The Barbershop

"Today's Sunday, you promised  that you'll get a haircut or shall I braid your hair?" Mummy exclaimed.

"It's just 8:30 a.m !!, let me relax". I replied 

"The shop will get crowded, don't blame me then". Mummy commented

"Fine !!" I growled 

I know my hair is long enough to meet a barber but on Sundays I hate getting out of bed.

I got up and started walking to the barbershop hoping it isn't much crowded.

"Oh god! I should've listened to Mummi" I saw a group of men probably in their mid 50s waiting for their turn.

"Why on Earth did all uncles decide to get a haircut today? Wait, there's even a bald man sitting. Did he forget that he is bald? Maybe he owns the shop.

I bald mand owning a barbershop, And irony for sure.

I let my thoughts set free for a while.

"Oh-oh, I am supposed to get a haircut or mummi won't let me inside the house" I said to myself.

"There's another Hair salon but it's a km away, I guess I'll walk to the shop".

It took me 10 minutes to get there.

It's an old shop with 4 adjustable Salon stools, they appear pretty old because of the rusting. The wash basin has a broken tap from which water flows continuously. The mirrors are okay, just a bit dusty. Behind the chairs are cushioned sofas, and the seat of the sofa is almost flat maybe due to years of use. The best part of the Salon is that it is air-conditioned, Something which isn't usual in shops with such poor conditions.

As I entered,

"Sit down babu" an old man greeted, he didn't appear as old as his hair looked. A man in his late 40s wearing an old navy blue shirt. His face looked as if he hadn't slept for a while. It's funny how a man who works in a salon is also the person who requires grooming the most. If the shop was a person, it would be him.

I sat down and started giving instructions. 

"साइड से छोटा कर दीजिए और बीच का ज्यादा मत छोटा करिएगा" uncle sprayed water and got busy in cutting.

By his skills, it was sure he was an artist and my hair a canvas.

It wasn't too long when another customer came in.

"Just give me 10 minutes भैया, I'll...

"Take your sir, Sir, I ain't here for a haircut. I am here to show some of my products" The customer or what we thought was a customer interrupted.

The old barber started laughing but it wasn't a happy laugh.

"आप अपना समय बर्बाद कर रहे हैं भैया," he said with a smile.

"We don't need any product".

"At least look at them, we have a wide range of creams, bleach and face wash," the salesman said with hope in his eyes. 

"We seriously don't need them, all of the bottles will sit in the corner covered with dust. Yes if you were here 6-7 years earlier then I would've bought all of them with an order for a restock for the next month. I saw the barber go back in time.

"The shop you're in was opened in the year 2009 by a local businessman. The chairs were specially bought from Kolkata. Along with the 4 chairs, 4 skilled barbers also came. Among them, I was the one. Air conditioners are now common in every barbershop but at that time we were the first shop equipped with an AC in Gorakhpur. We were busy throughout the week but on weekends this place used to be a total mess, so we decided to name it 'Holiday Hair Salon' All men used to bring newspapers to kill time". He kept talking while doing my hair.

"Wait !!! I remember" nostalgia hit me.

The oldest memory that I can remember was from a random Sunday in 2013. I along with Papa and my elder brother used to come here.

"Papa be fast or our seat will be gone" bhaiya shouted while being a few steps ahead of us.

"Don't worry, I have a newspaper with me to timepass?" Papa said while walking-holding my hand.

As we reached bhaiya shouted, "We're inside a Refrigerator !!" I left Papa's hand and ran inside, jumping with joy.

All uncles laughed.

"1,2,3,4... our turn is after 4 uncles," I told Papa.

"Alright, now both of you sit down or Uncles will get angry" Papa spoke.

I and Bhaiya sat down immediately, papa got busy with the newspaper.

I saw around, posters of uncles with weird hairstyles everywhere, big beautiful chairs, 4 uncles cutting hair and a machine that throws cold air.

After an hour it was our turn. 

Before I could get off the sofa, bhaiya ran and sat off the chair.

"Get off cheater !! It's my turn" I cried.

"It's okay babu, after this it's your turn" barber uncle spoke. His voice was very deep.

Barber's uncle wore a navy blue shirt, he wasn't as tall as Papa but his hair was long and shiny.

Papa told the barber uncle to do the 'Katora cut' I started laughing.

"No !! I don't want that" bhaiya cried.

"Fine-fine, I'll do the 'Mushroom cut' cut you. Do you like mushrooms?" Barber uncle asked Bhaiya.

"Yes," bhaiya nodded.

It was years later we found out 'Katora cut' and 'Mushroom cut' were the same thing.

I sat on the sofa and made funny faces in the mirror so that Bhaiya laughed and got scolded for fidgeting.

After 10 minutes it was my turn. Barber uncle bought a wooden plank and kept it on the arms of the chair. I was confused.

He told me that it was only for good boys which made me very happy until one day I got to know I wasn't a good boy but a short boy who had to sit on a height to reach the mirror.

"Do you cut your own hair?" I asked curiously. 

"Yes," he smiled.

I looked in the mirror and saw Bhaiya making funny faces which made me laugh uncontrollably. Seeing this everyone laughed.

"Next time I'll show you my new T-shirt," I told Barber's uncle.

It was one of my favourite childhood places. 

I don't remember why we stopped going there, maybe when Sundays stopped being a 'Holiday' or maybe when 'Katora cut' went out of fashion.

Present day.

"This shop will shut down in a few days." Barber uncle said to the salesman.

This made me heartbroken.

Papa now dyes his hair more than he goes for a haircut and Bhaiya moved to Jaipur for higher education.

Now it's just me my memories with this place and Barber uncle. I wish I could show him my new T-shirt but I was wearing bhaiya's old t-shirt.

"Ho gaya beta" barber uncle said.

I no longer cared how my haircut was, I got to live a happy memory once again, that's all I cared about. 

"How much?" 

"₹60".

I gave him a ₹100 note.

"Don't you have change?".

"कोई बात नहीं, आप रख लीजिये"

His smile remained a constant even after so many years.