HairSnip.com

Jennifer had been at the shop from 7:30am. As it was the last three business days BEFORE the end of the month, it was generally a very busy time for her. Being the owner of the store, she opened in the morning, stayed until noon, went home for a few hours and then came back to close the shop and do the daily deposit. But today she found herself two men short, so she ended up staying for the entire day.

It was 8:00pm as she sat in the red vinyl chair, talking with Delores, the shampoo girl. ?So I am really going to miss you, Dee. I really enjoyed having you here for the year,? Jennifer said.

?I know. I am really glad you let me work for you over the past twelve months. I really had a blast. And you guys really made me feel like I fit in. But I am looking forward to going. This is something I have really wanted to do, to serve my country,? Delores said. ?And my parents are really happy for me.?

?So when do you have to report to Fort Albany?? Jennifer asked.

?I am leaving tomorrow morning at 0600. I should be there around noon. Then we get checked in, get our uniforms, get shown our barracks, meet our drill sergeant and we start our initiation first thing Monday morning,? Delores said. ?I know it is going to be tough, the first three months. But I am going to work hard.?

Jennifer got up off the chair and walked to her counter. She opened it and withdrew a white envelope and handed it to Delores. ?Well, myself and the guys wanted to give you a little something extra and some of the regulars contributed. I know you will find something to do with this. Maybe put it into your scholarship fund. Plus your last paycheque is enclosed,? she said.

?Thanks so much,? Delores said.

?I can finish up. So you are welcome to go. I think maybe you would like to spend some time with your parents before you leave,? Jennifer said. Delores nodded her head. ?Go, go on. When you get a three-day pass, come back and visit.? Delores gave her a hug and headed out the door. Jennifer went back and sat back in her chair. She wished she could lock up but there was always a chance that someone would show up at the last minute, asking for a haircut. Jennifer got up and stocked a couple of stations, filled the shampoo bottles, added to the towel bundle, and picked up a broom and swept up the floor. She knew that with Delores leaving, she would be spending more time in the shop and maybe even looking for a new shampoo girl. Not that it was really essential, there was no real need for it but when Jennifer found out that Delores was looking for a job for a year until she headed off to Fort Albany, Jennifer was more then happy to bring her on board. And Delores proved to be a fast learner and she worked very hard to prove herself within a one month period.

Delores headed down the street to the parking lot. She unlocked her car door and climbed into the driver?s seat. She adjusted the mirror over the dashboard. As she did, she took a long look at her face. She raised her hand and touched her long black hair. She pulled back her sides and her crown. ?Oh my god! What have I got myself into?? she said as she started to shake. ?Monday I am going to lose all of this. They are going to send a fat old man into the barracks and he is going to shave my head???????????.? Delores said. ?Oh god! I think I made a big mistake.? Delores started to cry. What she said would prove to be true. She would get clipped, all girls and boys. No exceptions and no styles. Five minute haircuts on every person who would be getting off the buses on Sunday afternoon.

Delores continued to cry. She looked down into her purse. Her cell phone sat on the top. She reached for it and turned it on. She dialed six numbers. ?No, she has had a long day. She deserves to go home. But I have to see?????? Delores said. She dialed the last number.

At the shop, Jennifer was back in her chair, reading. The phone rang. She looked at the display. She immediately picked up the receiver. ?Delores?? she asked. Delores was crying. ?Delores, what is it? Are you okay?? ?Can I come and talk?? Delores asked. ?I need a friend.?

?Where are you?? Jennifer asked.

?In my car in the parking lot. I don?t want to go????????.? Delores said. ?On Monday, I am going to look like GI Jane. I am not ready for that???????

?You knew this when you got accepted. You knew they were going to do that,? Jennifer said.

?Yeah but I never realized that when they shave my head, all my hair will sit on the floor with everyone else?s hair. If I asked them to give me my ponytail, I don?t think they would. And then all that hair would stay on the floor, being kicked around and finally be swept up after 40 recruits or more were finished,? Delores said in tears. ?A little old man in a white smock is going to be standing behind me or a big woman. She is going to push my head down hard and then run the clippers right up my head or right down the middle. I don?t want that to happen to me. Look, Jennifer, I know you have had a long day and you have a lot on your mind, but could you please???????.??

?Cut your hair for you?? Jennifer said. ?I am going to do it that way as well if I tell you to come in. Either way, Delores, your head will be sheared.?

?That does not matter. I just don?t want them to do it. I don?t want to be subjected to their methods,? Delores said as she sniffled.

Jennifer looked at her watch. ?Okay, Delores, come in. I will shut down now,? she said.

?One last thing? I may not get sent directly to an assignment. But would you keep my ponytail until after my basic training? Three months, atleast?? Delores said.

Jennifer looked at her watch. In twenty minutes, she wanted to be working on the deposit. ?I can give you twenty minutes of my time. But you need to be here in two minutes flat. And I am not going to do it any different from what will happen to you on Monday morning. Yes, I will cut off your ponytail but once it is gone, then I will clipper you the same way I do the men who come into the shop. You know how I work with my clippers. Five minute cuts; ten minute maximum,? Jenn said.

?I am on the way,? Dee said. She got out of her car, slammed the door, armed the alarm and rushed to the shop. True to her work, it took her a minute and a half to get to the door. She pushed it open and to Jenn?s surprise, she was not even out of breath. Dee walked up to the chair and sat down in it. Jenn wrapped her neck with a piece of tissue and then wrapped her in a white cloth cape. She pulled it up to Dee?s shoulders, clasped it on the side and straightened the wrinkles. She picked up a brush, brushed out Dee?s long black hair, gripped it with her open hand, twisted it tight and tied it back in an elastic band.

Dee heaved a huge sigh of concern. She knew how well Jenn used her clippers and now, here it was. She had placed her hair in Jenn?s hands. Jenn put her brush down and picked up a wide-toothed comb. She pulled the comb through Dee?s hair. And as she combed back the hair from the sides, she tightened her grip on the ponytail that she would eventually be cutting off.

An elastic band held the hair tight in the back. Jennifer reached behind her and picked up her scissors. She stood behind Dee and grabbed the ponytail at the base. She pulled on it and tightening her grip, she opened the blades of her shears. ?No stopping now,? she said as she snipped through the first swatch of hair. It started to fall back as Jenn held tight the ponytail. Dee just looked straight ahead at the mirror. One, snip more and Jenn was holding a thick black ponytail in her hand. She held it up to the side of Dee?s face and Dee swallowed hard. Dee nodded her head and Jennifer placed her scissors back on the counter.

?Now, like I told you. No playing around. Reduced to stubble. You got it?? Jenn said. Dee nodded her head and she swallowed again. ?I am not going to let you watch.? Jenn swung the chair around so that Dee would be looking at the wall. ?And I am not going to use a guard. It is all coming off on the first go-around.? With that, Jennifer placed her hand on the top of Dee?s crown and she pushed it down so that Dee was looking right into her lap. She reached back again to the counter and grabbed the biggest and most powerful pair of electric clippers she owned. Jenn flicked the switch on the clippers and placed the bare teeth into the back of her neck. The first pass up her neck stopped just behind her crown. Jenn flicked her wrist and the first clump of black hair toppled down over Dee?s shoulder and it dropped into her lap. Dee heaved a sigh and she obeyed as Jenn guided her head into the positions necessary to shave her clean on the first go-around.

As Jenn promised, Dee was clean shaved down to bare stubble in five and a half minutes. Jenn powdered Dee?s head and then she turned the chair around. She unclipped the cape and dusted Dee?s neckline. ?There, you are done. I pronounce you ready for the drill sergeant and his inspection. What are you going to tell the drill sergeant Monday when he sees that your hair is already clippered and military length?? Jennifer said as she pulled the cape off Dee?s shoulders.

?I don?t know. Maybe, I have my own personal barber and she is a lot better then anyone they could provide,? Dee said as she stroked her clippered scalp. ?God, Jenn. You really are good with those clippers. I don?t want anyone else to cut my hair if I come back from training and I do not have an immediate assignment. Who knows? Maybe they will put me in the reserves and I might be able to come back to work for you again??

?You just get through your basic training before you make any definite plans. You hear me? Now get out of here and go home and spend some time with your parents,? Jennifer said. Dee walked to the door. She turned and tried to talk but Jenn stopped her. ?If you don?t want me to order you back into the chair and literally shave you bald, then hit the road.? Deee nodded her head and pushed the door open. She headed off down the road, very happy with her new look. No way would the drill sergeant make her get into a barber?s chair on Monday morning. `

Jenn turned the chair around. She looked at her watch. In twenty minutes, she could close the shop and go home but before she did that, she grabbed the black ponytail that sat on her counter. She held it in both her hands. So shiny. So soft and so beautiful and it was a heavy mass of hair. She opened the drawer of her counter. She reached inside and pulled out a white plastic bag. Placing the ponytail carefully inside the bag, she placed it on the barber chair. She went to do her deposit and when that was finished, she took the plastic bag into her hands. Yes it would find a place until Dee told her what she wanted to do with it.

Author: hairman001 Copyright protected ? 2004 Registered to JCWP DESIGN SERVICES ? 2000 Not to be reproduced or downloaded for personal use without the expressed written permission of the author. Any misuse will be dealt with under Canadian/International copyright laws.

Rate this story now.
5- Excellent 4- Very good 3- Good 2- Needs work 1- Poor  

Enter some comments about this story or see what others have said on the forums.