Lister

By Kerstin Bruun-Hansen

Translated by Sara Marie Atkinson

"Really, Niels Henning, you need a haircut", a girl says enthusiastically and grabs her long-haired friend. She has just discovered a cardboard sign with the words "Hairdresser - we will cut anything and anywhere. Pay what you want!" written in magic marker.

Next to the sign, Feline and Frida sit on the grass in the sun. In front of them lies a pair of scissors, a small pocket mirror, three disposable razors and a tin of Dax Wax. "We are not hairdressers. We just enjoy cutting hair", Feline laughs. They keep this minor detail from Niels Henning. As a result he is quickly persuaded by his friend, who now seems to have assumed control: "It is okay if it is a little wild, so just use your imagination", she tells the two fake hairdressers.

"I'll just start cutting"

And they only need to hear this once. Without further ado, they launch themselves on either side of the young bloke's long-haired head. "I'll just start cutting - the hairstyle will emerge along the way, I hope", Frida says in an experienced tone that makes the so far long-haired victim suspicious nonetheless. "You guys are trained hairdressers, right?", he asks nervously but he is instantly assured by Feline: "Yes, yes, we have done haircuts on loads of people before you," she says convincingly and tells us that they have also once shaved a great pattern in a man's hairy chest.

Two cups of coffee as payment

The small primitive hair salon has gradually attracted quite a little audience, and when the first long lock of hair hits the grass, a gasp is heard through the crowd. "It took me three years to grow this mane," Niels Henning says and looks nervously at his friend. After this things proceed smoothly. The two self-appointed hairdressers cut a little haphazardly here and there. Once in a while, a quiet "oops" or "whoops" slips out, but they have finished twenty minutes later and hand the pocket mirror to Niels Henning. "Yeah, this is really awesome," he exclaims genuinely excited, as he holds up the mirror to look at his new, asymmetric short hair style that comes with a side parting and a long plait at the back of his head. Immediately, he goes over to the nearest stall to buy two cups of coffee as payment for the two fake hairdressers.