The Legendary Head Shave Tales

Rendu samvatsaralu gadichayi. Ippudu Sagar ki iravai-rendu samvatsaralu. Pattanamantha ataniki peru perigindi. Pattanlo prathi konalo atani 10 barber dukanalu unnai. Atanu arthikaga mariyu samajikaga vruddhi chedaru. Amma kosam oka manchi illu kattadu. Oka roju madhyahnam, Ramesh intlo doorbell mogindi. Ramesh tappalu terichi Sagar ni chusi mukhampai moham petti. "Emi kavali ippudu?" Sagar prashantanga navvi pelli card ichadu. Ramesh mukham mellaga marindi. "So, neeku pelli avtondi, yeppudu yevaritho?" atanu konchem upasamanam ga annadu, kani adi atani pelli kadu, atani amma pelli ani telisi chambittamayyadu, adi kuda ee vayasulo. Atanu pakkaki jarigadu. Jahnvi metla nunchi kinda ki digindi. Atanu chusi madhyalo aagipoyindi. Ippudu Sagar konchem podavuga, gentleman laaga neat ga dress cheskoni unnadu. Jahnvi simple tella saree vesukundi, jada boy-cut length ki perigindi, chinna pilaka inkaa undi, venkala kattindi. Kshanam patu valliddaru kallu kalisayi, mariyu Sagar...

Sagar poddugalane thana mangali dukanam shutter ni ethadu. Lopala unna addam paina surya kiranalu paddayi, foam mariyu nuuna vasana motham dukanam lo nindi poyindi. Rendu Kurchilu, oka nali addam, oka chinna speaker—antha chala paddathi ga, shubram ga undi. Thanu kurchi thudichi, fan on chesadu. Customers vasthunnaru velthunnaru. Thanu andaritho jollyga matladuthu, joke lu vesthu, samaya vrudha cheyakunda pani chesevadu. Aa veedi lo andariki thanu telusu; dukhanam baga nadichedi. Abbayilu mariyu ammayilu iddaroo haircut kosam vacchevaru. Khali ga unna samayam lo, thana drusti addam pakkana unna valla nanna chitram paina padindi. Sagar ki oka samvatsaram unnappude valla nanna apagatham valla mancham pattaru. Valla babai chala yellu ee shop nadipi, thanaki pani nerpinchi, Sagar ki 17 yellu unnappudu chanipoyaru. Thanu school maanesi inti kosam pani cheyalsi vacchindi. Madhyanam, valla amma Mamatha lunch teesukuni vacchindi. “Sarriga bhojanam thinu nayna” ani cheppindi. Thanu thala oopi, ...

Early morning Sagar lifted the shutter of his barber shop. The mirror inside caught the sun, and the smell of foam and oil filled the place. 2 chairs, a clean mirror, a small speaker—simple, neat, and well kept. He wiped the chair, and switched on the fan. Customers came and went. He talked loudly, joked easily with customers, and worked without wasting time. People in the area knew him; the shop ran well. Both men and women came for haircut. During a quiet moment, his eyes went to a small photo of his father near the mirror. His father lay bedridden when Sagar was just an year old. His uncle had run this shop for years, taught him the work, then died when Sagar was 17. He had to drop out from the school and earn for his family. At noon, his mother Mamatha brought him lunch. “Eat properly son” she said. He nodded, teased her, and finished quickly. After lunch He counted the days in his head. “Ha, Fourteen days passed” he murmured. He opened his bag and checked his tools. His friend cha...

Jahnvi was 22 when she got married to Santosh. she was an orphan, raised by a caretaker who later arranged her marriage through his old  friend Ramesh. 6 months ago, she came into this house as a bride. The marriage was simple. Life with Santosh was decent and happy. Now Santosh was laying on the bed lifeless. His mother Leela cried aloud. Neighbors gathered near the door. Everyone stood helpless, staring at the dead body, unable to digest the truth. Ramesh’s eyes were wet, but he forced himself to stay strong. He took a deep breath and called Dr. Prakash, the family doctor, and he came within few minutes. He checked Santosh carefully, felt his pulse, even though everyone already knew the truth. He stepped back slowly and looked at Ramesh. “I’m sorry, he is no more.” That was enough. Leela cried out loud again. The house filled with grief. Ramesh wiped his face and picked up his phone calling close friends and relatives, one after another.  Soon people began to arrive. Santosh...

Janvi ki 22 yeela vayasulo ne Santosh tho vivaham jarigesindi. Ame oka anatha, oka sanrakshakudi daggara perigindi, taruvata athani pata snehitudu Ramesh dwara ame ku santosh tho vivaham erpatu chesaru . 6 nelala kritham ame ee intlo ki Pelli kuthuruga vachindi. Pelli manchiga jarigindi. Santosh tho jeevitham manchiga mariyu nemmadiga saagindi. Ippudu Santosh nirjeevamga mancham meeda padukunnadu. Athani thalli Leela biggaraga arichindi. Thalupu daggara poruguvaaru gummi gudaaru. Andaru nissahayamga nilabadi aa mruthadehanni chusthu satyanni jeerninchukoleka poyaru. Ramesh kallu tadisipoyayi kani athanu balamga undamani tanani taney balavantham chesukunnadu. Athanu duhkham tho kutumba vaidyudu Doctor Prakash ki phone chesadu, athanu konni nimishalalone vachadu. Doctor Prakash Santosh ni jagrattaga parishilinchi nadi ni chusaadu, andariki nijam telusina sare nemmadiga venakki velli Ramesh vaipu chusi “sorry atanu ika ledu” ani cheppadu. Leela malli biggaraga yedchindi. Illu motham dukha...

Morning eight o’clock, the room was full of energy, the bed shaking wildly, naughty laughter filling the air, Spandana moaning Akash again and again with joy, and Akash focused in satisfying her, both lost in their sex which was loud, romantic, warm and wild. Sunlight slipped through the curtains as their laughter slowly faded into hard breaths. After a while, they walked together to the bathroom, joking, brushing past each other, water running over their body as they kissed and hugged each other. Soon the house shifted into routine. Spandana tied her hair, wrapped her dupatta, and moved into the kitchen to make breakfast, humming softly. Akash dressed neatly for his software office, they ate together with love like they always did. He kissed her forehead, and stepped out into the Bengaluru morning. To the world, Akash was a normal working man, and Spandana was his loving wife. Five years of marriage had settled into comfort, care, and quiet romance. Akash took a different road that mo...