My hair dresser and me

It is great to have a holiday in the middle of the week. But, this Wednesday I did not have the usual enthusiasm. Yes...I had to do the thing I hate most - going to the barber shop. I do not know why, but I had developed this rather strange aversion towards going to the barber shop even when I was a kid. For several weeks, I have been successfully discovering different excuses to postpone my haircut. But, this time my hair had grown to such an extent where further postponing is just not possible. There is no stopping the inevitable, I realised. Now came the big question. "Which saloon should I go for?" Living in ‘Solinganallur hi-tech city’, I did not have many options to choose from.

I reached the saloon which was near the hotel where I used to have my dinner. To my pleasant surprise, there was no one in the waiting list, probably because it was not a holiday for many. I need not sit there in the bench, pretending to be reading the left-outs of the local newspaper. At last, I could find something to be happy about that morning.

I went inside. All the three chairs were empty. I went towards the centre one and was about to sit, when the hair-dresser stopped me. "Sir, sit in this one" he showed another chair. I got irritated. “Is that chair reserved for some other VIP?” I wanted to ask him. But, ended up moving silently towards the chair that he showed.

He started asking me the time-tested questions.


"Cutting or shaving?"

"Cutting", I said.

"Long or short?"

"Medium", I said irritated.

"Should I cut it straight in the back side or keep a sheet (now, that is a highly technical term)?"

"Don't cut it straight", I said firmly.



I remember Viswanath telling me long back that, when you cut it straight at the back, you look like a school kid. Viswanath is never wrong, especially in matters related to style.......... By the way, Viswanath is my friend, right from my school days and now he is my project mate and room mate.

"For your face-cut, it will be suitable only if it is cut straight". He was not ready to give up. After all, he was the master of the trade.

"It looks like a school boy when you cut it that way". I was not ready to give up either. After all, it was my hair.

"Sir, it is not the way you think. Moreover, the style of keeping a sheet at the back is outdated". I was not very keen on having an
argument on the latest trends in hair-styles with him. So, I let him have his way.

Now came the worst part of it all. I had to remove my spectacles.......had to sit there completely unaware of how things take shape over my very own head. (Now, don't start guessing the power of my eye. It is pretty high). I tried hard to listen to the FM radio that was being played there. Two program-anchors were talking continuously, making sure that they make no sense. I started wondering what would be the recruitment criteria for these people. Soon, as always, I got lost in thoughts. I was brought back to this world by the words of my beloved hair-dresser.

"Shall I reduce the moustache?"


"No"

"I will just trim a bit. It will look good". I am not going to be taken away by his stupid arguments this time.

"No. Thanks"

He turned my face both the sides and gave a careful look. It was the same look an artist gives after completing his master piece. Satisfied with his work, he said "Yes. It is over". As if waiting to hear those words all my life, I stood up and put back my spectacles. At last….Into the world again. I could not wait to look in the mirror to see what he has done to my hair. And my worst fears came true. Yes, it looked really bad, or so it seemed to me.

When I reached home, Viswanath was watching the same song that they put at least 5 times each day in every Tamil channel. Now, I have to hear his sarcastic comment on my hair style. He looked at me and said suddenly, “Mani, What happened? Looking very smart today. Had a hair cut, is it?” I couldn't believe my ears. Hearing those words from Viswanath is like getting the Mr. Universe title. I was delighted. May be the barber is good. After all, Viswanath is never wrong.

I went near the wash-basin and looked myself closely in the mirror. Yes, I was looking good. But, there seemed to be something wrong. He should have trimmed the moustache a bit.