Lisa had always hated her hair. She hated that it was thin and wouldn’t hold a curl, no matter what she tried. And she especially hated wearing it short, which is just about what every hairstylist she ever had, recommended. When she was a child, her mother had always made her wear it in a short pixie style, which she absolutely despised. So as an adult, she mostly wore it a little passed shoulder length. There had been a few “experiments” over the years with styles up off the shoulder. But none were really what you would call short haircuts.
But these days, Lisa was fed up with all the effort it took every morning to get looking decent enough. She had been wearing it long, well passed her shoulders for more than two years now and was growing tired of the look. About a week ago she had seen a young woman in her office building with a nice, short bowl style she thought might be a good fit. It certainly would be less of a bother. And Lisa also wanted something “out of her face.” She was beginning to hate to have to brush her hair back from her face whenever she bent over to work on a project. Yes – something short, easy-to-take-care-of and out of her face. That’s what she would go for the next time she got a haircut.
The problem now was who was going to cut her hair. Her regular hairdresser Donna had gotten married and moved away from the area with her husband. So now Lisa was faced with the task of finding a suitable replacement. She didn’t really like any of the other hairdressers at the salon she used. So maybe now was the time to try something different. But Lisa was a little concerned with the idea of having someone she was not familiar with, cutting her hair. Especially cutting it short! She had heard too many office horror stories about this. But she really didn’t have a choice. Maybe she could get the name of a good hair stylist from one of the other women in her office. But that might be a problem too. Lisa didn’t really like any of the hair styles the other women wore.
Just then, the young women with the haircut Lisa had liked so much, stopped into the office to deliver a package from the corporate level. Lisa was going to strike up a conversation with her and find out where she had gotten her hair cut.
“Excuse me, but I just have to say – I really DO like your haircut.”
“Thank-you. I have gotten so many compliments it makes me glad I did it.”
“You mean cut it short?”
“Yes. I’ve mostly worn it long my whole life, but my boyfriend has been urging me to cut it short for months now. I finally gave in and went for it last weekend.”
“I really have to say it looks great on you. Can I ask where you got it cut?”
“Why? Are you thinking of going shorter yourself?”
“I’ve been thinking about it for awhile now, but the problem is my usual hairdresser moved away. I’m a little concerned about using someone I don’t know. But I do like the look of your hair. Maybe the person you used is someone I should try.”
“Sure I’d recommend him.”
“Him?”
“Yes. His name is Ray. This is the first time I tried him and I will easily go back to him again.
“Hm-m-m-m. I don’t know. I’ve never had a guy cut my hair before.”
“Listen. I was like you. I had never let a guy cut my hair before. But he is someone my boyfriend knew and I figured it would be OK. I mean – what is he going to do to a woman who goes out with someone he knows?”
“Well…What’s his name?”
“Sure. Ray Valmeri and he works at Salon Tropez across the plaza from the entrance to the building.”
“Oh yea, the place with all the plants in the window?”
“That’s right. Remember, just ask for Ray.”
“I’ll do that! Hey thanks so much for the tip.”
Lisa was glad she had talked to the woman. On her way home from work tonight, she would stop in the shop and make an appointment.
Later that day after she finished work for the day, Lisa left the building and headed straight across the plaza to the Salon Tropez. As she entered, she was a little surprised by how nice it was inside. She had only seen it from the outside, in passing. But being inside was a whole different experience. It was filled with exotic plants and small trees. There were vines and ivy hanging on the walls and the whole room felt alive.
Suddenly Lisa was startled by a voice from off to her left…
“Can I help you?”
“Yes. I was wondering if I could make an appointment to get my haircut.”
“Did you have a particular stylist in mind?”
“Yes, I was told to ask for Ray.”
“Ah. You were recommended by someone who currently uses our services?”
“Yes a woman who works in my building. I forgot to ask for her name though.”
“Not a problem. Let me check Ray’s appointments for the week and see if he has an opening. Actually you’re in luck. Ray is free right now if you can take the time.”
Lisa was a little surprised by this. She hadn’t expected to get her hair cut right now. But she did have time so why wait?
“Yea, I can do it now.”
“Great. I’ll let Ray know you’re here.”
With that the receptionist disappeared into the back of the shop. Lisa was left alone in the lobby and she took the time to look at some of the pictures that lined the walls. There were pictures of all different types of hairstyles. Some pretty conservative and other pretty radical and even extreme. Lisa wondered if the pictures were of other customers or just stock pictures.
Just then she heard a voice from behind her say, “Hi I’m Ray. I understand you are interested in having me cut your hair.”
With that Lisa turned and her eyes met the most interesting eyes she had ever seen on a man. They were a deep, dark blue. And Lisa was entranced the moment she saw them. “Yes – I heard you had some free time now, “she stammered.
“Not a problem. Come with me and I’ll take you back.”
Lisa followed him through the doorway into the main shop area. It was a large room basically sectioned off into nice sized cubicles. Each featured
a wall with a floor to ceiling mirror, with the other two walls covered in a type of ivy or thick vine. It matched the décor in the reception area.
“Have a seat here and let’s talk about what you want to do.”
Lisa sat in the chair and instinctively touched her hand to her hair.
“I was thinking I want to go a little shorter.”
“Hm-m-m-m – shorter.” Ray ran his fingers through Lisa’s auburn locks. She felt a tingle go up her spine as he did this. The feeling was positively electric.
“I was thinking something out of my face and easy to take care of.”
“Any particular cut you were thinking of?”
“I don’t know. I saw a woman in the building where I work with a nice, modified bowl type style. On her, it looked absolutely striking. I’d like something like that.”
Ray continued to run his fingers through her hair and holding the bulk of it up. “You have very fine hair. Probably has trouble holding a curl, right?”
“Almost impossible.”
“Yes I think definitely shorter is better. And with your features, a short style will really accent your face and eyes. You have beautiful eyes by the way.”
Lisa again felt the tingle run up her spine and had to stifle a smile. She was being flattered and she really liked it!
Ray continued playing with her hair. “Yes. I think I have an idea. But before we begin I need to know that you trust me. Do you trust me?” He turned her chair around to face him and she looked into those deep blue eyes. It was almost hypnotizing. She managed only a meek head shake in agreement.
“Great!” And with that Ray whirled the chair back so that she was facing the back wall mirror again. “I think a bowl style will look good on you. And if you don’t mind, I’d like to do it in a clipper cut.”
“Oh? What’s that exactly?”
“It’s a haircut using electric clippers. I find they create a nice sharp line and give thin, fine hair like yours, a very nice look. Very clean and even.”
Lisa had never had her hair cut with clippers before. She had seen it done on other women at her old salon. But she had never had it done to her hair.
“Well if you think it’s best, that would be fine with me.” At this point, she was so entranced by this guy, she would have agreed to anything.
Ray than gathered Lisa’s hair in back and began pulling it into a ponytail. He took a small rubber band from the counter in front of her and fastened it into her hair. Looking straight into the mirror, she kind of liked the effect as her hair was pulled back and away from her face. She indeed would look good with short hair.
“Now I’ll remove the bulk of your hair to make it easier for me to work with.”
With that he produced a pair of silver scissors and expertly and precisely snipped the ponytail off above the rubber band. Immediately her remaining hair fell free at about her jaw line. It had the appearance of a rough bob haircut. Ray then waved the ponytail in front of Lisa. “Want a souvenir?”
Lisa did not answer. She only shyly smiled. Then he placed a black cape around her. And took a strip of tissue and put it around her neck, pulling the cape up and fastening it all together.
“Next I’m going to cut the front so I have a nice line to work from.”
He combed the hair on the top front portion of her head forward, so that it covered her eyes. Very quickly he cut straight across in front so that she now sported bangs about a quarter inch above the eyebrows. He had done it so quickly; Lisa didn’t have a chance to protest. But once she got over the initial shock, she kind of liked the look. She couldn’t remember the last time she had worn bangs. Maybe it was when she was a child.
In looking at her reflection, she was taken back to a time when she was about six or seven years old. She saw herself getting another drastically short pixie haircut. The nice feeling she had, suddenly disappeared and she snapped wide awake again. And the short bangs she was seeing, didn’t seem to look as nice.
But Ray was playing with her hair again. Gently pulling it up and clipping it up on the sides and around the back with a large hair clip. The line where the top and bottom hair separated was even with the line of her bangs. Alarmed initially, Ray gently working his fingers through her hair, and she relaxed once again.
After he finished combing up and clipping the top hair on both sides and back. He reached for a set of clippers he had on a hook just below the counter. They were a shinny silver and seemed abnormally large. She heard a loud pop that made her jump a little. But she remained calm and looked straight ahead into the mirror.
She watched Ray slide behind her and gently moved her head forward until her chin was pressed into her chest. Lisa felt the clippers ease into her hair and move slowly up the nape of her neck and high onto her head. She noticed a large clump of hair fall to her shoulder and slide forward onto the cape in her lap. It seemed like a lot of hair, but Lisa was feeling totally relaxed and continued smiling.
Ray continued to work along the back, making slow even movement upward with the clippers whirring. Lisa began to feel her whole head lighten and she was beginning to notice a coolness on her neck and back of her head. She closed her eyes and reveled in the sensation she was feeling. But what she couldn’t see was that Ray was shaving the entire back of her head, down to faint stubble. He had no guard on the clippers and was basically removing all the hair from the back of her head, up to the hairline where the top hair had been combed up and gathered together in a hair clip.
At this point Ray moved around in front of Lisa and stood between her and the mirror? “How we doing so far? Everything OK?”
Because she could not see what Ray was actually doing to her hair, Lisa said, “Wonderful. Great!”
Hearing that, Ray turned the chair so that Lisa was now looking at the left, vine covered wall. He remained between her and the mirror and began working on the left side of her head. Ray started at the front of her ear and brought the clippers up and around the ear. Lisa again noticed a large clump of hair drop into her lap. But she was enjoying the feeling so much; she hardly noticed it was most of the hair from the side of her head. Ray continued working the clippers back until he had a perfect line from the bangs in front around the side to the back of Lisa’s head.
He turned the chair toward him again so he could cut the other side of Lisa’s head. As the chair moved passed him, he smiled at her and Lisa again shyly smiled back at him. Ray saw she was enjoying the sensation the clippers were having with her.
Now he started work on the right side of her head, again starting at the front of the ear and moving back. Once he had removed all the hair above and behind her right ear, he turned the clippers off. Lisa pouted for a moment as she was disappointed the clippering was done. But the pouting was short lived because once again Ray was moving his fingers through her remaining hair on top, removing the hair clips and letting the hair fall. As he did this, the hair on top was covering all the hair he had removed underneath.
Ray again turned Lisa’s chair so she was facing the mirror and said, “Now I will work on the top to give it that bowl look.” Lisa heard the familiar pop and soothing hum of the clippers as they came to life. Ray brought them to the right side of Lisa’s head in front of the ear, and in line with the front bangs. He brought the clippers straight into her hair and about six inches of hair fell into Lisa’s lap. This is the first time she could truly see the cut Ray was giving her and she gave a little gasp as she saw what was happening. Ray kept moving with precision above the ear and around to the back of her head. Long strands of hair were falling everywhere and when Lisa looked down she saw a large pile of hair both in her lap and on the floor. It was hard for her to believe that much hair had come from her head. Lisa could see that this truly was a true bowl haircut. There would be no hair on either side of her head or in back. All that would be left would be the hair on top of her head. This is not what she had in mind when she came in here.
When she initially saw what was happening, she was in a little shock. But now as Ray was finishing up the left side, she managed to get a few words out.
“Excuse me.” She said meekly. But Ray didn’t respond. She tried again with a little more force. “Excuse me!” Ray, who had now finished, turned off the clippers and moved around in front of Lisa again.
“Ah…this is NOT what I had in mind for my haircut.”
“I thought we agreed on a bowl haircut?”
“I did agree to a bowl haircut, but not as short as the one you’ve given me.”
“I asked you to trust me, remember”
“I remember. But I also remember telling you about the bowl haircut I saw and liked. This one looks nothing like that.”
“Ah. But this one is a better fit for you and your facial features. Wait until I’m finished and I’m sure you will change your mind.”
Ray went to work on the top of Lisa’s hair, using scissors and comb. Again as he worked his fingers through her hair, Lisa started to relax again and even close her eyes. Ray continued to comb and cut, tapering the hair so the cut was not so blunt between the top and bottom.
After a few minutes, Lisa opened her eyes and was surprised to see a style that indeed looked very nice. Though much shorter than she originally envisioned, she did see the cut highlighted her face.
Ray finished combing through her hair and put down the scissors. He grabbed a mirror and held it at the back of Lisa’s head so she could see his handy work from all sides.
“So? What do you think? It looks pretty good doesn’t it?”
Lisa smiled brightly and shook her head in agreement.
“Aren’t you glad you trusted me?”
She again shook her head. But as Ray dusted down her neck and forehead with a brush, a little doubt was starting to creep in. Finally as he removed the cape and all the hair in her lap fell away, Lisa was beginning to wonder how she was going to feel about this cut when she woke up tomorrow when she wouldn’t have Ray’s dark blue eyes to stare into.
She moved her hand to the back of her head where Ray had clippered the hair closely, and gently moved it upward toward the top of her had. She felt the stubble and smiled.
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