That first shave - Ouch - Oh what a bleeder.

Ouch

I cut myself shaving this morning, a bit of a rarity these days. After plopping a little piece of toilet paper on my wound to stop the bleeding I looked in the mirror, I had a smile on my face and I remembered that first few shaves they were bloody.

Back then you really took your life into your own hands every time you had a shave until you became somewhat of an expert. Most of us young lads would learn from our dad’s either watching or invited for a lesson, the latter would have been better for me.

I was a early shaver due to my Spanish ancestry, I was becoming hairy all over. In school I was soon ridiculed by my mates pointing to my emerging moustache, “Look, Peter’s got bum fluff”. Facial hair was banned in school and soon as it was picked up a warning would be issued. Dad used one of those ‘Double Edged Safety Razors’ I was just glad he didn’t use a ‘Cut Throat Razor’ they were totally scary. The name ‘Cut Throat’ doesn’t sound that appealing more like a nickname for a pirate or thug.

The day came to tackle my fluffy problem having sort some privacy for my first shave looking to avoid any embarrassment, that was never going to happen.. I was around 14 at the time and really didn't want to lose my fledgling moustache but it had to go but it became a battle between me and certain teachers. Handling the above-mentioned razor you first had to put a new blade in and they were bloody lethal. It wasn’t the first time I had tangled with these blades we had crossed swords before they were great for cutting stupid things I wanted to cut up and on them occasions I ended up bloodied.

Having only a bit of bum fluff above my upper lip, I lathered up for a full shave using a shaving stick and all I wanted to do was to lose the tuft of hair below my nose. However, you can guess what happen soon has I put the razor to my face I was bleeding there was a certain way of holding/angling of the razor. I must have cut myself four or five times and I was yet to shave one hair, lesson learnt. A few cuts later I stood there with my face covered with bits of blood soaked paper I didn’t really feel like a man, more like some idiot who just put his face to a grater.

Like most things you do for the first time. You hardly ever hit the floor running but I did get better with practise.