Bald Widow and Mr Perfect Barber's Love Story - 2 : English

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 charan was outside on the bike as Sagar locked the shop and they went for the re shave of the Widow Jahnvi. 

Sagar stepped inside the house and Leela opened the door halfway. She rubbed her stubbles head and looked at him. “Why did you come again?” Sagar smiled and answered “I took the advance money right so only i came to do my job,” Sagar said casually. “Ramesh is not at home, you come later” Leela said firmly. Sagar smiled. “Amma, work is work. I will finish and go.” She looked at him for a moment and after a small argument, she stepped aside and said “Ok ok, Finish it fast”. Inside, Pooja helped Jahnvi come downstairs and made her sit near the chair and stood beside her. Jahnvi wore a plain white kurti and dupatta. Leela stayed nearby, watching every move carefully. Sagar puts his bag down, asks Jahnvi to remove her dupatta. “Eyy what aksing her to remove the dupatta and all ah” Leela scolded him but sagar patiently explained her. " Amma madam's hair is short stubbles which will stick to the dupatta and cause her irritation so only". Jahnvi removed her dupatta and handed over to pooja. Then Sagar poured water gently on her stubbles head while Jahnvi was looking at the floor. 

Sagar added the blade to the razor and began shaving her head slowly with care and love. He worked carefully, Hair fell softly onto the cloth. The sound of the blade filled the room. Leela was looking at sagar on how neatly he was shaving her daughter inlaw's head. Sagar shaved cleanly and slowly with leaving the small choti untouched. after the shave he started to apply foam and leela screamed at him "hey what are you putting at her head" and pooja made her understand it was just a head shaving procedure and leela cooled down. Sagar then took the razor and started having jahnvi's head in reverse manner making it shine smoothly. He rinsed the blade, wiped her head, and stepped back “Done mother, by the way do you also need a re shave as last time you also shaved your head right” he said simply trying to break the silence and make them laugh. Leela didn’t smile. She stood stiff, watching Jahnvi. Sagar then looked at Pooja and grinned “You seem like madam's friend, why not you also get an head shave and support her” he said trying to joke and Pooja laughed for that 

“No chance. I like my hair.” Leela interrupted saying “Enough jokes, now you please leave”. “Okay, okay i am leaving” he said as he stepped out and got on the bike and went back. On the way, he slowed near a small TV repair shop. Inside, his mother Mamatha sat on a stool, laughing. Manu leaned close, his hand touching her shoulder as they spoke. Sagar stopped for a second. He didn’t say anything. The scene felt normal, but that disturbed his mind. That evening, at the tea shop, he stirred his tea without drinking. “hey Charan, I saw amma with that tv shop fellow Manu” he said to Charan. Charan nodded slowly. “I’ve seen them also. Many times, i thought to tell you this before only” Charan tried to make him understand not to take tension. The tea went cold in Sagar's hand. He looked at the road, confused, unsettled, not knowing why the sight stayed in his head longer than it should. Later that night, Sagar waited near the TV repair shop. Manu pulled the shutter down and turned, Sagar began beating him directly, Mnau was in panic and shock " Hey... ahh... who are you and why are you beating me ahh". 

“You dont know who i am and you want my mother ah...” Sagar bet him angrily. Manu tried to make him understand but Sagar didn’t wait. He grabbed him by the collar and gave him few hard blows. “Again if you meet her then i will hit the shit out of you... bastard” Sagar warned and walked away, anger still burning. A week later, Mamatha complained Sagar for stomach pain and he took her to a nearby big clinic. The place was busy, smells of medicine everywhere. As he waited, he saw Jahnvi in a nurse’s uniform. For a moment, he forgot why he had come. His eyes followed her without control. She noticed and asked in surprise “You again... Stop following me... Why are you here?”  He smiled. “Hey cool down, i am not following you i came for my mother” She moved into a small store room to check files. He followed. “See, This is not right, leave me alone, I am a widow.” “So, okay you are a widow so what... have you lived your life fully, have you enjoyed your life ah?” he replied. She shook her head, scolded him softly, and walked away. But his words stayed in her mind. 

That night was Santosh’s birthday. Sagar came with his friends and few street kids. They cut a cake outside Jahnvi’s house, laughing, clapping, enjoying. From her window Jahnvi watched. For the first time in many days, she smiled looking at his madness as he celebrated her late husband's birthday as if it was his. As days passed. It was re shave time again. Sagar came to Jahnvi’s house. At the doorway, Ramesh stopped him. “Why did you come, now no need you can leave,” he said directly on his face. Sagar leaned slightly and looked inside. Jahnvi was standing in the hall and pooja was cleaning her small stubbels on her dress and Her head was already shaved smoothly and fresh. Sagar's face fell. “Why did you called someone else?” he asked. Ramesh’s voice hardened. “Hey its our wish, who are you to ask... i know your intentions and how cheap 3rd class fellow you are” Sagar spoke fast. “This is my work. I’ve been coming regularly and talking about intentions i have never misbehaved with anyone” Ramesh scolded him. “You are still a boy. No degree. No status. 

What future will you give to a girl and you are expecting us to give our daughter inlaw to you ah?” “I earn well,” Sagar tried to speak again, but words failed him. Neighbors began to peek from doors. Charan pulled him by the arm. “Come, let’s go da” he whispered. They left without further argument. At home, Mamatha was waiting angrily as she heard about Manu. Without warning, she slapped Sagar. “Who gave you the right to beat others ah?” she shouted. “You don’t understand life yet. you are still a kid, you don't know what is love” She sat down and spoke calmly. “I got married at 18. You were born when I was 19. From then, your father lay on the bed. Manu wanted to marry me but, I said no because my life was you and he also never forced me, and he is still waiting for me... Love is patience not force.” That night, Sagar sat alone on the terrace, He clenched his fists slowly. “i will show everyone who i am, i will prove myself. Everyone thinks Sagar means flower but i will become Fire... Wildfire” he said to himself. Sagar was in full motivation and in the fire to give a Strong Comeback.