Haircut

Weekends are a great time for personal achievements outside of work. Like writing a kernel. Or discovering a new radioactive element. Or writing a poem. Or, as in my case, getting a haircut.

• Wanted to try this new place. It seemed to have a good ambiance, and its staff wore uniforms. Sure they spelled “Gents” with a J, but I am not expecting them to have a PhD in English anyway.
• The place was full. 6 people were waiting. “10 minutes, sir” said the barber and beckoned me inside. I walked in thinking this guy at least had a sense of humour.
• The customers seemed to be spending a lot of time on the chair. One guy in particular, got a haircut, a shave, an oil massage, a face massage and a facial done to him. I wondered whether this guy had a rich uncle who had recently died.
• Also wondered whether all these people were here because it was close to salary day. As if reading my thoughts, all  the customers started singing in that annoying Dairy Milk tune, “baal hai katana aaj pehli tareek hai!” with the barbers conducting the song with their comb and scissors. Damn it. I was hallucinating again.
• The staff ordered tea and offered it to all the waiting customers. Touched as I was with this unprecedented act of courtesy, I politely said no, owing to the fact that the floor was full of other people’s hair and the fan was on full blast.
• After an hour, my turn finally came. I turned to the other waiting customers, laughed maniacally and said, “Ha! Take that you losers!”. But not out loud.
• Meanwhile the guy with the dead rich uncle was getting his face steamed. What a girl.
• Took the chair and looked at my face in the mirror and thought that my hair was really not that long. Should have let it grow for a week longer. Oh well, too late now.
• During the water spray, a drop of water landed on my nose and it started twitching.  The barber noticed this and grabbed a tissue and wiped my entire face. I was overcome with emotion at his thoughtfulness, but held back the tears as I didn’t want to trouble the great man again.
• Very talented guy he was. With just a few snips, he made my hair look really really good. Even my parents would agree later that I looked almost human.
• Came home and blogged about it, all the while vaguely wondering why anyone would want to read this nonsense.