This is a short story about someone who suddenly changes his opinions having finally met the sweet person who turned on his light. He never expected to find true love or romance when he set out for a regular trim. Based on a true life experience.
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Hi, I was walking through the mall and everywhere was red and I thought great it’s Chinese New Year again so I can enjoy a few feasts and all the fire crackers. [It’s today by the way]. Then I realized than more dominant that the lanterns and the dragons and even the snake was the constant display of love hearts and kisses and all things romantic. I suppose there was a bit of pink thrown in. It does my head in since I’m not much of a romantic and I can’t see the point. Nobody loves me as far as I know but I expect mum did or she wouldn’t have changed my diapers. I looked at all the waste of material and all the effort that goes into this non event in my life. I guess the mush that surrounds Valentine’s Day doesn’t appeal to very many people in my circle of friends. Lots of the guys think it’s just a chance for restaurants to double their prices, the florists can charge what they like since most customers, like me, have no imagination or idea how to spoil a girl and the card shops can almost beat the sloppy card sales they achieve pre-Christmas. The girls of course encourage it so Valentine’s Day does seem to focus more on boys treating girls though I’ll never understand why. I thought this was the age of equality. I’m going to hide from it all next year. Anyway the purpose of my visit wasn’t to be blinded by this red blanket or to buy anything to present as a surprise gift with lots hugs and kisses and ribbons and bows. I was going for my mop tidying up and I’d selected a unisex salon where I knew I didn’t have to wait so long and where the prices were cheap. I’d not paid my credit bill yet after the ‘Bah Humbug’ of Christmas and as a part time writer my work didn’t win any prizes or receive much appreciation from editors so cheap and cheerful was all I could afford.

So back to ‘Tangles’ again. I’m not sure I’d have chosen a name like that but it was OK for prices. Probably low wages to cut overheads meant the owner could keep her prices competitive. But there was a regular turnover of staff because of the poor salaries and I guess they didn’t have a regular clientele.

I suppose I was becoming their most regular customer and I’d never had the same stylist twice. Not that my mop had much style to it. Lots of shaggy bits and split ends and a bit on the limp side that is not the only part of me these days. All in all that sums me up I suppose, a bit limp, not as shaggy as most guys and I usually ends up splitting up with girls that date. None turn me on I suppose.

Well here I was again back in the same seat reading the same old mens magazine that I’d read several times before. Lots of womens magazines around though but they didn’t attract customers since there were plenty of empty seats in the house. So it looked like there was not much business going on today. Was it really a month ago that I last visited? Oh who’s that new girl washing hair? Mmm not bad I hope she washes mine. A bit oriental looking and quite delicate. A bit shy too but keeps glancing up and across at me. Well it’s either me or the clock on the wall above my head. Maybe she has a date somewhere and wants to rush off. She is out of my league but a guy can dream.

Apparently I’ve always been a dreamer according to my reports and teachers comments on open days at school and even my boss at work has started to say it too. She is a bit of a dragon though so she’ll probably enjoy Chinese New Year. Anyway what’s to dream about really these days? I’m just bored out of my skin and never met anybody yet who can light my fire or pep up my pecker so I have no ambition to work my socks off. I don’t intend to stay around these parts much longer and there must be more to life than this. I just have to move on.

I looked at the name badge on her sweatshirt. ‘Sky’. Mmm it’s a strange name. Sounds oriental since families in Asia do a lot of that sort of thing like the Red Indians used to do in America. So where did that name come from I wondered? Maybe her mum was looking up to the sky when the deed was done or maybe she wants her to reach for it and be successful. How can you reach for the sky anyway? It’s a stupid saying since it’s too far away and I don’t know anybody who’s touched it yet.

Oh well what style shall I have today. Mmm what style suits me? Why not have a Mohican that will freak out my boss. What about if I shave my head I might save some money and not have to come back for a while. But then I might miss out on a chance to see if Sky lasts out or if she packs in. OK dream on just get the usual and see what they do. They just nod and then cut it and it always looks the same.

Good she has finished her customer so please let me be next. But what to say? Now what chat up line can I use? ‘You look sweet are you Asian?’ No don’t be stupid. ‘Do you work here?’ Course she does idiot. ‘Do you wash hair often?’ Burk!! OK I gave up and hoped it would be the other more mature woman who washes it. Then it doesn’t really matter to me if we don’t speak at all.

‘Are you ready sir? Will you follow me this way?’ Oops I wasn’t ready.

Still in the clouds I suppose but lots of naughty thoughts going on. ‘Oh Sky I’d follow you anywhere baby. I managed to speak ’ Where are we going?’

‘Please sit here Sir your stylist is Jenny and she’ll look after you in a minute.’ What on earth was she talking about? Stylist? I just want a haircut. The usual will do. As long as it’s not breaking the bank. Something Cheap and Cheerful will do.

‘Look Miss, if she is busy I don’t mind taking you.’
Aghhh. I didn’t quite mean it to come out like that but that’s what I said. Stupid boy!!
‘I don’t do hair here Sir. I’m just helping out Jenny because she’s a friend of my mum. It was my day off at the salon where I work.’

‘Oh well then if you are a stylist all the better. If Jenny is busy I don’t mind if it’s you who does my hair. I’m Brendon by the way.’

‘Hi. I’m Sky.’

‘I know I can see from your name tag. It’s a pretty name for a pretty girl.’

She smiled ‘ Sky is a boy’s name actually.’

‘Well I’m sorry about that Sky but you’ll have to live with it I suppose. I like it anyway and you’re a good advertisement for this place. Slim and pretty with fine black silky hair. It’s beautiful. Not like my mop head.’

‘Thanks Mr. Brendon Sir. I do look after it very carefully and I’m lucky that I can wash it regularly at the salon and use the conditioners. My friend JoJo cuts it for me. I’m glad you like it. What style were you looking for anyway and then I’ll cut it after I wash it for you.’

‘Oh the usual please.’

‘You mean I have to guess Sir? Or shall I ask Jenny?’

‘No need to ask. I’d be happy if you recommend a style and cut it like you think.’

‘Oh Mr. Brendon Sir we are supposed to charge extra for styling and what happens if you don’t like what I do?’

‘Oh Sky I am open to anything so do with me what you will.’

Did I say that? Now she’s embarrassed. ‘Sorry I meant that you can choose what you want to do to me. No I mean you can cut it off if you like. No I mean please just choose for me.’ Well that’s brought a smile to her face at least even if I’ve gone a beetroot color.

‘Come this way Mr. Brendon I think I know what you want.’

I wasn’t going to put my foot in it again so I zipped my mouth and then she laughed louder and then started to giggle.

‘You do know that I’m a boy don’t you sir?’

I was shocked since I thought she meant she had a boys name. I recovered quickly before my bum hit the chair. ‘How can that be since you are very feminine and you are beautiful? Your skin is so soft and your hands so small. You aren’t very big either for a guy.’

‘Well I am soft featured and small because I’m Chinese or half Chinese on mum’s side. My dad was a marine but he left mum and I when I was young so then mum came here to find him.‘

‘Oh I’m sorry. What happened? Did she find him?’

‘Turns out he was married with two children when she found him and that he told her a pack of lies. Still on the brighter side it brought us here and we like it even though I had a hard time at school.’

‘Oh sorry. Because you are half Chinese?’

‘No silly because I look like a girl and have soft features. The boys couldn’t accept it and the girls got a bit jealous.’

‘Oh I’m sorry. We men can be pricks sometimes and I can see why the girls were envious. You probably put them all to shame.’

‘Anyway I accepted it since it’s a lot better than being forced to live in our home town in Dalian in China. We’d not have much money and its freezing cold in the winter. I’ve not been back since we left in case I can’t get out again.’

‘Does that mean you don’t have a permit or a visa?’

‘No we have.’

‘Oh good. How did you manage that if your father didn’t want you?’

‘We work hard and he helped us get the necessary papers but he made it clear that’s all he’d do for me. He said he didn’t want to see me ever again or mum for that matter. He said he was doing it for my sake and he didn’t want any part of our lives and we shouldn’t disturb his. That was the deal so mum accepted it.’

‘Oh Sky I’m sorry. What an idiot. I hope things work out for you.’

What was I doing as I sympathized I was touching ‘her’ hand and this is a boy. But ‘she’ is just like a girl and ‘she’ can’t be a boy. How can a boy look like this with such feminine featurse and movements?’

‘I don’t pretend to be a girl Mr. Brendon. I just behave normally as I have been taught to behave by my mother. I hope that I haven’t offended you.’

‘No, not at all. I’m just intrigued. If I looked like you I’d be pretty chuffed. I think I’d be a model or something. Do you have a girlfriend here or maybe a boyfriend I suppose?’

‘I do have some friends both boys and girls but no relationships. I guess I’m looking for someone special. Someone who is a bit more mature than them that I can look after.’

‘Well Sky I hope you get what you want. I hope all your dreams come true. Maybe you’ll strike lucky because Valentine’s Day is around the corner. Anybody likely to spoil you?’

What was I talking about? I hate St Valentine’s Day. It’s just a money making racket.

‘Yes Mr. Brendon it’s a celebration of love and one day I hope that my love will find me and that I have a happier experience than my mother who gave up so much for me. Do you know about the legend of St Valentine?’

‘Err yes I do. Well not exactly. What is it all about since I just see it as an expensive time of the year for men with chance of some Hokey Cokey coming out of it later if they play their cards right. Of course it often depends on the damage to the credit card.’

‘No Mr. Brendon it’s not like that as far as I’m concerned. It’s all about true love based on a real event after a Priest was punished for encouraging men and boys to stay home with their wives and girlfriends instead of fighting and killing people in the Roman army. He gave his life to stand up for women and children unlike my father. So he is special in my heart. He left a Valentines wish for his girlfriend before he was executed that is what started it all.’

‘And I thought it was some bright entrepreneur in America who started it as a ruse to make money. So it does have meaning and it’s not just made up claptrap.’

‘No it’s about true love. Aren’t you married? Didn’t you ever fall in love when you were my age?’

‘No I’m not married and sad to say I never fell in love. I’m not that old you know even if I look it. I don’t know what love is I suppose. I guess it’s a feeling that hits you once in your life like an arrow but if so then I must keep ducking and it misses me.’

‘You are funny Mr. Brendon. Please close your eyes or you’ll get soap in them. Is the temperature OK”

‘It’s great. Mmm that’s nice.’

Do you like the head massage. I can do it for free. Don’t tell Jenny. I let you see how strong my fingers are. Do you like it? Also if you wish I can do a neck massage too.’

‘Oh Sky that’s fabulous. It’s fantastic absolutely fantastic.’

Well you don’t really want to know that that massage released something somewhere do you? Well whatever it was I had to ensure the cape was properly covering me. I’d never felt like this before. Limp? What’s limp? If ‘her’ fingers can have such an effect by massaging my head then what if she touched me there. I’d be sure to explode.’

‘Mr. Brendon please open your eyes. Are you asleep? Wake up it’s time to move across to the table so I can cut and style your hair.’

‘Oh sorry I was well away then. You have magic in those digits Sky. You made me want to fly right up there above the clouds.’

‘Thanks for your kindness. I was trained by my mother. I do all sorts of massage in mums shop but it’s not enough to give us both a good living.’

‘You’ll have to give me the address and your price list. I’d love to give you a try. Well I mean I’d be happy to pay for it. Oh sorry I mean can I try a special massage. Urrggh I mean a foot massage or something. I’m sorry but you make the words out of my mouth come out all wrong.’

Sky was giggling behind ‘her’ hand just like a shy Asian girl does.

So what about the haircut? Sky did a great job. Snip snip, chop chop no limpness and it was the longest and most satisfying haircut I ever had in my life. I could have let ‘her’ carry on until I looked like Yul Bryner. When ‘she’ finished I looked at least 10 years younger. Where had the afternoon gone. All this for $15. I had more fun today than at any time in my life and my stomach just churns when I see him smile in the mirror.

‘Sky you are such a wonderful person. I hope we’ll meet again. Any chance of me visiting for a massage?’

‘Let me look at my dates on my i-pad. Well I do have a full free day on 14th February but apart from that it looks like I’m fully booked.’

‘OK book me for the day.’

‘What the whole day? That’s going to be pretty expensive I’m not cheap.’

‘Well I think it’s time I found out what Valentine’s Day is all about and who better to show me but you. I’d like to take you to dinner too afterwards if you are happy to be seen with me. If I have the strength left of course after your fingers get to work on me. I know a great place and whilst it’s not cheap it’s a great venue and the Chef is brilliant. I think there is a special menu on. Sky will you be my Valentine?’

‘Well Me Brendon just let me think about it. Will you bring me flowers? Will you bring me a nice gift? Will you bring me a Valentine card and pretend it’s not from you? I never had any such treatment before.’

‘You bet I will.’

‘OK then you have a date.’

Happy Valentine’s Day