Roy, I had the same barber from around 1952 (pic of me as two year old in his barber chair) up until about ten years ago.
Then he wound up with dementia and had to stop cutting hair, he'd get half way through and couldn't remember what to do next.
We all loved him so he was always treated with gentleness.
His replacements were a husband and wife team in the middle of a nasty divorce,
she was ok, talked too much and cut my hair too short, talk, cut, talk, cut....geez please talk less and cut less.
Then she left and husband cut my hair once. What an obnoxious person he was, had hoped that changed.
So I knew I needed a new barber, who happens to be in the same shopping center so it's easy. My brother had to change also and he reported back
to me she was ok. Sometimes it's hard to get just a haircut anymore. No I don't want my hair washed, there isn't enough of it anyway...
Don, good advice, thank you. Another term is "off the ears". When you think about it, not very precise instructions, all about how much tapering they do.
Be thankful you have enough hair to taper.
