Teachers at the academy laugh at me because when there are no customers for haircutting, I look around the waiting area to see if I can find a guy to convince to get a haircut. As you know, in the place, they do nails and other stuff and frequently I can find guys who are just accompanying their mothers or girlfriends and I try to convince them to get a haircut, normally offering it free of charge.

Last week action was very slow. Very few customers were there even for nails and other stuff. I saw a young guy and asked if he came for a haircut.  He said he just had one last week and that he was waiting for a friend who was getting a haircut. I could see that his hair grew fast and commented about it to him he agreed.  He said he would get a new haircut the following week. So there was a chance to do it!!

If you want, I can cut it for free today, I said. He thought it for a moment and agreed. The haircut was nothing special  -- # 1 on sides and back and #4 on top. When I finished him up, he was looking much better.

After that I just had a couple of trims they sent to me. When I finished the last one, I went to the reception area to see if there were more people waiting but nothing. However I saw a guy in the waiting area and checked out if he wanted a haircut.  But no, he was just accompanying her mother and sister for a nail job.

He guy was about 17, tall and had a really long bowl cut. His hair was at least 10 inches long and he was talking to his family. I thought, “Lets see if I can get this guy into my chair.”

I went out from the cutting area to the waiting place and I sat with them.

-         Hi, the rain has finally stopped.

-         Yes, I guess more people would be coming now, answered the mother.

-         So, are you getting a haircut? – I asked the guy.

-         No !! I just had one last week.

-         You are kidding. You really have a long mop.

-         Seriously, they cleaned up the base and trimmed the rest a little bit.

-         His hair grows really fast, said his mother.

-         And for how long have you had that bowl cut? – I inquired.

-         More than two years.

-         Wow, and before that, you had it shorter?

-         No, he said laughing.  Before I had it longer, shoulder length.

-         He let it grow for more than a year without cutting it, replied his mother, rolling her eyes.

-         Yeah, he said smiling.  But they didn’t allow that in the new school so I had to cut it this way.

-         But that is still pretty long.  Don’t they bother you about it? – I asked.

-         Well, I’m not studying anymore, so nobody bothers me.

-         He is not studying this year because there is no money, but he is looking for a job to pay for his studies, said his mum.

-         All right, but which is the shortest haircut that you have ever had? – I inquired.

-         Just a normal one, but that was when I was a kid.

-         And are you planning to get rid of that bowl cut ever?

-         I don’t know, maybe sometime.

At that moment his mother started to talk about something else.  She went on for 15 minutes. I didn’t see a good chance to get him into my chair. I evaluated my possibilities: he had a haircut last week, the base of this bowl cut was quite short, and besides, there is nothing more boring than maintaining a bowl cut, so there was no chance at all. I thought I would just wait ‘til the next customer.

-         Are you a teacher here? – asked his mum.

-         Not really, I have been coming once a week for almost a year now, but I am still an student. However, I am very good at it since I am the only one who specializes in guys. I never cut women’s hair.  So… what’s you name? – I asked the boy.

-         Cheve.

-         So Cheve, if you ever want to get rid of that mop and get a real haircut, come one Thursday afternoon. Bowl cuts are for children.

-         But what kind of haircut can he get? – asked his mum suddenly interested – maybe like yours? ( I have a tapered haircut.)

-         Yes, maybe. However since he has straight hair he won’t be able to comb it back if it is this short, but we can try different styles.

-         Cheve, why don’t you try a haircut? – asked his mum. (GREAT!! I was progressing with his mum.)

-         No thanks, he replied and passed his hands over his head.

Suddenly, I realized there was hope and an idea came to mind.

-         I’ll give you $5000 (about US $5) if you let me cut it all, I proposed to Cheve.

-         What? – and he laughs.

-         Seriously, if you let me get you bald I’ll give you $5000.

-         Ha, ha, his mother laughs. Why don’t you take the money and go bald?

-         No way, and he started to touch his hair again.

Although he rejected the offer, I realized that his mother and sister were having fun with the idea and I could see in his face that he thought about it for a moment.

-         Listen. I am pretty bored today. This place is empty. I just want to have some fun. And Cheve, you would have something to tell to your grand kids. Besides, you have never tried it, why not try it today?

-         You are kidding right?

-         No, in fact, I’ll give you $10,000 if you accept.

-         Come on Cheve, do it!! – said his mum playfully. It’s $10,000. (I must say here that this is not much money but remember that this is the third world and the people in this neighborhood do not have many resources. Finding a job is quite difficult right now and if a guy like Cheve were to get one, it would take him one day of hard labor to make that kind of money!!)

He was hesitating now.  He was really considering it.

-         Would you really give it to me?

-         Of course.

And I took it out from my pocket and handed it to him. Once he had the bills in his hand he seemed more decided.

-         I don’t know.

-         Come on, insisted his mother and sister.

-         Let’s do it. I said.

He finally agreed. I escorted him to my chair. Once he sat, I put the cape over his shoulders. He was so nervous. You should have see his face. He was pale.

I turned on the bare clippers and asked:

-         Are you ready pal?

-         No, but just do it.

How should I start? I asked myself. Running the clippers over the top would keep him from stopping me in the middle of the haircut but I wanted to enjoy it. I had paid for it, right?

So I took the comb, lifted the hair over his left ear and passed the clippers over the base of his bowl cut.  I took off all the hair that one week ago was trimmed with a #2 attachment. Now he had a bowl cut with a #0 base. However he couldn’t see any change. Since his hair was so long, the base was not in sight.

-         Now it’s time for the real change boy. What if I turn over the chair away from the mirror?

-         All right, he said after thinking about it for a while.

I turned the chair all around and took the scissors. I wanted to do it very slowly. I told him that I would use the scissors first so that way the clippers would run easily.

He was now really anxious. He knew there was no turning back.

I lifted one lock of dry hair with one hand and chopped it close to the scalp, feeling how it separated from his head. It was so long!! I showed it to him.

-         Well Cheve, there is nothing to do now.

He took it with his hands and he started to collect every lock I cut. Very slowly I cut his hair all over, handing him the huge locks. I stopped to see the change. I had a new guy in front of me. A guy with very short and uneven hair.

When I was ready to go for the clippers, he asked me to turn him again in order to see the damage in the mirror. I did, and when he saw his reflection, he just couldn’t believe it. Oh my God, was all he said.

I turned on the clippers and started to pass them over his left side, all the way up. I continued with the back and right side. His skin was now showing all around.

Cheve was astonished with the change. I finally passed it over the top very slowly. When I was done, he was totally bald.

He was now more relaxed. He asked his mother and sister if he looked too ugly. They said that it was fine. I told him he looked really good. He had beautiful eyes and they were more noticeable now.

He passed his hands over his head feeling the roundness.

-         Ok Cheve, do you regret it?

-         I don’t know. Not really, I kind of like it.

-         Yes, you look fine and now you have something to tell to your grandchildren. Hey man you are crazy. Coming in here with that long hair and cutting it all off!!

-         Hey, YOU are crazy. I had a haircut last week and now look at myself!!

They finally left, quite joyful: His mother and sister touched his head and laugh. He was happy.