Dave & Gregg

Dave really wasn't a jock; he was more of the brainy type. Good in science and math, good grades and the like. But he wasn't out of it. There had never developed the separation between the jocks and the nerds that sometimes happens.

Possibly it was because the school was small, with only about 90 kids in the senior class. Everybody knew everyone and got along pretty well. Gregg was more of the jock type, probably because his father pushed him.

Somewhere along the line somebody got the notion that Dave and Gregg were look-alikes. It was true, to a certain extent. Each was tall, though Dave was a couple of inches taller; they had the same build and each had dirty blond haiýr.

Anyway, as these things happen, everybody picked up on it. There was a lot of kidding and 'mistaken identity' situations, all good humored. It did get a bit tiresome occasionally for Dave, and probably for Gregg, as well.

The real appearance difference between the two, which made the whole thing a bit silly, was that Gregg had a brush cut, while Dave's hair was a good bit longer.

He wore it so it could be combed over, which it seldom was, with a right hand part through his cowlick. Probably 3-4 inches on top and fairly short around the sides, not hanging over his ears or collar. A lot of the kidding was aimed at getting Dave to get a brushcut too. The ironic thing was that Dave really wanted to get a brushcut but with all the teasing, he just couldn't do it. Paul and Chip were pretty good friends of Dave, but even they joined in the general teasing.

It all came to a head (literally) when the basketball team unexpectedly had a strong finish to their season and made the regíional playoffs. They were pretty much underdogs, and decided they needed to do something drastic. The solution was haircuts all around--clippers all over. They did it in the locker room right before the game and gave everybody a shock when they trotted out on the floor.

They won! Next day a couple of posters appeared: 'Support your team' with a picture of a bald head.

Paul & Chip really started to get after Dave. He could show his support for the team, and just incidentally really be like Gregg. He really should do it--he wouldn't be alone--think how neat it would be--it will grow back--on and on. Dave held his ground. The hassling went on for a couple of days. A few other other guys, not on the team, showed up with baldies and the word was out that if anyone wanted to join in, the clippers were in the gym. When they saw the other shaved heads, Paul and Chip really stepped up the pressure. Finally Dave had had it.

'Ok, I'll do it' Dave said. Chip and Paul startedí to celebrate. '.. IF', he continued; 'IF you two do it too. Both of you.' The celebration stopped abruptly, as Chip and Paul looked at each other. 'You really do want to show your support for the team, don't you?' Dave asked slyly. 'Yes, but...' said Chip, running his hand through his blond hair. 'But what? Think how neat it would be--you won't be alone--it'll grow back'. Dave gave back as well as he had gotten. 'Look, you guys, you have been after me to get a brushcut for weeks and now you want me to shave my head, so I'll look more like Gregg. You claim I'll look good with a brushcut or a baldy. If it's such a great idea, then you guys should be willing to do it too. So put up or shut up.'

Paul broke the silence that followed, 'Would you really shave your head if we did?'

'Yep. Today, right after school. They still have the clippers in the locker room.' Dave was enjoying himself now. The more he thought about it, the less he minded the idea of getting clipped, especially ùif he could take his two friends with him. They were both just a little bit vain about their hair, so it would do them good, he thought. The teasing about his looking like Gregg would probably intensify, but what the hell, it was friendly teasing. And true, he wouldn't be alone. 'So what about it? Is it a deal? You two shave your heads and I'll shave mine. This afternoon?'

Dave thought that Chip looked a little sick, but Paul seemed to be considering the idea. Paul asked Chip 'What do you think? Should we?' as he unconsciously rubbed his hand over his head.

'Yeah, Chip, how about it? You've wanted me to get a haircut like Gregg' Well, here's your chance.'

Chip winced and looked at Paul. 'Are you going to do it?' he asked. Paul thought a long moment as he looked at his two friends and then across the lunchroom at the three bald heads at the next table. 'Oh, what the hell! I will if you will.'

'OK, Chip, I guess it's all up to you.' said Dave. 'If you want me bald, you'll âhave to shed those long curly blond locks of yours.'

'Wouldn't it be enough if just Paul does it?' 'NO WAY!' the reply came from both boys in unison.

'But what's to guarantee that you will shave your head if we do?' Chip asked. Dave grinned as he noticed the shift in Chip's attitude. 'Or what's the guarantee that you two will if I do? Well, I'll go second. That's the fairest way I can think of. Then it's two against one if the third guy tries to chicken out'

'Are you gonna do it, Chip?'

Chip wavered and stammered,' Maybe...I don't know....my mom will murder me....hell, you guys don't play fair!'

Just then the bell rang to end the lunch period. Dave said 'I'll be at the locker room at 3 o'clock. See you guys there--or not.' He looked from one to the other.

Paul met his look, but Chip looked away. Paul & Chip left for their next class together and Dave headed off to his Physics lab. As he left the lunchroom he caught a glimpse ofý himself in the mirror and tried to picture himself without hair. 'I'm nuts', he thought, ' So what else is new?' He figured the odds at no better than 50-50 unless Paul did some convincing.

At the last bell, Dave went to his locker to get his coat and books, and stopped in the washroom. He combed his hair over with his fingers, shrugged, and headed for the locker room. The place was empty and probably would be till practice at 4. The clippers were still there, sitting on the desk in the little room beside the office. There was a stool and part of an old sheet, and a big mirror on the wall. On the floor was a scattering of hunks of hair, different colors and different lengths. He sat down on the stool facing the mirror and then swung around and picked up the clippers. They had adjustable blades, but looked like they would cut very close if the lever was pushed all the way up. He was about to switch them on when he heard the door open. It was Paul. He must have stopped in the washroom, too, since hiös brown hair was carefully parted and combed. '

Well, any bets?' he said. They waited for what seemed a long time, each eyeing the clippers. Dave realized that he was willing Chip to show; he wanted those clippers to run. Dave was about to decide that the party was off when he heard the door open again and Chip walked in. 'So you decided to be a baldy!' said Dave. 'I still don't know. . .' Chip started to say. Paul broke in 'Stop spluttering! Either go back out the door or sit down on the stool.' Chip stopped and looked from one boy to the other, and at himself in the mirror. He bit his lower lip and hesitated for a moment and then lowered himself onto the stool, with his back to the mirror 'You guys are really gonna do it?'

They both nodded, and Dave threw the sheet over Chip and wrapped it around his neck. He handed Paul the clippers. 'You do Chip, he can clip me and I'll shave you. That way everyone gets to play.

Chip's hair was a bright blond, with a lot of wave, almost aï curl. He wore it fairly long, down to his collar in back. Paul pulled out his comb and combed Chip's hair down in the front, the hair falling down past his nose. Then he switched on the clippers. 'Push the lever all the way up-we want to do this right!' said Dave. Paul ran his fingers across the top of Chip's head to lift up the hair, slipped the clippers in and pushed them back. The clippers half vanished in the mop of hair and re-emerged at the back of his head. For a moment it didn't look like much had happened till Paul ran the comb down, sweeping off the big hunks of blond hair into Chip's lap. There was now a bare stripe through the center of the mass of curls. A second and third pass followed, widening the stripe, each pass paring off a swath of curls to join the others on the floor.

Soon the top of Chip's head was bare, except for the two inches or so of untouched forelock. Paul then moved around to the back, lifted up a lock of hair and slid the clippers underneath and pusheÿd them up. Again the clippers disappeared in a shower of blond curls, emerging at the top, leaving another bare stripe that joined the top. Then the rest of the back and around to the sides, and Chip was left with only the hunk of hair in the front, sprouting from his otherwise shaved scalp. 'That looks pretty funny! We could leave it like this and he can part it in the middle.' said Paul.

Chip could no longer stand it so he swung around to look in the mirror. He had to push what was left of his hair out of his eyes to see, and winced at what he saw. 'That looks really silly! Finish me off!' Paul flipped the clippers back on and with a half dozen passes removed the last of Chip's hair. The clippers had cut extremely short, and with Chip's blond hair, none of the stubble showed. He looked really bald. He studied his new reflection and ran his hand over his shorn head. 'Sure doesn't look like me. My mother will have a fit. Maybe I'll get used to it; I guess I'll have to! OK, Dave, get this sheet off meô so I can get my revenge.'

Dave looked at himself in the mirror and ran his hand through his hair for the last time and sat down. Chip didn't waste any time. He snapped on the clippers and set them down on Daves forehead. He pushed them straight back along the part line, dropping a shower of Dave's dirty blond hair into his lap. 'There's no way you will chicken out now!' Dave grinned. He had no intentions of chickening out. He was enjoying the whole scene immensely. He watched in the mirror as Chip moved to the side and ran the buzzing clippers up the side of his head all the way to the bare stripe on top. As the clippers moved around towards the back, he noted with some satisfaction that his ear didn't stick out and that the side of his head that was shaved looked pretty good. Chip was working around to the other side and shortly the only hair left on Dave's head was on top. Chip made a couple of passes down the top, leaving a ragged Mohawk strip down the center. 'We could leave it like t÷his... but then we could still tell you and Gregg apart, so off it comes!' The clippers ran down the center of Dave's scalp, plowing the remaining hair before them. A couple of touchup swipes and Dave was as bald as Chip.

He got up and looked at himself in the mirror. He liked what he saw and liked the stubble feeling as he ran his hand over his shaven scalp. Paul headed for the door. 'See you guys!' he laughed.

'No way!! Get back here!' Chip yelled.

Paul stopped and came back. 'I was just kidding.' He paused by the mirror and took a long look at himself in the mirror. His straight brown hair was neatly parted and hung nearly to his ear below the part. The top hair was even longer, reaching to his ear on the other side. In back, it fell from his crown to the hairline. He usually kept it trimmed neatly, but was overdue for a haircut.

He always kept it well combed, with a perfectly straight part. and today was no exception. Dave wrapped the sheet around his neck and pick!ed up the clippers. He studied Paul's head for a moment. 'Go ahead, do it. I don't care. I was thinking of getting it cut short anyhow..well, maybe not this short, but it'll grow back sooner or later.'Dave flipped the switch and started. He decided to have a little fun along the way. He started the clippers in Paul's left sideburn and ran them up to a couple of inches above his ear. Instead of pulling them away, he slid them back down, leaving the long hairs over the shaved swath. He worked his way around Paul's head, clipping him bare all the way to where his head started to curve onto the top. The effect was interesting, with the bald scalp showing through the strands of long hair. Dave then shifted his attention to the top. Carefully he ran the clippers back over the top of Paul's head, šjust above the part line, and shaved most of the way back to the crown. He worked his way across the head, until the two sides were symmetrical. At this point, Paul looked like a cross between a monk and a clown, with the horseshoe of long hair hanging down the sides of his otherwise shaved head. Dave admired his handiwork for a moment, as Paul shook his head, flapping the fringe of hair. 'Come on, finish it up!' A couple of quick passes and Paul was as bald as his friends, though his dark stubble showed a bit more.

'Well, let the kidding begin', Dave thought. He now had the same haircut as Gregg and there wasn't anything anybody could do about it. And they would have the same haircut for a long while, since their hair would grow back at the same rate. He looked in the mirror again and rubbed his head. 'Unless, of course, one of us decides not to let it grow back!'