Recently, I took my daughter to this swanky saloon where they charge you like crazy but make you feel like an emperor for the duration of the service (More money paid, more time as emperor!).
I spent a nervous first five minutes feeling out of place but gradually felt bold enough to request a service brochure. (There is a separate section catering to men).
Before you could say Yul Brenner… I was hooked and was mentally calculating what it would take to join the long line of royalty that ambled in and out.
I must mention here that hitherto, my expectation from a barber were minimalist in nature. I expected him to cut my hair without any visible damage and if I felt like splurging, I had a shave too! I had one rule “Do not twist my neck violently” If the guy did not heed to this rule I do not visit him again!
But I am digressing and should get back. Having gotten hooked, I boldly and recklessly awarded myself a hair-cut and bleach and announced this rather pompously to the receptionist!
Immediately, she swung into action and a shortish guy resembling a wrestler took me by the arm and pulled me towards the inner hall. I was beginning to feel nervous but sort of settled down when I spotted a rather thin guy with a shock of white hair getting his hair dyed in the next chair. If he can survive that I surely can survive this!!!
I have very thin hair to start with and losing whatever I have rapidly. My daughter tells me that I might soon have to pay the barber a “search fee” in addition to his normal charges!!
The dialogue between me and my enthusiastic barber went thus:
Me: I want my hair cut short…
Barber: Sir, I don’t think that would look good on you (he said this in a voice that brooked no arguments and I gave in immediately)
Me: Okay
Barber: I am going to cut your hair short on the back but leave it long in front. That would look good. (Voice of an expert … voice of authority… voice of a guy who knew his job… and his client.)
Me: Okay
He went ahead and gave me a great hair cut (an opinion that was not shared by my wife unfortunately).
Next, I was guided into a smallish room where pictures of girls in various stages of undress were pinned to the walls. The pleasant thoughts evoked by them were immediately offset by the strange looking implements scattered around the room. There was something that looked like a mask of “Darth Vader” and an implement that looked like garden shears. It was a room which would have done Torquemada proud!!
In spite of my misgivings, the bleaching session went so well that I fell asleep. I was woken up and after the necessary cleaning up, a mirror was held to reflect (pun intended) on the glory that was my face. I could observe no change from the original but having calculated the amount I was going to pay tried in vain to look at some positives and convinced myself that I looked a shade fairer!
With the same firm hand, he took me to the receptionist who looked like a butcher ready to deliver the coup-de-grace to an unsuspecting lamb and she announced that the charges were Rs.250 plus VAT, I paid.
While waiting for my daughter to finish her grooming, I came to the conclusion that all in all, it was a very enjoyable experience barring the overruling of my opinion on my hairstyle. In fact, I was beginning to feel good and was positively beaming by the time my daughter came out.
Like all good things, this feeling did not last and when my daughter came over and explained that she had decided to add a facial and a manicure to her hair-cut and demanded 700 bucks for the same, it had completely evaporated.
While I was in bed that night thinking about the day, I concluded that it was not all bad actually…. after all…you can make money anytime but how long can your hair last?
Just before I drifted off to sleep, I made a promise…. Next time herbal facial!!!!
I spent a nervous first five minutes feeling out of place but gradually felt bold enough to request a service brochure. (There is a separate section catering to men).
Before you could say Yul Brenner… I was hooked and was mentally calculating what it would take to join the long line of royalty that ambled in and out.
I must mention here that hitherto, my expectation from a barber were minimalist in nature. I expected him to cut my hair without any visible damage and if I felt like splurging, I had a shave too! I had one rule “Do not twist my neck violently” If the guy did not heed to this rule I do not visit him again!
But I am digressing and should get back. Having gotten hooked, I boldly and recklessly awarded myself a hair-cut and bleach and announced this rather pompously to the receptionist!
Immediately, she swung into action and a shortish guy resembling a wrestler took me by the arm and pulled me towards the inner hall. I was beginning to feel nervous but sort of settled down when I spotted a rather thin guy with a shock of white hair getting his hair dyed in the next chair. If he can survive that I surely can survive this!!!
I have very thin hair to start with and losing whatever I have rapidly. My daughter tells me that I might soon have to pay the barber a “search fee” in addition to his normal charges!!
The dialogue between me and my enthusiastic barber went thus:
Me: I want my hair cut short…
Barber: Sir, I don’t think that would look good on you (he said this in a voice that brooked no arguments and I gave in immediately)
Me: Okay
Barber: I am going to cut your hair short on the back but leave it long in front. That would look good. (Voice of an expert … voice of authority… voice of a guy who knew his job… and his client.)
Me: Okay
He went ahead and gave me a great hair cut (an opinion that was not shared by my wife unfortunately).
Next, I was guided into a smallish room where pictures of girls in various stages of undress were pinned to the walls. The pleasant thoughts evoked by them were immediately offset by the strange looking implements scattered around the room. There was something that looked like a mask of “Darth Vader” and an implement that looked like garden shears. It was a room which would have done Torquemada proud!!
In spite of my misgivings, the bleaching session went so well that I fell asleep. I was woken up and after the necessary cleaning up, a mirror was held to reflect (pun intended) on the glory that was my face. I could observe no change from the original but having calculated the amount I was going to pay tried in vain to look at some positives and convinced myself that I looked a shade fairer!
With the same firm hand, he took me to the receptionist who looked like a butcher ready to deliver the coup-de-grace to an unsuspecting lamb and she announced that the charges were Rs.250 plus VAT, I paid.
While waiting for my daughter to finish her grooming, I came to the conclusion that all in all, it was a very enjoyable experience barring the overruling of my opinion on my hairstyle. In fact, I was beginning to feel good and was positively beaming by the time my daughter came out.
Like all good things, this feeling did not last and when my daughter came over and explained that she had decided to add a facial and a manicure to her hair-cut and demanded 700 bucks for the same, it had completely evaporated.
While I was in bed that night thinking about the day, I concluded that it was not all bad actually…. after all…you can make money anytime but how long can your hair last?
Just before I drifted off to sleep, I made a promise…. Next time herbal facial!!!!
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