonathan’s 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 which dragged down inches below his neck 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 that Jonathan could see was piles of his long thick tresses of hair land on his lap and the floor before his very eyes, which  he did not seem to enjoy considering he had a miserable look on his face as if he was being brutally whipped or caused physical pain.  He uttered “ please… please do not cut it so short man…………..stop cutting so much………..in an assertive and arrogant manner”.

Master barber just ignored him and did his job with a smile on his face.

All that his mum could see was her son’s long thick hair finally falling onto the white cape and floor before her very own eyes. All could see the sign of relief on her face as her long haired son was being transformed into a Grammar School Boy finally.

Tresses are locks of long hair, commonly seen as a woman's hair or a hippy / sissy boy sporting long hair.

Master Barber now tilted Jonathan’s head to the left and we could all see the electric clippers work their way up behind his right ear. Then over his right ear pass after pass taking his tresses of hair down to short fuzz.   Sir then moved over to his left side and worked them over the left side as well.

Bella looked at his mum and Stephanie the Female Police Officer (Madam) and said “your son Jonathan is starting to look like a real trendy young man already ma’am”.

Stephanie the Female Police Officer (Madam) with a smile face said “Bella I totally agree with you young lady… he is much better looking without all that long hair”. 

Jonathan’s mother smiled and nodded he head at Bella & Stephanie in agreement.

Again the electric clippers went silent for a few seconds.

Master Barber now changed the blade on his clippers again to 000 - 1/125 then came back behind Jonathan 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 tighter taper / faded Grammar School Short Back & Sides look along Jonathan’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 Grammar School Short Back & Sides finish.  The sound of the clippers and Jonathan’s moaning had filled the barber shop.

The regular Grammar School Short Back & Sides haircut, side-parted with tapered back and sides, has been since the 1950’s and still is considered a clean cut fashion and preferred by parents and school authorities at quality schools and all Grammar Schools in the United Kingdom,  United States, Australia, New Zealand , Singapore and many other countries.

Master Barber finished with the clippers and took a spray bottle and sprayed the top of Jonathan’s hair making it damp but not soaking wet.

He then took a hairbrush and started brushing it straight back making it stick up on the top before asking Jonathan’s mum “ Ma’am you like his hair side parted to the right or left?”

At this point of time Jonathan’s hair was all kind of spiked up on the top of his head.

Mum replied “you decide… whatever grammar school requires” with a smile on her face.

“No problem ma’am a part down the left side it will be” replied Master Barber.

Master Barber then picked up his Andis comb and created a part down the left side of Jonathan’s head before walking back towards his workbench, taking a bottle of clipper oil, he oiled the electric clippers.

Soon Sir picked up his electric clippers with no guard, Andis Black Clipper Comb commonly used for clipper cuts or flattops and the clipper-over-comb cutting technique.  He turns to Jonathan and walked over to his right side to start the clipper-over-comb cutting technique. 

Master Barber used the comb to elevate segments of Jonathan’s hair that was spiked up on the top of his head starting at the right side and then cut by one stroke of the electric clippers which he held in his barbers’ cutting hand leaving Jonathan’s hair a little shorter than two (2) inches long total on the top of his head.

All Jonathan could see taking into account the length of the tresses of hair that still covered the top of his head was lots of his thick hair falling onto cape before his very own eyes. 

Sooner than later his head felt a lot lighter and the hair on top of his head was now shorn down to a little shorter than two (2) inches long total on the top being the required length for a regulation Grammar School Haircut.

The clippers’ stationary blade (the lower blade) is positioned so as to be parallel to the comb. 

This technique is ideal for cutting off long tresses of hair without wasting too much time using scissors.

Again 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 used to do away with the bulk of one’s hair by experienced or military barbers like Sir.

Again the electric clippers went silent.

Sir returned the clippers to his workbench and picked up his razor. He now tilted the Jonathan’s head straightforward as he did with Fat Boy’s and others alike and slid the razor into his nape scrapping it across the back of his neck.

He ran the razor up over his right ear and down his right cheek. He went around to her left side and ran it over her left ear and down his other cheek. He wiped Jonathan’s hairline off with a paper towel and threw the towel into a bin.

He now put some lotion on his hand and applied it to Jonathan’s skin where he had just shaved. 

The smell was like a tough guy’s aftershave lotion and very cooling on his skin.

“Short enough ma’am” he said to Jonathan’s mum.  Mum then walked towards the barber’s chair and carefully inspected her son’s  regulation Grammar School Haircut before saying “Good Job Sir, I’ll be bringing my Jonathan back regularly I think”.

Sir looked at Mum and said “Ma’am do not worry if your boy here does not take a pride in his appearance and keep his hair well-groomed to a regulation Grammar School Haircut, and above the ears and off the collar, to permit the correct wearing of the school cap at all times by making a visit to my barber shop every month, he will learn the hard way”.

“The hard way what do you mean?” asked Mum.

“Well in front of the whole class he will be humiliated and out of the classroom marched by a prefect without any prior notice in single file down the stair case at the back of the foyer at St Edwards Grammar and find himself standing at a door with the sign "Barber" on it.

One by one the boys who do not follow school rules are filed in and pointed to the school’s old style leather barber's chair.

The barber there is an old guy and former marine core barber that shows no mercy, his head will be gripped, pushed forward and a cape thrown around, and placed over paper towel 'round his neck before he hears the old barber switch on a pair of clippers and feel the buzzing sensation on the back of his neck as he watches as his hair fall into his lap -- higher and higher the clippers will work their way, shearing away all the hair he has to a regulation military crew cut. The crew cut is supposed to serve as a punishment and deterrent so that he makes sure he visits a barber shop regularly and never needs to trouble the school barber again by disobeying school rules” replied Sir.

“Did you hear that Jonathan?” asked his mum as he sat in the Barber’s chair with a frown on his face still.

“Yes... I did and I don’t want a crew cut this is bad enough mummy”

“ OK … boy your all done…I will be seeing you again in about three weeks I guess” said sir to Jonathan as he removed the cape.

   (To Be Continued - Parts 9 through 15 will follow soon)