My Rocker Friend Danny by John Nelson

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In 1984 I had a very short flattop. I was 16 at the time. My best bud Danny was 15 and he was a rocker with long hair to the tip of his shoulders. It was very nice straight dark brown hair. He had always hated my flattop and told me to let my hair grow. I never listened to him and didn't really care much if his hair wad long or short. At that time rockers and punks didn't really get along or hang out together, but we did.I had known him for about two years. His hair had always been long and over the ears. His dad constantly kept trying to get him to cut his hair short like my buzzed hair. There was no way he would! He even quit the basketball team when they told him he had to cut his hair over the ears. His dad even told him he could get a new guitar if he cut his hair. One day my mom had given me money to go to the barbers to get my hair buzzed again. Danny went everywhere with me after school and on the weekends. He came along to the barber shop with me. He wasn't intending to get a haircut that day, but boy did he ever get one. What happened was he was a little stoned. When this happened Danny just would freeze up. He could be stoned and stare at a rack of candy for 15 minutes trying to decide what candy to pick out. Well we got to the barber shop and one chair was open. The barber said who's first. Well only I was supposed to get a haircut. Then just joking around Danny hopped up in the chair. Remember he's stoned. So the barber put the Cape and tissue around his neck. I was thinking, ok he is getting outta that chair any minute. Also I knew he had no money either. Danny just sat there unable to speak, just laugh a little. The barber kept saying what will it be son? Then I heard the barber say a flattop?? Danny just sat there. All of the sudden the barber got the clippers on. Buzzed a huge chunk of Danny's hair. He just sat there. It was funny but what could I do. I'd have to pay for his haircut. Then I saw the hair coming off. I told the barber give him a short flattop. I had never seen Danny's ears until now. They were bigger than I thought they were and stuck out a little. I thought my ears looked funny so his seemed a little better. The barber finished and Danny now looked like me. Later when he realized what happened he was hating it! Too late now Danny. His dad loved the crew cut though. After that he grew his hair out again.

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