Unveiling The Essence Of Haircut Story Archive Female
A cold wind whipped through the quiet streets of my neighborhood in Malmo as I made my way home on that fateful March evening at only 30 years old.
I never imagined I’d be a window walking Alone at Night After my Husband.
Jonas’s untimely death just three months prior my long blonde hair flew wildly around my face already streaked with a few grays that seem to appear overnight in my Grief.
I quickened my pace as I turned onto Linda Hogan Street hoping to soon take refuge in the cozy one bedroom Apartment.
Jonas and I had Snared for the past five Years, We were only married for two it still didn’t feel real that he was gone.
Jonas had always loved my long blonde hair, He would gently brush and braid it, while we snuggled on the couch watching old movies, after he passed
I simply couldn’t bring myself to cut it even though the strands now felt like sad reminders of the past a few months after the funeral.
I reconnected with my childhood friend, Axel over coffee.
We had grown up on the same block in Helsingborg but lost over the years.
Axel had also recently gone through the pain of divorce in which we found solace eventually falling in love just a year after losing Jonas.
Axel and I made our union official with a small seaside wedding ceremony part of me worried it was too soon or that I was trying to erase what Jonas and I had but Axel embraced all of me including my lingering grief with him, I felt hope that one day my tears of sadness would transform to ones of joy.
However, I soon Learned that Axel preferred short hair on women. He was especially fond of pixie cuts and buzz cuts, the complete opposite of my long blonde locks that fell nearly to my waist. I had never cut my hair in my 30 years of life.
My hair was intertwined with my identity, not just my lost love with Jonas. At first I brushed off Axel’s gentle suggestions about trying a new shorter style but over the last few months his words have become more insistent now every single morning over coffee.
Alex looks at me with serious eyes and says, you would look gorgeous with an undercut pixie cut, I shuffle uneasily whenever he makes this daily pronouncement knowing there is an unspoken demand behind the seeming suggestion this sunday morning felt different though.
Axel sat across from me at the breakfast table his face set in hard lines get your things on and come with me, he stated flatly, I hesitated before asking him where we were going, Axel kept his steely gaze fixed on me without warmth we’re going to the barber the one down the street that you pass every day and you’re getting that undercut pixie.
I will keep telling you about it. I shrank back but knew there would be no changing his mind, not this Sunday morning when he slammed his fists twice on the wooden table and bellowed now, I hurried to comply by grabbing my handbag with trembling fingers.
Axel had never spoken to me with such fury and contempt his strict tone and clenched fists brooked no room for arguing a tense gloomy silence enveloped us both as we left the house each step toward the fateful barbershop filled me with rising panic and sadness by trailing half a step behind Axel my shoulders slumped in resignation 30 years of hair growth soon to be swept away by a cold stranger’s shears my eyes prickled with tears at the thought would Axel even recognize me.
Once my waist length locs were reduced to mere stubble would I recognize myself, I would look as foreign to myself as Axel now seemed this stranger marching stiffly ahead oblivious to my anguish the barbershop loomed closer with each leaden footfall my pulse pounded louder in my ears than our synced footsteps echoing down the deserted Sunday morning Streets each scuff of axles shoes on the pavement reinforced the inescapable rigor of this forced shearing.
I wiped a straight tear quickly before we reached the glowing red and white striped pole outside the shop entrance.
We had arrived in front of Footer’s Barbershop, a decade’s old storefront.
I must have passed 1000 times since moving to the neighborhood. faded posters still advertised long discontinued hair tonics in the window; the red and white swirling poles slowly revolving over the doorway had likely spun non stop for over 50 years.
I hesitated on the threshold as Axel impatiently held the door the black and white checkered tiles the chipping sky blue paint the worn leather chairs it suddenly felt stepping back in time or perhaps stepping into my own future a prisoner about to face sentencing well Axel asked Briskly when I didn’t immediately move he gave me little shove across the entryway take a seat
Joe will give you the pixie I told him about a tall man in a white smoked glanced up from behind the front counter.
Joe I presumed likely the second or third generation barber to have manned this antique shop. His eyes lingered a beat too long on my waist length hair before giving Axel a silent nod of understanding.
Joe cleared his throat and gestured to the empty barber chair to have a seat, miss what we are doing for you today.
I hesitated not wanting to voice what I was about to lose
Axel answered for me. My wife wants one of your short pixie cuts buzz tight on the sides and back.
Joe raised his eyebrows as he looked at me over all of his gorgeous hair. It seems a waste you sure about this dear he addressed me kindly.
I opened my mouth but no words came out, I didn’t know how to stand up for myself anymore
Axel stepped forward and gripped my shoulders
Yes She’s sure to do your Job.
Joe’s eyes flitted between me & Axel Before landing on my head he gave a resigned sign all right miss have a seat and we’ll get this over quick.
shame though, I heard him mutter as I sank into the leather chair a stranger numbness creeping over me.
I stared straight ahead at my reflection in the streaked mirror as Joe fastened the black nylon cape around my neck.
He gently tilted my head forward and gathered up my waist length flaxen hair
I felt the teeth of his comb smooth through from roots to ends in long slow strokes last chance to change your mind.
I felt the teeth of his comb smooth through from roots to ends in long slow strokes last chance to change your mind.
Joe said softly by my ear, our eyes met in the mirror,
I opened my mouth but the hard look on Axel’s face standing nearby froze my face once more with a slow exhale.
Joe lifted the comb and I heard the clippers buzz to life starting at my nape. He began shearing up the back of my head in broad strokes, blonde strands rained down gathering in piles on the cape and floor.
I scarcely dared to breathe as lock after lock fell in what seemed mere moments. All that remained was a peach fuzz covering my head. My body trembled as I stared bewildered at this stranger looking back in the mirror.
Joe tilted my head gently side t o side carefully using the buzzing clippers to shear the peach fuzz down to the scalp on either side and above my ears I watched the blonde fuzz drift softly to join the piles of shorn hair surrounding me almost done.
Whether to reassure himself or me, I wasn’t sure with a comb he began neatening the buzzed back and sides he trimmed a crisp line across my nape with a straight razor wiping the remnants of shaving cream away with a warm damp towel several more passes with the clippers left only half an inch of blonde stubble on top lock to lock vanished until those last wispy strands fell,
I barely recognized the gaunt wide eyed figure staring back at me when Joe finally switched off the tools he removed the tattered cloak and dejected silence as I continued to stare slowly raising my hand to brush away the coarse foreign fuzz covering my head,
Joe brushed away a few stray hairs from my neck and shoulders before removing the cape completely as he shook it out.
