Another trip to the Barbershop means another opportunity to tell you how much I miss childhood and simpler times where I had good eyesight and merely had to sit atop cushions because my dad took care of ensuring I did not come out looking like an absolute nincompoop. (yes, that’s a thing)
Today I went for a haircut where the barber I had booked wasn’t available. So a new individual had the opportunity to cut my hair. What I was extremely appreciative of was how he engaged in Barbershop Gossip. It was lovely. I grasped community sentiment about crucial issues like potholes and poorly constructed roads. Oh, and changing weather. All this while my auto broke down in the middle of the road because it hit a stone and I walked from sunshine to rain in 5 minutes. Wonderful. Thanks, man.
But I took off my glasses. Explained the haircut I desired. And then prayed for 20 minutes as he used a machine over my head and then cut rapidly. His hands (the only object large enough for me to see without visual aid) moved like an artist. Left, then right. Then a shake of my head. Some powder on my face (blinding!). Then a shake of my head. A patdown of my nose. More cutting. Silence.
“Saar”, he said.
I wore my glasses. In the background, a crowd gathered. Moment of truth.
I looked like a poor man’s Bart Simpson.
This man moved my hair partition 10 centimetres to the right and cut my hair unevenly. I now look like I cut my own hair.
And I can’t hold Scissors properly.
My only consolation is that hair grows back.
I also had my first driving lesson today. It was overwhelming and underwhelming at the same time.
I’ve been waiting to drive since I was 6 or 7, and I’ve loved cars for as long as I can remember. Ever since I started asking seriously (about when I turned 15), my parents told me to wait till my 18th Birthday. Owing to University and Internship scheduling, that got pushed to my 19th Birthday. So, sitting in the driver’s seat of a car – albeit not my own, made me smile. It was fantastic.
I then thought I’d feel like an F1 driver, what with the clutch and all and having to be smooth on the pedals. I wanted to feel wind in my hair and all.
I couldn’t start the car only. Full sad I was.
Till it revved up. Then I felt cool.
I wanted to buy racing boots and then mod that car to put paddle shifts in immediately.
I drove at 20 kmph today. Safety first.
I will learn the art of the gearshift tomorrow it seems. I’m super excited!
What a holiday this is turning out to be.
Tejas Rao 