An Unscheduled Crewcut

Way back in 1974, I was playing in front of my apartment building with my best friend, Miguel. Miguel was from Puerto Rico. I was your typical everyday white boy. The reason I bring this up was the fact that where we grew up, white boys wore there hair some what long. Like Bobby Brady on the Brady Bunch TV Show in the later years. Miguel wore his hair in a typical long Afro.The thing that made us different was that most Spanish boys got very short haircuts for the summer. Not the white kids. Our hair was the same all year. So, Miguel's mothers calls him over and tells him that she's taking him to the Barbershop. It was the end of June and time for his short summer haircut. As we were both walking towards his Mom, I noticed my mother taking money out of her pocket book and giving it to Miguel's Mom. My Mom then walks into the Building and says Good Bye to His Mom. Miguel's Mom tells me that I'm coming with them to get my Haircut also. We start walking to the Barbershop. It was about 5 city blocks away. The shop was empty so there was no wait. She started speaking in Spanish to both barbers since this was a Spanish owned shop. She ended by saying in English, " Short,Short". So very quickly, the Barber puts the paper around my neck. Shakes out the red striped cape about three times. Puts it on me and fastens it. Pumps the chair as high as it would go. Remember, I was only 8 years old and not that tall. Spins the chair away from the mirror so I'm facing Miguel's Mom. She looks at me with a smile. She was so beautiful. She had her hair up in rollers with a headscarf tied around it. Even with the rollers on, she was beautiful. I then looked at Miguel in the chair next to me. The Barber already started with the clippers on him. His hair was falling all over the place. Then, I heard my Barber turn his clippers on. Before you knew it, I could feel my hair being sheared off like never before. In less than 5 minutes, it was over. He took the cape off. Miguel was already finished.His Mom paid both Barbers and home we walked. When I walked into my apartment, my Mom was surprised how short it was. She did not expect to see me with a crew-cut. Then she said, " I like it, it looks good on you".