She was a wild child, rebelling at everything. Ashley moved in with a girlfriend after highschool, no more parents to tell her when to come or who she could go out with. She got a job which paid ok, although she had to pay her share of the rent. Her friend was a real party girl. Although only 18 it wasn't hard to find party's where alcohol and drugs were. He was a trucker, 4 years older, not bad looking except for the straggly long hair and face whiskers, but once Ashley had started drinking it didn't matter much anyway. After the party she had gone home with him to his little trailer. It was fun, she thought to play house. He was gone most of the week, home on weekends, when she had to be at work anyway. A few weeks later she moved her stuff out and told her girlfriend she wouldn't be back. Two weeks after she had moved into the trailer she missed her period. Just late she thought. A week later the results came back, she was definitely pregnant. He said he would marry her. She wasn't ready for that so she moved back home. She wanted to get an abortion, her mother said that was wrong. There were so many couples that really wanted a child and couldn't have one. She could put it up for adoption. They said they would pay for all the medical expenses or she could go to an adoption agency and find a good lawyer who would have the prospective adoptive parents pay. They all seemed to forget that Steven knew she was pregnant and it didn't take long for him to find out that she hadn't had an abortion. After it was way too late for her to have an abortion he walked back in and said that she couldn't give the child away, if she didn't want it he would take it, it was his child too. Her parents weren't thrilled and tried to have it so that he couldn't interfere. What was a trucker, on the road all the time, going to do with a baby? How was he going to take care of it? He gave up his truck job and got one with a company driving the forklift so that he would be in town when the baby was due. He was at the hospital when the little boy was born, strong and healthy. Ashley didn't even want to see it again. It would always be a reminder of a mistake she had made. She quickly signed the paper that gave sole custody of the unnamed baby to Steven and left the hospital. Steven didn't know what he was going to do with a baby either. But he did give the boy a name: Steven William III.
Steven had stopped at a Walmart and had gotten everything anyone there could think of a baby would need for weeks to come and put it in his truck. He came unannounced to his parents farm. He hadn't even told his mother that he was going to be a father. When he drove up in the early evening, the baby was crying in it's seat. His mother, Aretha, and his father, Steven Sr., came out when they heard the pickup come to a stop in the front yard. His mother came running and met him just as he opened the truck door to get out. She hugged him tight, and looked at him with tears in her eyes, she hadn't seen him for two years, although he had only lived 50 miles away. She was so happy. His father stood there waiting, his arms crossed; this was the son he had wanted to leave the farm to, but who had run off to get away from the farm. Aretha asked, "what on earth are you doing with a baby?" She heard it crying, and gave him a questioning look. `I don't know seemed like a stupid kind of answer', even if it was true. "Never mind," she said as she went quickly around the other side and opened the door. She gently lifted little Stevie out of the carrier. "Why, he can't be more than a day or two old!" exclaimed his mother. Junior had followed her around. "It's hard to explain Momma. This is Steven the III, my son. His mother didn't want him and so I took him. I didn't know what else to do, so I brought him home." His dad came around. "Look Steven, your grandson." she said.
Steven Sr looked at his grandson, looked at his son, and said, "the boy can stay, IF he will stay on the farm. You can't drop him off now and come back and get him later. You'll have to sign papers giving your mom and I sole custody until he is grown. Do you understand, son?" Junior understood, he wasn't really happy, but he also didn't have much of a choice. "We'll go into town tomorrow and see the lawyer." Dad stuck out his hand and Junior reached out and shook it. That was more binding he knew than any piece of paper. His dad smiled and gave his son a hug. "Now, come on, bring all that stuff and the baby into the house. Your momma is much more pleased than you will ever guess. Although the story must be a bad one." Steven suddenly realized that he had just agreed to stay on the farm too and help his dad and one day take over. Oh well, he was getting older and the farm didn't seem like a bad place to raise a son. He'd call tomorrow and tell his boss he was leaving. Sometime he'd have to go empty that trailer he'd rented. Thank goodness the lease was nearly up.
In the house, grandma was in heaven, holding and cuddling little Stevie as he would be called. "When's the last time you fed him?" she asked. "Well, they gave me a bottle to take from the hospital and he finished that while we were stopped at Walmart. But nothing since then." "Good graciosus, no wonder little Stevie is crying." Off to the kitchen she went to make some of the formula. While she was feeding the baby she called around her church group to see if anyone knew someone who could wet nurse the baby. It turned out there were two girls who would be more than happy to share with the new baby.
True to his word, the next day Junior went into town with his dad to make the papers giving his mom and dad custody of little Stevie. It didn't take long to do the papers and then to the courthouse to have the clerk of court stamp them. That done, his dad came out of the court house and put the papers in the truck. Junior started to get in. "Not just yet son. Let's go across the street and get you cleaned up." Steven Jr had let his hair grow long enough for a good pony tail. When let out it hung down to his shoulder blades. This was like old times and there was no point in arguing with his dad. That was one of the reasons he had left the farm in the first place. Well, it was the farm, but it was also his dad's firm control of his life in almost every aspect. This time he shrugged his shoulders. No one had cared when he was driving the truck or at his job driving the fork lift at the factory. There were three of the chairs in the old barbershop. Old chrome and black leather chairs. You could smell the years of clipper oil and hair tonic. There was still some remnant of the cigarettes and cigar odor from the days when you could still smoke. Hardly anyone smoked any more, those that did had to sit on the bench outside. There was a customer in one of the chairs just starting to get a business mans haircut. The two farther chairs were empty and the two unoccupied barbers were cleaning their equipment and talking about the way styles came and went. The younger barber, Jim was perhaps 25, was saying that the new crew cuts and flat tops..... the older barber, his dad, Robert said that crew cuts and flat tops had been "in" in the 50's and 60's. they weren't new cuts. Although he thought it was refreshing to see men with short hair again. The customer who had just started to get his hair cut held up his hand to stop the barber; "Robert, you think short hair is in?" "Oh yes", Robert replied, "In fact Jake, you'd look younger if you'd take about half again that off the top and get it closer on the sides." "Ok. Billy, take it down. I'd like to look younger and hope it's easier to keep up." "How much shorter, Mr. Diles?" "Whatever you think. I'll just sit here and enjoy it." Robert indicated to Billy that he should leave about 2 inches on top and from zero tapered smoothly up to the top.
Robert had been cutting Steven's dad since he was a kid. So he went to Robert's chair and motioned for Junior to have a seat in Jim's chair. Jim and Steven Jr had gone to school together and had been good friends. They had a bit of remembering while he was getting his hair cut. Jim asked how he wanted it cut. "Short, Jim, just make it as short as you like." "You sure, Steve"? "Yeah. It'll make my dad here happy." "Ok man, but you will certainly look different when you get outta this chair." Robert had already started fixing up Steven Sr's flat top that he had kept from his days in the service.
Jim first took Steven's hair down out of the pony tail and combed it all out. "This is really nice. Do you mind if we give this to the folks that make wigs for children with cancer?" "Sure. It's better than just sweeping it out to the garbage." "I'll put your name on the package. They will sure appreciate the donation." Jim then made 5 pony tails, each bound tightly near the scalp by heavy rubber bands. Steven was surprised when he took out the clippers to cut them off. He had thought that scissors would be used. Jim explained that the hair would be even longer removed this way and it didn't matter that there were the 5 bald spots, since it would all "blend in" when he was finished. The long hair was set aside. Jim didn't think there was any point in wasting time in getting right down to the business at hand. It was a little late, but he asked Steven again if he was sure he wanted his hair cut really close. Steven didn't really care about the hair anymore. He hadn't cared to start with, except his dad had always been on him to get it cut. "You can shave it smooth if you like." Jim didn't hesitate. With the same clippers he just used to remove the pony tails, he started right up front at the top. The clippers were snapped on and their hungry teeth mowed Stevens hair right down to the scalp from forehead to the back of his crown. Stroke after stroke until it was all gone, not a hair on top was longer than 1/8th of an inch. Then the sides. Starting just below the sideburns all the way up to the top. "As long as we're taking off the top Steve, how about cleaning off the face too? It'll make you look and feel younger." There was a mirror in front and Steven had watched it all. He was amazed at the transformation. What a change! His face definitely need some work, but he would like have it trimmed up into a moustache and goatee. If he didn't like the way it looked, then it could be shaved off. Jim reclined the chair a little and with the little silver clippers, cleaned off the cheeks, jaw line, and the neck. He used his comb to smooth out the moustache and goatee that was left and trimmed them shorter using the clippers on top of the comb. Then he sat the chair back up and brushed off the loose hair from head and neck. He unclipped the cape and removed the paper strip from around the neck. He folded the cape down into Steven's lap. With a warm steamy towel he cleaned off any small missed clippings that might have been left from the brush. A towel was placed around his neck and tucked into the collar. Next he used a shaving oil, massaging it thoroughly into the scalp, the sides and back of the head. It had a slight camphor or eucalyptus scent, but felt good. It was followed by warm lather from the machine which was smoothed over the top and sides. Jim said he liked the new replaceable blade straight razors, they were cleaner and sharper than the old cut throat ones. This got him a stern look from his father who still used those that he kept a sharp keen edge on. Jim was adept with the razor and soon Stevens head was smooth as a cue ball. "You going to be out on the farm, be sure and use sun screen for a few days until this tans up. You don't want it to burn and peel. And don't wear a baseball cap, unless you would like to have a ring around your head. Wear a brimmed hat if you want, but, this will look much better with a tanned head." Jim then reclined the chair again and used the shaving oil, then lathered the face where he was going to shave. He cleaned off any residue from the lather. He combed the moustache and goatee again and trimmed a few of the hairs that wanted to curl up with his scissors. He set the chair back upright and removed the cape from Stevens lap. Steven got up and looked at himself in the full mirror. It was a whole new person looking back. He had to admit he looked much better. His dad who had been finished a while, had a big smile on his face. "Now that's what I call a hair cut! Looks real good on you son."
Jim was also impressed. He collected the money and told Steven to give him a call. He invited him over to his house for dinner on Friday night if he wasn't busy. "Someone I'd like you to see", he said. "Lisa would be glad to see you again too. Although she may blame you for what I'm about to do." Jim went and sat in his dad's barber chair. "Ok dad, take it all off. Shave it smooth, just like Steve's." Steven asked Jim if he could take him back out to the farm later. "Sure thing," he said. Steven told his dad to go on, he had to see this hair cut, he'd be home before dark or would call.
Robert was sure that Lisa would have at least a word or two to say, but then again, maybe she would like it. Jim's hair wasn't really long to start with and had started to thin on top and recede in the front. It wasn't going to be much longer until he had to keep it cut really short anyway, like his dad's. Robert put the paper strip around his neck and then snapped on the cape. He looked at Steven. "Not as much to cut here. This won't take long and then you boys can go do something together this afternoon. I'm sure Billy and I will be able to take care of the shop for at least half a day. Although if very many men see you two, I might have a line waiting for their own shave." He used the 00000 clipper blade and with deft quick strokes removed all the hair from Jim's head. Jim kept his face shaved smooth so there wasn't that to do. As he massaged the shaving oil into Jim's almost bare scalp, he told how he had read about using it instead of just the shaving cream. He used it himself and thought it gave a smoother overall shave and left his skin feeling better. Jim, like Steven had light brown hair, more a sandy blond really. When his dad had finished shaving him, there was very little shadow and when it tanned up, you wouldn't see any at all. He took the cape off and let Jim get up. "You two boys stand there together". From somewhere Robert brought out a digital camera and took their picture. (He had kept a camera for years, mostly to take pictures of boy's first haircuts.) "OK, you guys can go. Get yourself a good double edge razor, a Gillette Sensor Excel I would recommend, and keep it shaved smooth. Let me give you a little bottle of this shaving oil. Just read the label. It takes only about 12 drops to do your whole head and face."
Jim and Steve
n went out. They had lunch at the café down the street. Then Steven said he needed to get some new jeans and work boots if he was going to stay and work on the farm. He agreed to come over to Jim's on Friday night for dinner. "Dress nice", Jim told him. "There's someone you just have to meet. Matter of fact, why don't you wear a suit and tie." "I'll have to buy one to wear one", Steven said. "You'll have to wear one too!" "I will if you will. The wife will be surprised, although not much more than when I get home tonight. Maybe I should take you by her place first. I think she'll like this shaved head. But she'll like it better when she see's yours too." They went down to the mens's store and got Steven some jeans and work boots as well as a pair of black dress shoes. He picked up some sport shirts and some work shirts. This was not a large town but the mens store had a good selection of men's dress clothes, suits, shirts and ties. Steven still had his athletic build; he very conscientiously worked out at the gym and went running three or four times a week. They decided to buy matching blue suits. Steven dropped by the drug store and picked up the needed razor and shaving supplies. Then they went by the shop where Lisa worked. She said she would be right with them in a minute. Then she did a double take as she recognized Jim and then Steven. She quickly finished with her customer and came over. She gave Jim a quick kiss. "Oh, I like it!" she said. "And as for you," she said to Steven as she gave him a little hug, "I don't suppose I can blame you since you are not a barber. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Oh well, it doesn't matter, you both look very handsome", she said with a smile. "Did you ask him to come over Friday night?" she asked Jim. "He'll be there and all dressed up too." "I feel like I'm in the middle of a conspiracy", Steven said. "No", said Lisa. "We're just having a really good friend over and we really needed someone to complete the table." "Uh huh", was Steven's comment. "I guess I'll find out Friday night. I hope I can remember how to tie a tie." "Go on you two. And I'll see you later." she said to Jim.
Steven's mom was a little surprised to see his shiny head when he got home, but she only said how handsome he looked all trimmed up. She took the clothes from his hands and headed towards the laundry room. She came back with the suit and a puzzled look on her face. "Important date on Friday night and I was told it was suit and tie", he said as he headed to his old room to hang it in the closet. She had cleaned the room out while he was gone that day. The bed had clean sheets and a white bedspread. She had followed him. "It'll be more like your place when you get your stuff moved back in. You're welcome to stay here as long as you like, although I expect that sooner or later you may want to take one of the little farm hands houses for a little more privacy." "Momma, it will be a while before I move out again, although you are probably right. Little Stevie will want a room for himself when he gets a little bigger, and maybe, just maybe I'll find someone to marry and make a real family for myself. I'd like to enlarge that old place down the lane. Make it into a real home just in case. I talked to Dad about it and it was ok. He said it would need a lot of work. It will give me something to do when I'm not busy helping him." He had a pretty good bank account. But farmers only got paid when the crop or animals were sold. He would have to watch his money for a while. He would start by enlarging the garden tomorrow. It was still pretty early in the season and it would give him something to do. He'd go back to town next week and get his belongings from the trailer and collect his last paycheck. Working outside would also help get his head tanned. The next two days went by pretty fast. He remembered to use the sun screen and he could see that his head was beginning to tan well by Friday.
Friday came. Steven worked all morning getting his new garden plot planted. After lunch he helped his dad get some of the equipment ready for the field work next week while he would be gone. At 4:00 he went in and began to get ready to go into town. He showered and shaved his head smooth using the shaving oil. He had gotten to like that feel. He carefully shaved his face around his moustache and beard. His mom had starched and ironed his white dress shirts. When he came out in the blue suit, white shirt and the blue and yellow pattern tie, his dad whistled. "The girls had better beware." His mom said he was just about the handsomest man she'd ever seen." He asked if he could borrow some of the roses that had just started to bloom. She went out herself and picked a nice little bouquet. "Off you go now. Too bad you don't have a nice car. You could borrow mine." "No momma. I cleaned the truck up and waxed it. It'll do just fine. I think I'm just going over to Jim's for dinner. He didn't say anything about going anywhere else. I expect I'll be late getting in. I'll go on into my place in town and make a start on getting rid of stuff and figuring out what I'm gonna bring home."
He handed Lisa the bouquet of roses when he went in. She gave him a little peck and went to put them in a vase. Jim was all dressed up in his suit too. He'd worn his pale blue shirt and the blue and yellow paisley tie. A voice that he knew came to him. He stood Jim aside. "Elizabeth. Oh my goodness. I haven't seen you since graduation." Elizabeth and Steven had been good friends, they had even dated a few times. She had gone off to nursing school right after high school. She was a floor charge nurse at the county hospital. She had been busy with her career and hadn't found any doctor that she even thought about marrying. She was really glad to see Steven, and `God', she thought, `he's as good or better looking than he ever was'. After dinner they went out dancing at the elks club. He made a date to see Elizabeth again.
It was pretty late when he left so he drove on back to his place. It was another 60 miles but the roads were not busy and he made good time, getting in about 2:00 am. He slept late. When he did get up, he showered and shaved. While he was deciding where to start, the phone rang. One of his old buddies was wondering where he had been and was he going down to the gym. He got into the clothes he usually wore to the gym, grabbed up his gym bag, making sure it had a clean towel and underwear. He'd shower there and change before he came back. He needed to buy a couple more shirts and pants, since he had come back here without them. Most of his old clothes were going to be thrown away. They didn't fit his new image. His buddy only recognized him because he saw him get out of the truck. "Wow!" was all he could say. Steven told him he was starting a new life. This would probably be his last time to the gym. He told him about moving back to the farm. After their workout. Pete asked how he thought he would look with his head shaved. Steven laughed. Better be sure you really want to do it. But you won't know how it looks til it's done. Steve said he was going down to the mall to do a little shopping. There's a barber shop there that does mens hair. Ride down with me and you can give it a try while I'm picking up a few things I need.
Pete said he would ride down with him, but he didn't know if he would really go through with it. At the mall, Steven parked near the entrance where he needed to go; it was also where the barbershop was. Steven walked Pete to the barbershop and waited with him until he was seated, the paper strip attached and the cape in place. He told the barber to give Pete the same haircut and to not let him chicken out. He slipped the barber a ten and just said "smooth". He told Pete where he would be if he got finished first.
The barber got his tools all ready. Put a little oil on the clippers. Snapped them on and off. He came and stood beside the chair. "Here it goes." He put the unguarded 00000 blade of the clippers at the front of Petes forehead and snapped them on. Without hesitation he pushed them back through the hair, the sharp whirring teeth made short work of the hair, leaving a swath of nearly bare skin in their wake. There was no mirror that Pete could see himself in, so all he could do was feel the cool air on his fresh mown scalp. It didn't take the barber long to finish the top. Then he started on the sides. Petes hair had been pretty long, down over his ears with sideburns that came down to the angle of his jaw. The barbers next cut removed the one on the left side. It balled up and tumbled down the cape into his lap. Then around the ears and up the sides meeting the skinned head on top. One side finished he started at the nape, low down on the neck and finished the back off with 5 swipes. Only the right side left to be done. It had taken less than 5 minutes for Petes head to go from 5 inch long hair to none. As the barber turned off the clippers and put them down, Pete reached up and felt his head. Almost like fine sandpaper. After brushing off his head and neck, the barber turned him around so that he could see the future. He undid the cape and removed the paper strip. The cape he folded down into Pete's lap. A warm damp towel was used to remove any last loose hair missed by the brush. Then he held a warm steamy towel over Pete's head for a few minutes to let the warm damp soften up the little stubble that was there. He removed that and lathered the head all over. This barber didn't use a straight razor, but a Mach III with a new blade. In another 5 minutes Petes head was as smooth as Stevens. The barber had left him facing the mirror. Pete was astounded at the change. On closer inspection, he thought that his moustache didn't add anything to the look and asked the barber if he could trim it up or perhaps even shave it off. The barber suggested trimming first. He used the edging trimmers and made the bottom just a little shorter above his upper lip. Then he took off the top part until there was just a 1/4 inch thin line. He had dark brown hair, almost black. It looked really good. "I think that's it," Pete said. Just wish there wasn't as much shadow on top. The barber asked if he had about 20 more minutes, he could get rid of most of the shadow. Pete said that would be ok. The barber reached under the counter and pulled out a squeeze bottle. He put on a pair of thin rubber gloves and spread it all over the top, sides and back of Pete's head. It didn't smell so good and on his bare skin it felt warm with a slight sting. After 15 minutes, the barber used a plastic blade to scrape the gunk off his head. It was a depilatory cream and it went below the surface to remove the hair down to the hair follicles. Pete's head was now perfectly smooth, if a little pink. The barber put a cool damp towel over it and the pink soon went away. There was almost no noticeable shadow anymore. The barber said it might be 4 or 5 days for the hair to start growing back.
The haircut complete, Pete went to find Steven in the men's store. He was trying on dress pants and had decided on the flat fronts rather than the pleated. He had also picked out a couple of plaid sport shirts. Something to wear when he went to town, he said. He stared at Pete. "You should come out and meet my friend Jim. We'd be the three musketeers." Pete said that perhaps he could come in a few weeks. He would bring his fiance, Janet, and make it a weekend. Steven told him to bring a suit for church and they would have a real Sunday dinner at his mom's, and he could meet little Stevie.
Steve drove Pete back to the gym to pick up his car. He gave him the phone number at his mom's house and his new cell phone number as well. "I'm gonna hold you to that visit." he told Pete.
Back at his trailer, Steven made pretty quick work of the stuff that was being thrown away. He'd dropped his new clothes off at the 1 hour cleaners, so by the time he was ready to haul the stuff off it would be time to pick up his clothes. What he was keeping he put in boxes and his old suit case and set them by the door. The trailer sounded hollow and empty, but he would stay there until Monday.
On Monday, Steven put on a pair of dress pants and the red plaid sport shirt. He went out to the factory and told them he was leaving. He hadn't worked there long, but still had a paycheck coming. Just give the secretary a little time to run it through. He went by the trailer park after he cashed the check and told them he had emptied the trailer and he was leaving. They could use the deposit to have it cleaned. His last stop before he left town was to go by the drivers license office and get a new picture, put his new address on it, and have it renewed. He turned the radio up and sang all the way back to the farm.
Steven and Jim kept their heads shaved and remained best friends. Steven married Elizabeth a year later, settled down in the house he had renovated and had another Steven. Little Stevie was raised as his Grandparents child and it wasn't until he was in highschool that he learned that his brother was really his father and that he had another brother now whose name was also Steven. Pete indeed brought Janet out to meet Jim and his wife as well as Steven. He found a job in the little town and afterward married Janet in the little church where they had gone on their first visit. The men became known as the three brothers, they spent so much time together. Pete kept his head shaved, perhaps because it had never grown back in except in patches after the barber had used the depilatory cream. He tried once or twice, but Janet told him he looked much nicer with the smooth head.
Rate this story now.
Enter some comments about this story or see what others have said on the forums.
Recommendations
If you liked this story, here are others that you might like.
Your Internet home for stories about male and female haircuts, head shaves, buzz cuts, alternative hairstyles, and more!
Copyright 2002-2012 by the owners of HairSnip.com