A Fresh Start, Sort Of
So, my hair was getting ridiculous. You know that point? Where it just doesn’t sit right, no matter what you do. Looked like I’d been dragged through a hedge backwards. Figured it was time to sort it out, get something a bit more put-together.
I headed over to my usual spot. Place isn’t fancy, but the guy there, Tony, he usually gets what I’m after. Sometimes. Other times, well, you take what you get, right? Anyway, I walked in, and he was free, which was a good start. No waiting around listening to terrible music for an hour.
Plopped myself down in the chair. He gives me the usual, “Same again?” look. I said, “Actually, Tony, let’s try something different this time. Thinking a fade, you know? Real short on the sides, blended up. And keep a bit of length on top so I can slick it back. Something clean.” He just nodded. Man of few words, Tony. Sometimes I wonder if he’s even listening, but the clippers came out, so I guess he was.
The Buzzing Begins
He started with the clippers, that familiar buzz. First, he took off the bulk around the sides and back. Just zzzzzzip, gone. Then he started working on the actual fade. Guard on, guard off, different lengths. I was watching him in the mirror, trying to see if he was making a mess of it. It’s always a bit nerve-wracking, that bit. You’re trusting someone with sharp things near your head.
He spent a fair bit of time on the blending. Going over it again and again. That’s the important part, I reckon. Don’t want any harsh lines, makes it look cheap. He was pretty focused, I’ll give him that. Didn’t say much, just snipped and buzzed. The top he just trimmed with scissors, taking off enough so it wouldn’t be a floppy mess but leaving enough to work with.
Then came the razor for the neckline. That always feels a bit old school, but it gets it super sharp. A bit of that foamy stuff, then scrape, scrape. All done pretty quick.
The Big Reveal (or not so big)
He spun me around to face the mirror properly. “Alright?” he asked. I had a good look. Yeah, it was decent. The fade was pretty smooth, sides were nice and tight. Top had enough length to push back. It was… slick. Exactly what I’d sort of mumbled at him.
He put a bit of that waxy stuff in, worked it through, and combed it back. Looked pretty sharp, I gotta say. Definitely an improvement on the bird’s nest I walked in with.
Paid the man, gave him a tip. Walked out feeling a bit lighter, a bit more presentable. It’s funny how a decent haircut can make you feel a bit better about things, even if it’s just for a while. Now, to see how long I can make it look this good before it grows out and I’m back to looking like a scarecrow. That’s the real challenge, isn’t it?
