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The rest of the school year went fast for her. By the end of April, she had been told that her grades were so good there was no need for her to take finals in four of her courses. She would only have four finals to write if she wanted to improve her marks. That was good news for her. Her biological father had given her the tuition fee for BARBER SCHOOL as a graduation gift and her grandfather had promised to purchase a new set of tools, just for her.

She was looking forward to summer and the chance to work beside her grandfather in the shop. This way she could earn some much-needed money herself. But she had plans of her own for that money, and that was to send her grandfather on a cruise so that he could get away for a time and spend some time enjoying life.

The final day of school, she could not have been happier. She headed home after writing her final exam. There was still one week of school but she was not under obligation to be there. When she got home, she threw her knapsack on the table, looked through the mail and found a letter addressed to her from the BARBER SCHOOL. She opened it. She had been approved and her class would begin on the 6th of September. She jumped up with joy. Yes. She was happy. She ran to her grandfather?s shop. He was happy to see her as she walked into the shop. She grabbed a cape and pointed to the next customer in the waiting area. ?I got a letter from the school,? she said to her grandfather. ?I am approved. I start on September 6th. Isn?t that good??

Her grandfather smiled and he turned to all the customers in the shop. ?Gentlemen, may I introduce you to the new owner of the shop? I hope you will continue to give her your business because I am planning to retire as soon as she gets out of BARBER SCHOOL,? he said. He looked at her. ?I guess tomorrow we should walk down and see the lawyer and draw up some papers for you to take over the business. What do you say?? She nodded her head.

At 5:00pm, he was getting tired. The shop was still busy somewhat. She noticed he was yawning a bit. She put her arm around him and drew him to the side corner. ?Grandpa, you look very tired. Did you eat today?? she asked.

?No child, and I forgot to take my medication this morning,? he admitted. ?I am tired.?

?If you want to go home, I would be okay to close up. I think I would be okay for 4 hours. If I have any trouble I can call. I know what to do. I have seen you do the receipts. I know where to go to drop it off,? she said.

He nodded. ?You might as well. You will be doing it all soon. Thanks, child,? he said.

?Take your meds as soon as you get home,? she said. ?I will call you if I need anything.?

He walked to the door and walked slowly home. She stood at the door and watched him walked slowly up the street. It was not going to be too long before it happened and she would have the shop and she would be able to give him some time to relax. 40 years had taken its toll. Now it was time for him to be himself and if wanted to come in and do a client or two, well, it was his shop still. But as it was now, she was going to make sure he took some time off during the summer.

The next day they walked to the lawyer?s office and he told her he would sell her the shop $1.00. ?I want nothing else. The business has taken care of my needs and I have still my bonds and shares. Everything I own is mine. I owe no money to anyone. So I want you to have a clean start. The mortgage is paid, all the equipment is paid, and you can keep the tools or use the tools I will buy for you this afternoon. The shop is all yours, Pauline,? he said as he signed the papers and had the lawyer witness his signature. She then signed and gave the papers back to the lawyer. ?You have a key to the shop. I just hope you will let me come in some times. Maybe even let me cut a customer or two.?

?I will take care of the shop,? she promised, ?and I will take care of you too, just like you did for me. Just promise me you will take some quality time off for yourself during the summer. I want you to go some place nice and have some fun. Let me worry about the shop.? He looked at her and she gave him the evil eye but he smiled because he knew she was right and he knew he wanted to do that as well. He deserved it.

The summer months were busy and exciting for Pauline. Her grandfather came in for half a day and then he went home for a nap. She went in in the morning with him and she stayed with him in the shop but at 1:00pm, she took over and stayed to close. When she got home, she usually found him curled up in his favorite chair with a blanket and a cup of hot chocolate. About half way through the summer, she got an award from the high school with a nice sum of money inside. She told her grandfather that she wanted to treat him to something special. ?I want to send you on a cruise for the rest of the summer. All expenses paid, as a gesture for all the things you have done for me. I want to do something special for you. Will you let me do it?? she asked. He started to cry but he nodded his head. She walked to her room and came back with some pamphlets. ?You tell me what you would like and I will make the arrangements.? So the last month of summer, she found herself taking him to the airport and watched as he caught a flight to London, England. From there, he would travel to Spain, where he would hook up with the cruise liner and tour the Mediterranean Sea. The shop would be in her care for the last month of summer.

HIS RETURN and HER UN-SELFISH ACT He was scheduled to return on August 31st and as it was a Sunday, she got a chance to sleep in. At 3:00pm, she found herself at the airport on the way to pick him up. She was looking forward to seeing him. In the month that she had been at the shop, she had been busy everyday. And that was good. She got to the airport just as his plane was preparing to land. So as soon as she got to customs and the gates, he was coming down the escalators. He saw her and he smiled. He looked like a new man. He had a nice tan and he was smiling. She smiled back and as he went toward the custom?s agent to get clearance, she made her way to the luggage area to help him back to the car.

He gave her a hug as he met her. ?I have so much to tell you,? he said.

?Let?s get home first, okay?? she asked. He nodded.

?So how was the shop?? he asked as they walked to the car.

?Great!!!! Lots of business. Even some new customers. I had a great time, grandpa. Thanks so much for letting me do this. One thing did happen though. Brian decided to quit. So I was alone a lot but it was good. So grandpa, I go off to school in 6 days. Are you going to be okay until the course is finished. I am going to be in school for a good 6 months. But I will try and get back to help you close,? she said.

?No, Pauline. I want you to work hard. Learn new things and expand the services the shop offers. I will be okay. I was thinking I might change the hours and close at 5:00pm. That way it won?t be so hard on me,? he said. ?Come on, child. I will be okay for 6 months.?

They drove home and did not do much more talking. But once they got home, he started telling her about some of the things he did. He laughed as he told her some of his experiences.

The next four days before school were busy with many young ones returning to public school and high school. Her grandfather worked only half the day and then he went home. She stayed until 9:15 and then closed the shop. She even found herself not getting home till 10:15pm. Tired??????? Somewhat but it was a good tired.

One more day before she headed off to school. And she was determined to give him one final gift. What he had never been able to do in all the years that he owned the shop. What he had wished he could have done. The next morning he went to the shop alone. ?I have some things I need to do today,? she said.

?Wait before you go, I have something for you. I want you to take this and go invest in a good set of tools. The best you can get. Go to this store and tell them I sent you,? he said as he gave her an envelop. ?And young lady, don?t you dare say NO. I can still put you over my knee.? He smiled as he looked at her. ?I am so proud of you. I will close tonight.?

She looked at the address of the store. She smiled because that was where she was planning to go. She had been looking through the phone book, the previous evening and she had found their ad. So she placed a call and found out that they sold wigs and she knew she would need one if she carried through on her plans. Two birds with one stone. She took the subway downtown and then walked the rest of the way to the shop. She stopped for a coffee and was promptly at the door when the store opened. She walked through the aisles, picked up two pairs of scissors, a number of quality brushes, two capes, a number of combs, hairclips and pins. Then she walked to the counter and asked the customer service person to show her the best pair of clippers in the store. After holding them and checking them over, she took them and then asked to the biggest pair of men?s clippers. The last thing she bought was a metal case to put and carry her tools in. She was happy with her purchases.

Finally she was ready to ask about her last purchase. ?I called yesterday and was asking about some wigs. Do you think you could match my color with a little shorter style?? she asked with a firm voice. The customer service person took her to another counter and showed her a number of wigs that would suit her. She was happy and picked out a nice strawberry blonde wig. ?Very nice,? she said. ?I like this one.?

She left the store carrying her metal case and a hat box with housed the wig. She went to have lunch and to do some more shopping. The time went by fast and before long she found herself heading home to drop off her purchases. Her grandfather would be closing the little barber shop within an hour and she wanted to make sure she would be his final customer. So at 4:15. She walked slowly through the park. She made the walk last for half an hour. She approached the shop from the back street. He would not see her enter the shop as she would enter from the back door. She walked up the three steps and unlocked the door. He was at his chair with Mr. Wilson sitting in his chair. He had turned the chair away from the mirror and he was standing at Mr. Wilson?s side. She slipped into the back room and took her cape out of the bag. She placed it around her neck and she walked out into the shop. She quietly sat down on the chair in the waiting area.

She placed one palm on her thigh and the other palm on her knee. The chair was under his large Dunlop calendar. She sat very quietly. She watched as he did the last know customer for the day. He finally pronounced that Mr. Wilson was finished, as he put down his comb and brushed Mr. Wilson?s neck. He undid the cape and flicked it to the floor. Mr. Wilson paid and walked to the door.

?Well, I guess I can close up,? her grandfather said. ?I am tired.?

?I think you have one more customer,? she said. He turned around and she stood up. She walked to his chair.

?Child, what is this?? he said as she smiled.

?Hush, Grandpa. I want you to do this,? she said as she sat down in his old white chair. ?Turn the chair around so I can look. Do you remember the lady lawyer who you gave a short brushcut to a number of years ago? I remember you told her that she would look beautiful with a shaved head and you would be more then pleased to do it for her. You wanted to do it, didn?t you?? He nodded his head. ?I know you wanted to. I know that is the only thing you have never done, shaving a woman?s head. Well I am going to give you the opportunity. Grandpa, I want you to shave my head clean.?

He tried to argue the fact but she was determined. ?Child you cannot show up at school tomorrow with a shaved head. It would not look right,? he said.

?I have already addressed that. Grandpa it is my decision. If you will not do it, I can always go to the mall and go to the barbershop there. But I really was hoping you would consent to doing it for me,? she said. She got up off the chair and stepped away from the chair. ?We can lock the door and pull the shade. No one will know. You can go home and I will close up and go to the bank. No one needs to know I asked you to do this. Please, Grandpa. I want you to do it.? She walked to the door and turned the lock. She pulled the shade down. Her eyes begged him to do it.

He nodded and she walked back to the chair. He turned the chair so that she was looking into the mirror. ?How have you addressed the fact that you will be bald at school tomorrow?? he asked.

?I bought a wig. The same color as my hair and just a bit shorter style. It will just look like I got a trim,? she said.

?How do you want me to do this?? he asked.

?The sides, the back and then down the middle,? she said. With that he picked up his clippers, took off the guard, placed his hand at the side of her head, pulled back the line and placed the teeth of the clippers at her ear. He flicked the switch, held the clippers firmly in his hand and made the first cut into her hair. She smiled as the first swatch of hair fell to her shoulder.

Author: hairman001 Copyright protected ? 2005 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.

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