Barber Gives Homeless Man Free Shave and Recognizes His Long-Lost Father – Story of the Day

When a barber sees a man with a long, tangled beard and unruly hair enter his shop, he agrees to provide his services for free after the man says he has no money. Little does the barber know that cutting the homeless man’s hair would lead him to a shocking truth.

Andrew was a kind-hearted 31-year-old man who worked as a barber. After graduating high school, he took up this profession because his single mother could not afford to send him to college.

Instead of feeling sad, complaining, or comparing his fate with other people’s lavish lifestyles, the young boy took his difficult circumstances as a challenge and worked hard towards a better future.

It had been over a decade since Andrew started cutting people’s hair and shaving their beards. He had his own barbershop and was making enough money to make ends meet.

It was a regular day for Andrew, cutting people’s hair as one person walked in after the other. His shop was at a prime location in town, easily accessible to a lot of people.

As the day progressed, Andrew ensured all his customers walked out of his shop satisfied. He was cutting a young boy’s hair when everyone’s gaze shifted toward the glass door as a homeless man entered.

Noticing how some men had started mumbling, Andrew looked toward the entrance and saw the man with a long beard and tangled hair reaching his shoulders. His torn, dirty clothes were proof of his difficult life on the streets.

Standing by the entrance, the man looked at Andrew with a ray of hope sparkling in his eyes. He did not have enough money to get a haircut or buy a razor to shave his beard. He had entered the barbershop hoping someone would help him.

“Please have a seat,” Andrew smiled at the man, welcoming him inside.

Without saying a word, the homeless man sat on one of the seats in the waiting area, hoping no one would ask him for money. Feeling nervous, he fidgeted with his fingers, his gaze locked on the ground.

A few minutes later, Andrew gestured for the homeless man to sit on the reclining seat. Feeling happy, the man stood up and walked towards the chair. “I don’t have money to pay for the services,” he told Andrew, his voice tinged with embarrassment.

“It’s okay, sir!” Andrew cheered, smiling and leaning toward the homeless man. “Your haircut and shave are on me. Please let me know if there’s anything else you need.”

Shocked by Andrew’s offer, the homeless man thanked him and introduced himself. “I’m Jake, and you?”

“My name’s Andrew, and I’m the boss here,” he replied, smiling at Jake. “You don’t have to worry about the payment, okay? Just sit here and let me transform your look!”

Andrew’s heartwarming gesture made Jake feel happy. He quickly sat in the chair and allowed Andrew to do his magic, resting his head on the headrest as Andrew prepared to shave his beard.

Carefully gliding the blade on Jake’s dry, rough facial skin, Andrew shaved his unkempt beard. Then he applied a cooling aftershave on Jake’s face, allowing him to relax while he grabbed his scissors for the haircut.

Looking at Jake’s face in the mirror, Andrew suddenly felt his head spin.

“Wow! I love the neatness, Andrew!” Jake slid his fingers across his cheeks, surprised to see his face without a beard after years. “Thank you so much!”

“You’re welcome, Jake.” Andrew smiled. He was happy to see how his little efforts could put a smile on a homeless man’s face. He thrived on such moments of selflessness where he could help others however he could.

Andrew sprayed water on Jake’s greasy, uncombed hair and tamed them before grabbing his magic scissors. Then he began trimming the homeless man’s hair, inch by inch until he spotted an unusual familiar mark behind his ear.

Andrew stopped moving his scissors and held the man’s hair with his fingers, trying to figure out why the scar seemed so familiar. He looked at it for a few seconds until he recognized the man sitting before him.

Looking at Jake’s face in the mirror, Andrew suddenly felt his head spin. He couldn’t believe that Jake was someone so closely related to him. The scar reminded him of his childhood memories―the time when he used to play with his father before he left him and his mother for another woman.

Suddenly, Andrew’s vision blacked out. Overwhelmed by the shocking realization, he fainted and fell to the ground, grabbing his customers’ attention. Everyone inside the shop jumped up to help Andrew, trying to bring him back to his senses.

A few minutes later, Andrew opened his eyes and saw Jake sitting beside him. His gaze shifted from Jake to the other men in the room waiting for him to resume working.

“I’m so sorry, but I won’t be able to take any more appointments today,” Andrew apologized to everyone except Jake.

While some of his potential customers got angry, others understood his situation and said they would visit him the following day. Everyone except Jake exited the barbershop, and Andrew decided to talk to him about the scar.

“This scar on your head reminded me of something. I think we’re related,” Andrew confessed.

“What do you mean?” Jake was confused.

“I think you’re my father,” Andrew revealed, scratching his head, his eyebrows arched upwards.

“What?” Jake gasped as he began to think about his past. After a few moments of silence, he asked Andrew, “Are you Mary’s son? Are you really her boy?”

“Yes.” Andrew nodded.

“She’s dead. She passed away a few years after you left us.”

Feeling guilty about his actions, Jake apologized to his son for everything that happened in the past. “I don’t know what to say, Andrew. I know it’s difficult for you to forgive me, and I understand your feelings. I am so happy to know that my son is kind-hearted and treats homeless people like me with respect.”

Instead of blaming his father for leaving him and his mother in the past, Jake hugged him and said, “It’s okay, Dad. It’s okay… I’m glad fate allowed us to meet. I’m just so happy to have you back in my life!”

Later that day, Jake told Andrew how he lost his job and ended up on the streets while the young man shared his journey of opening a barbershop. Soon, Jake moved in with his son and was delighted to meet his grandchildren.

What can we learn from this story?

• Trust fate’s plans. Sometimes, we feel hopeless, thinking we’re stuck in difficult situations while the solutions to our problems are just around the corner. Jake’s empty pockets made him wonder about his fate. He had no idea that walking into his son’s barbershop would change his life.
• Always be kind because it helps you stay happy. Andrew was kind enough to allow a homeless man into his shop and groom him for free. His good nature helped him forgive his father despite knowing how his mom suffered after their separation.

Share this story with your friends and family. It might inspire them and brighten their day.

Click here to read another story about a teacher who sees an orphaned student sharing lunch with a homeless man. Upon investigating, she learns the man is the girl’s father.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.