Must See to Appreciate: Grandpa's Haircut

"Number one, all over, barber!"

That was Grandpa's instruction as I began his haircut. I've taken on this duty while Grandpa's regular barber is on hiatus. It's quite easy, really, requiring only patience on his part and a steady hand on mine.

Step one is cleaning up the neck, step two is buzzing all the hair off his head. That's where the "number one" comes in: numbered guide combs clip onto the electric clipper for various hair lengths: #1 is the shortest.

Step three: The Hunt. That's what Sherry (regular barber) calls it when she searches over Pa's bald head for stragglers. Grandpa says The Hunt takes longer than the cut.

Next comes the beard. For this, I use barber shears. Comb it all out thoroughly, and clip and shape it like a hedge.

Then the delicate matter of eyebrows, ears and mustache. Clippers on the shortest possible setting, no guide comb. How do you cut hair on eyebrows, ears, and upper lip? Carefully. Veeerrry carefully.

Ta Da!

These photos don't capture the drama of before and after, but do show a happy barber and customer.

They wouldn't even recognize him at the Duck.