Baar Baar Barber

I had a haircut today, hence this post. I'm really not able to resist logging onto the net so i might as well write something.

My visits to the barber, ever since I was 6 years old has been a monthly affair. Get up early, go to the barber's shop, tell him just one word "Short" and wait and watch till he hacks off that thick bush on top of your head and then get up and go home. Never, I repeat never have I ever had more than a one word conversation with any barber, until today. And so far my visits to the barber have been hassle free.

Visiting a barber is similar to living in Afghanistan. You have no freedom and you are completely at their mercy. If they screw up your hair, then there's no fixing it back.

Even today I went a bit late, so there were already some people there. The usual banter in Tamil was going on. As always there was today's edition of Bangalore Mirror. I don't know whether it is a coincidence or not, but whenever I see someone reading that paper, its always in THAT PARTICULAR PAGE. No points for guessing which page. Anyway, today an old man of around 50 years was reading it. I wondered what use it could be to him. As always I picked up a copy of filmfare magazine. Interestingly, irrespective of all the newspapers and magazines, it is Filmfare which is most read. (For proof, just look at its condition the next time you go to a barber)
It is completely irritating how all the old guys turn their heads towards you and give you that rueful headshake. Completely pissing off. The other dude was reading "Ask the Sexpert" for Ol' Pete's sake and nobody even raises an eyebrow. Many even kept glancing into what I was reading from time to time. The same ones who gave the rueful headshake and the "See what the world is coming to" looks to each other.

Anyway, after all this tamasha, I finally got to go sit on the chair. I was getting comfortable in the seat when the guy who was supposed to give me a haircut wanted to attend nature's call. The idiot did not return for quite a long time. I usually spend time like that making irritated faces, and when I get bored of that trying out with different looks and gazes at the mirror. Afterall that's right in front of you. What I did forget was that the whole bloody room is full of mirrors and any monkey-like action I do is visible to everybody. So finally stopped acting the goof.

At last the guy came back. I got was about to fall into the familiar stupor and submit myself to his will, become a puppet in his hands when he gave me a look. I replied "Short". HE continued to give me the look and then he asked me "Slope or rounded" I had never heard both words related to haircut before. He took 2 minutes explaining what they were and I finally settled on slope. He tried to ask me few more questions but then realized its futility and started with the familiar hacking and snipping.

I am sure all of you will agree that the waiting part is quite boring. For the first time, I actually remembered how I spent that time.

1) First tried to give that dignified image. Closed eyes, the serious thinking expression. Realized nobody cared.
2) After the initial putting of water and combing was done and the first bit of hair fell down, I tried to open my eyes and started to guess where he would cut hair next. That also got quite boring after some time.
3) It is most fun when half your hair is cut. The barber keeps combing and recombing it to cut somewhere else, and you end up with some amazing hairstyles, although only temporarily. The best thing to do now is try giving different poses to best suit the hairstyle.
4) I still have not gotten over the dreadful feeling of how short the hair actually gets when he's done with the cut. One moment, it's all glamorous and stylish and the next moment its just plain old normal you with a typical scrawny look and very less hair on your head.

Happens to everybody I suppose. But my head does feel a lot lighter after the cut.

Need not trouble myself for another month atleast.

Does it happen with anybody else or is it only me who fears getting his hair cut after studying something. I have this absolutely insane notion that whatever we read gets stored in the hair. You lose the hair, you lose what you have studied. :P Stupid I know but its always nice to have those small superstitions to yourself.

Bye.