Not all haircuts are exiting. For me, there are two types of great haircuts: when making a radical change or when the haircut is not wanted.

 Well, today I was cutting a 10 year old hair and I’m not complaining: his hair was about 2 inches all over and he asked for a #1 on sides and back and a #3 on top, leaving some bangs on the front, so I got a lot to cut.

 But… while working, I saw a 15 year old guy entering the room. He had a bowl cut and his hair was at least 6 inches long. Not big deal I thought, he will just trim it a little bit, so I kept enjoining what I was doing.

 Diego, as later on I would find his name was, went to the end of the row of barber chairs and sit there. But after a little while, he and the student who was going to cut his hair came back, close to me, where some pictures of hairstyles were hanging on the wall. I could see he was thinking about changing his hairstyle. He wanted something shorter.

Of course I couldn’t resist the temptation of suggesting something like the one I was doing and although the hairstylist said it was too short, Diego seemed to like the idea. Anyway, they went back to the sit down the corridor and I miss what happened next.

 A couples of minutes later, I looked back to see if anything interesting were happening and I could see how the girl was passing the clippers around the back and sides and huge bangs of hair were falling. Oh, God, why didn’t I got that one? Anyway, I had to see what was going on so I hurry up with my customer and as soon as I finished I went where the action was.

 There was an empty chair just next to Diego’s so I sat down there and started to chat with him. I had to know why he was doing that. When I arrived, the poor guy was almost bald; # 1 on the sides and back, #2 on top and just a one inch “bump” at the front.

 Julian: So why did you decided to cut your hair like that.

Diego: I don’t know, in fact I was just passing by and when saw the barbershop I decided to enter

J: But you have thought about it before, right?

D: Well, yes, I was thinking about geting rid of the bowlcut some day but I didn’t even know what haircut I was going to get even when I was sitting here

 J: You are a brave guy. I wouldn’t have the guts to do that!!. For how long have you had the bowlcut?

 D: Since I was ten

 J: So you have had long hair for more than 5 years eh. And you have ever had it this short?

D: No, never. Before that I always have had a regular cut.

 Here I must say that Diego was all the time looking at his reflection in the mirror. I could notice great anxiety. He kept looking every detail of his haircut while the hairstylist kept passing the clippers in order to make sure everything was even.

 J: And how do you like it?

 Here, Diego made a pause. He looked at himself in the mirror and he had this “look”. I am sure some of you will understand. It´s hard to describe. I am sure he was feeling this sensation when you go to a barbershop and they cut it much shorter than you wanted. You know what I mean, the heart bumping, the eyes staring very concentrated on the new look and the mind thinking “OH, MY GOD, THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING”

 D: I don’t know. Maybe I should have asked for something longer!!

 J: Do you know how long it is going to take until you have it longer again?

 D: Well, - he thought for a while - they say it grows 1cm (less than half an inch) a month….(here the anxiety grew!!), so I’ll be fine again in December!!

 You would kill to see his face! He couldn’t believe what he had done!!

 J: Do you think your classmates will make fun of you tomorrow? They will probably said that you fell sleep at the barbershop

 I am sure he started to imagine his friends and family reactions

 D. Nobody knows I am doing this!! What would they say when I get home?. A friend of mine got a short haircut and everybody teased him. ( a terror face became evident)

 J: Don’t worry, you look fine (I am not such a bad guy eh?)

 That agony look again!!

 D: I should have asked for a # 3 on top!! Oh God. But it will grow back, right? –  trying to convince himself

 J: What do you see in the mirror? a different guy?

 D. Oh yes, totally different. That’s not me. What have I done?

 J: I am sure you look different, but you have lovely eyes and they look much better without all that hair you had.

 He didn’t think so. He asked the hairstylist if she was sure she cut with the #2 attachment on top since it looked so short, and she answered that of course she had and remind him that she told him to leave it longer and he asked for that attachments.

 I looked at his haircut again. His face looked much bigger now. He had a buzzed look. You could see his skin all over and its amazing how the shape of the head changes without hair.

 When he was done, I said:

 J: Look at the floor. All that hair was yours!!

 There were huge piles of hair. Very long bangs were laying on the floor. When he looked them, he felt so sorry for himself. He couldn’t believe he had lost ALL THAT hair. I suggest him to take a souvenir and he took a long bang from the floor and sadly watched it for a long time.

 J: You haven’t touched your head yet. I sure it will feel different!

 So he did.

 D: Oh, my God – he said again while passing his hand at the back of his head – Oh, my God.

 Finally he said.

 D: I’ll be back in a month and you will fix it, right?

 J: Sure, I’ll be glad. Remember I only come on Thursdays.

 He finally stood up and went out rubbing his head.

 What an experience eh? This haircut thing!! I feel so exited about all this. I feel like I would really want to be in Diego’s place but at the same time, thank God I am not.