Barbershop visit with Mother-3: English

Sunday night, Samantha stood in the middle of the hall with her head down. Ravi was sitting on the chair, looking angry, eyes fixed on Trisha. Trisha spoke fast and tense, telling how Samantha got low marks again even after tuition. “She is not serious at all ravi, she has been getting low grades from past few exams” Trisha said, frustration clear in her voice. Samantha tried to act calm, but her fingers were shaking slightly. Ravi suddenly lifted his hand in anger, was about to hit her and this itself scared her and made her shiver. Samantha started crying loudly, thinking that this was the end. Then Ravi spoke slowly and read a message from a neighbor. He said he saw Samantha sitting in the park, holding hands with a boy. Samantha froze, her crying stopped at once, eyes wide in shock as she was unable to understand how come the neighbor notice them. She could not believe she was caught like this. Now fear hit her properly, heart beating fast. Trisha scolded her badly, talking about family name and future. Samantha stood silent, tears rolling without sound. Ravi pointed to her room and told her to go and sleep fast as tomorrow you must wakeup early. She was a bit confused why should she wakeup early next day though it was a regular monday and walked away quietly, closing the door behind her. In the hall, Trisha and Ravi sat in silence, thinking what to do with this girl, they both were fed up of her complaints, Samantha was not so good student in her college though she did well in school.

Samantha was distracted as she entered college life. That night, Trisha sat on the bed, still upset, talking softly to Ravi. She said marks are falling and now this love matter also came, " Ayyo what to do, this girl is not at all serious about her life, she should have some empathy atleast towards us see how hard you are working day and night and i am struggling daily and she gets such results". Ravi listened quietly, thinking deeply, anger slowly turning into worry. Trisha remembered how that boy was playing with Samantha’s hair in that video. She sighed and said maybe cutting her hair will reduce all this distraction as hair was the root cause. “A change is needed ravi, how about you take her tomorrow and get her a haircut, something short manageable so she focuses on studies and even that boy wont come near her, this is not any normal change it should be like a lesson more over a punishment for her ravi” she said, serious but tired. Ravi nodded slowly, " Even i was thinking the same when i saw the video, If the hair is distracting her then it should be gone, she will get a nice haircut tomorrow, watch and see ". He also added not to shout at her anymore, just to act firmly without any sympathy life before. Early next morning, before sunrise, Ravi woke Samantha up. She rubbed her eyes, confused and scared, seeing his serious face and trying to recall what he told last night but she didnt expect this early. Without much talk, he asked her to get ready quickly. 

They walked silently to Balayya’s barbershop, morning air still cool. Balayya looked up and understood something was wrong seeing Ravi’s face. Ravi told him everything in short, He asked Balayya to give her a short bob cut. Balayya nodded calmly and called Samantha to sit. Without wasting time he gathered her long hair and very soon her waist-length hair became a neat bob cut. The hair was swinging just below her chin. Samantha touched her hair slowly. Shock… but she kept quiet. Ravi looked at the mirror carefully. He was not satisfied so balayya adjusted the cape around her neck. Again scissors started moving. Slowly he shaped it into a proper bowl cut. Straight line across the forehead. Round shape around the head. “Now see,” Balayya said. Ravi stared at the reflection “Use the trimmer and make it more short”. Samantha’s fingers tightened on the chair handle. Balayya switched on the trimmer. The buzzing sound filled the small shop. He started trimming the sides. Hair kept falling. Finally it became a tight clippered boy cut. Samantha looked at herself in the mirror. Ravi folded his arms dissatisfied. Balayya noticed and thought for a moment. Then he suggested complete head shave for samantha and convinced ravi for that. Ravi looked back at Samantha and slowly nodded. Before Samantha could even understand properly what was happening… “Bzzzzzzzz…” The clipper sound suddenly became very loud inside the small saloon. 

Without telling anything, Balayya placed the clipper right in the center of her head and pushed it. Thick hair fell down into her lap. Samantha started crying badly. She held the chair handles tightly. Every time the machine moved, she felt something heavy inside her chest. But it was not finished. Balayya picked up the straight razor. “Chak… chak…” The small blade sound felt very sharp in the quiet room. Slowly and carefully he started shaving with foam. Samantha could feel cool air touching the skin. The head became smooth and shiny. He removed the cape and dusted powder around her neck. They left the shop without much talk. At home, Trisha saw Samantha’s bald head and froze for a moment. She looked at Ravi, surprised. After a pause, she said rubbing samantha's bald head that it was a good decision. Later, she asked Ravi how it happened. Ravi explained everything quietly while Samantha got ready for school. Morning tension continued at home as Trisha asked Samantha to get ready fast for school. Samantha sat stubbornly, covering her bald head with towel, saying she won’t go like this. Trisha got frustrated, slapped on her bald head tightly and said, “Enough drama, go inside.” With a sad face Samantha slowly went to bath. She came back in uniform, after bath drying her bald head with towel. At breakfast, she ate very slowly on purpose hoping to waste the time. Trisha noticed the time and understood her trick. She slapped once again on her bald head and said angrily.

“Eat fast you idiot, don’t act smart. i am your mother, i know all your tricks” Samantha frowned, ate quickly, tears still sitting in her eyes. Ravi said calmly that he will drop her to college himself. Just before leaving, Trisha mixed turmeric paste in a small bowl. Seeing that, Samantha shook her head saying no i wont apply this to my head and go to college like this. Trisha held her tightly, made her sit on the dressing table chair, applied a thick layer of it covering her head fully with a thick layer of turmeric paste. She smiled at her bald head as Samantha was looking cute but angry. Ravi told he will drop her to the  college today and they both drove on his bike. As they were driving samantha was noticing lots of people were starring at her being amused and surprised by her looks, her yellow head was the center of the attraction. On the way, they crossed Balayya’s barbershop. Balayya remembered her then, college uniform, smooth clean shaved bald head shining due to yellow turmeric paste applied nicely. He smiled at the memory and came back to the present. He told Nishan this story, laughing softly. Nishan started teasing Samantha non-stop. Samantha tried to stop him but couldn't do it. Nishan asked weather his father knows all these stories. Balayya then added, “Your appa also brought her again after marriage, your mother became bald once again in this barbershop...” Nishan started screaming with excitement knowing his father also got his mother head shaved again in the same barbershop....