Haircut?

Is it already time for another haircut? I find myself musing while indulging in a long overdue shave! Hmm... yes the locks really have grown out of the acceptable praportions behind my ears and on the back of my head. Well i think this calls for expenditure of another precious Rs 25( an expenditure I can definitely do without in times when the only things that come out of my pockets are buterflies) I can think of an infinite number of avenues that I'd rather spend this 25 bucks on. But haircut it will have to be, or risk looking like one particular friend of mine( who makes no secret of the fact that he might be related to some sub species of grizzly bear).You get the gist of it I suppose.

So an hour later i find myself ( a knack i am getting an expert at) trudging along this newly laid road, full of potholes, towards Sunshine Parlour ( my usual haircut salon). In India the roads are never new unless there are a few potholes. Pothole less roads are just not the in- thing!! OK Why did I chose sunshine one might ask. Its probably because it charges the least of all the salons in the area, or probably because it is the least congested whenever I go.Anyways where was I? ah.. yes i was trudging towards SP. I entered and the chap promptly made me sit on the nearest chair. I must say these chairs are really comfortable things. Coupled with the monotonous click- clicking and slice- slicing of the scissors it REALLY puts you in some sort of a reverie. Its nothing but you and your thoughts in utter solitude for 15 whole minutes. So I was really getting comfy, when this not-so-comfy thought struck... why am I getting this haircut done? why cant I let it grow? Didnt I so diligently take care of it for the past three weeks? Oiling it, shampooing and grooming it so it is lusturous? why let it all go waste suddenly now? I remember only two days ago I was in this supermart trying to choose the best brand of shampoo for my hair. I swear it is a mind boggling business. 6 different brands of shampoo, with 10 different compositions, in 3 different sizes for 7 different hair textures!! i might as well spend the rest of my life trying each one and publish which suits my hair best. Add to it conditioners and oil!! its a difficult job you know. And here I was ... getting a hair cut.

I wonder what is of more pith and moment? The length of the hair or the style? I asked this to the chap who was click -clicking behind me ,and his " jo bhi aap bolo saab! " did not seem to be the real answer to my query. Hence i continued in my rusings. Think of it... it seems sine qua non for rock stars to have long hair, soldiers invariably have v. short hair, punks get spikes done or some other-worldly hair do, and hippies?? well forget about them...You'll know one when you see one. We live in an a society where each and every individual is distinctly divided into a family name( surname), a middle name and a first name! Tell me, is it essential to know all this or for that matter, his religion and caste to judge the character of the person, where a simple glance at his hair style would suffice?

It his amazing how mundane things in life become so complicated when you really look into it. For me ( and I suppose for most of man- kind, which is different from woman -kind) a hair cut is generally taken for granted.

However it is jarring to note the difference of perspectives of the two sexes ,over an issue as commonplace as a haircut. As the chap siezes to 'click-clicking' and switces to shaving with his razor, I am reminded of this conversation.

*Woman1: Oh! You got a haircut! That's so cute!
Woman2: Do you think so? I wasn't sure when she gave me the mirror. I mean, you don't think it's too fluffy looking?
Woman1: Oh God, no! No, it's perfect. I'd love to get my hair cut like that, but I think my face is too wide. I'm pretty much stuck with this stuff I think.
Woman2: Are you serious? I think your face is adorable. And you could easily get one of those layer cuts -- I think that would look so cute. I was actually going to do that except that I was afraid it would accent my long neck.
Woman1: Oh, that's funny! I would love to have your neck! Anything to take attention away from this two-by-four I have for a shoulder line.
Woman2: Are you kidding? I know girls that would love to have your shoulders. Everything drapes so well on you. I mean, look at my arms -- see how short they are? If I had your shoulders I could get clothes to fit me so much easier . . .

Man1: Haircut?
Man2: Yup ***

I am jolted out of this reverie by a raspy voice: " saab ho gaya! Pacchees rupaya hua saab!" and as i complete the payment I cant stop thinking that this was 15 minutes well spent!