A Summer Trim Becomes a Stylish Buzz Cut

My hairstylist is whoever has the next open seat.

So, on a recent visit to the salon, I was assigned a hairstylist I hadn’t seen there before. They have a history of my recent cuts so she knew what to do if I wanted to retain that look. I told her I wanted it shorter now that summer was here. But not a buzz cut like I’ve gotten each of the last several hot summers.

“No buzz cut but shorter is better,” I said. “It all grows back anyhow.” My flippant remark suddenly sent my haircut in another direction.

She suggested a certain style. Style? That was a word not used in reference to my hair for years. My cuts seldom strayed from a number four on the sides, shorten the top for balance and leave some bangs so I have something to brush back. You know, for that sexy, manly newscaster look.

I’m a visual guy. I’d need to see the style before I can make a decision. Remember the style books they used to have? Probably gone like the magazines.

Feathering the Buzz Cut

Suddenly, she was feathering the sides because they bulged out. Wow, I’d forgotten about feathering. Well, last summer’s buzz cuts really weren’t conducive to feathering, were they? So I got feathered. Well, my hair did. On the sides.

But it was her intense work balancing the sides that just about drove me crazy. First was a snip or two on the right side, followed by a snip or two on the left side, then another comparison, followed by another snip on the other side. This went on until even she thought it was getting excessive.

This was fast becoming the longest haircut of my life. Most of my haircuts take about five to seven minutes. I figured that was the standard, based on the haircuts my dad gave me as a kid. But I’m sure he knew I wouldn’t sit still longer than that. Ten minutes would seem long.

This haircut took three times that long. I’ve never understood how some people can sit for hours having their hair done. I wanted to tell her that she needs to hurry up. Wouldn’t she want to cram in as many customers as she can for more tips?

She messed around with the top to even things out but by then I was starting to lose patience. I almost said, “Look, it’s summer and I want shorter hair, just not a buzz cut. I’m OK if my hair is not exactly symmetrical. I’m not in a wedding or anything like that.” But I didn’t say that and endured the cut to its completion.

Fingers Through the Hair

One thing she and other hairstylists have done is run their fingers through my hair. Maybe it provides them with useful information for the cut. Or maybe it helps bring back customers.

“Men would kill for hair this nice,” one hairstylist told me awhile back. I wasn’t sure if I should be flattered or scared.

When the stylist finally finished, she gave me a mirror to review the results. It was shorter than I expected and, man, those sides were exact. So I said it looks great.

In total, the actual amount of hair cut off was not that much compared to my South Korean son, Reid, who can grow an Afro. Really. He let it grow all winter and his whole head with hair was practically the size of a beach ball. He had it cut recently. He could have stuffed a pillow.

When I paid her for the cut, tip included, I thanked her. She had been pleasant and sincerely worked hard at my cut. I wouldn’t mind having her cut my hair again, even if just to see how she does a second time.

On my way home I saw a couple people mowing grass so high you couldn’t even see the mower. It almost looked like they were dowsing for water. Maybe you notice things like that just after getting a haircut.

Someday, artificial intelligence might suggest style choices and a robot perform the actual cutting. I can hardly wait. I’m sure it will be able to do a precision buzz cut and maybe even run some android fingers through my hair.

But a stylish buzz cut? Not as nice as this one.