Barber shop

“How long have you been in this profession?” I asked.

“One and half year now” he said.

“You are pretty new, then” I added, addressing his reflection in the mirror.

“Hmmm. Maybe. But, there isn’t much to learn in this. It is very simple job, actually.”

The reflection in the mirror was more interesting than the conversation. The dexterity with which he cut my hair was impressive. It made me believe that he must have been a fast learner.

“How long were you in your previous job in your home country?” I asked.

“3 months.”

“that s not much” I said.

“Well, the first day on my hair cutting saloon as a worker was memorable. My employer told me ‘that s your customer. Go ahead and give him a good hair cut. Fear not. I am here.’ ”he chuckled.

He went on with his work of cutting hair for sometime.

The large mirrors spead out all round the wall in front of me and covered most of it leaving a few bits for the top shelves which housed various lotions required for a barber shop. On my left side was another barber doing his job of clearing his customers. Both the barbers shared the same mirror space.

Along came a little boy drawing with him a doll by its arm and turning all the drowsy faces in the barber shop. Along came behind him his mama clutching her bag filled with his requirements for the next one hour of his stay. The gloom and sense of hopeless waiting within the shop seemed to end momentarily as the boy entered. Older men with week long beards seem to get attracted towards the little boy who reminded them of their own grandchildren, in various stages of development and to others the much awaited little ones from their sons and daughters, who had found no time to create a baby, amidst the busy routine of a city life. The left over youngsters, whose hair or beard didn’t bear a streak of grey amused themselves by ogling at her round breasts which made her tight dress hug her around all curves. Even the barber stopped his melancholous clp-clp, to acknowledge the change in the mood inside the shop.

And so the barber said ‘next’ as he finished the man on the chair and pocketing the notes paid to him in return. The small impatient to wait for his turn or never taught to him anything about it walked to the chair as though, next was his name. The man whose turn it was rose and started walking towards the chair only to realise that the little boy was already climbing on to the seat. The mother rushed apologetically to get the small boy back to the seat. The old man smiled and so did the barber, and they both decided to give the little boy the hair cut out of turn. The old man returned to his seat without a word and a smile on his face that extended from ear to ear. The mother apologised to the old man for her son’s insolent behaviour. The hair cut was finished in a moment and the mother and the son disappeared out of the door, much to the disappointment of the rest of ht occupants of the shop. The only person without any disappointment was the barber who continued his lazy clp-clp, pocketing the notes given to him by the young good looking mother.

“Thank you” said the barber to me as I left the change with him hair cut plus shave and left the barber shop.