Barbershop visit with Mother- Ending : English

Balayya stood behind Samantha and started shaving her head with his straight razor. the razor moved slowly as she watched her reflection, Her head was being shaved again, the same chair, the same shop, the same feeling returning to her chest. She swallowed hard. Half her head was already shaved when Raju came in with tea. Balayya smiled, “Tea time sam, will resume after few minutes” and stepped aside, leaving Samantha half bald. Nishan leaned closer and giggled, “Ammaaa, right side you have long hair left side you dont have hair at all, you look funny just like me.” Samantha frowned, “Enough, Nishan. Don’t talk nonsense, all because of you only i have to get head shave” Nishan laughed more, “Ayyo amma, head shave is nothing new for you, you are used of getting head shaved here!” She sighed, trying to stay calm, “I said stop teasing me nishan.” He started moving his fingers on her bald head and started tapping on it, “Amma we can play thabala on your bald head do you know that.”

Others started to laugh looking at embarrassed Samantha. She looked away from the mirror, embarrassed and tired, “Stop irritating me and go sit quietly.” Nishan shook his head, smiling, “No amma, i want to see how balayya will shave your head.” Balayya finished his tea, came back, and gently wet her head again with water. Samantha closed her eyes as the cold water touched her skin. Balayya picked up the razor again and resumed shaving her head steady and silently. Nishan still murmured, “Balayya uncle, now please shave her head fast,” and Samantha whispered to herself, “Ayyo Let them do their work” as the razor touched her head again. Soon balayya finished shaving her head as nishan requested. He wiped the razor, looked at Nishan, and asked calmly, “See properly nishu, is it clean and smooth?” Nishan touched Samantha’s head and made a face,  “Nooo, uncle, still rough, make it smooth and shiny like mine.” She tried to get up at once, “Hey enough enough, it’s done lets go.”

But balayya gently pressed her shoulder, “Sit sam, sit… Its not yet done.” He adjusted the cape and took the shaving foam, spreading it slowly over her head. Samantha sighed, feeling the cool foam slide down, “Why so much drama, queitly get head shaved” Balayya smiled and started shaving again, this time slow and careful, and also did it in the reverse direction. Nishan stood in front of her, crossing his eyes and puffing his cheeks. Samantha couldn’t control and tears rolled, “You are mad, Nishan.” He laughed back, “Amma is a cry abby, crying bald baby.” Her tears slowly faded as she looked into the mirror. The clean, shining head stared back at her. Her eyes softened, thoughts running fast. “What will I tell people? What will they think about this? How will I explain this to them?” she wondered silently. Balayya finished the last stroke and wiped her head gently. Samantha sat still, lost in her thoughts. Balayya removed the cape slowly, and Samantha was about to stand up when Nishan quickly said,

“Aiyo amma, wait… Ballayya uncle please do oil massage also” Samantha turned and stared at him, eyes sharp, “Nishan… stop it” Balayya laughed softly, held her shoulder, and said, “Sit, sit… boy is right only.” Samantha tried to move away, “Enough, uncle… please,” but Balayya tapped her bald head and made her sit again. He opened a fresh bottle of Navaratan oil, the smell spreading in the small shop. As the cool oil touched her head, Samantha shivered and closed her eyes without wanting to. Nishan grinned, “See, see amma… your bald head is shining like light now.” Balayya’s fingers moved slow and firm, pressing and rubbing, “This is very helpful nishan, this will relax your amma and cool her anger” Samantha stayed quiet, her face calm outside, but inside her heart felt heavy, thinking how suddenly life turns like this, She entered the shop with big bun and now she is completely bald and she lost all her hair once again.  The oil kept flowing, hands kept moving, and slowly her stiff body relaxed.

Balayya tapped her bald head, “Done sam, you can getup.” Samantha stood up, pulled her dupatta over her head quickly wrapping it and paid him 200 for both the head shave. Balayya looked at her and smiled, “Next head shave… after two months okay na?” Samantha walked away saying, “Don’t joke uncle,” but a small smile escaped. Nishan shouted behind her, “Yes uncle i will bring amma for reshave... pakka” People laughed, and Samantha pulled him by the hand, being irritated and anger, took him out of the shop into the sunlight. Samantha walked beside Nishan on the dusty village road, her steps quick, her dupatta held tight over her head, when Nishan suddenly tugged her hand and said loudly, “Ammaaa, ice cream! You promised, no cheating now.” Samantha sighed and tried to smile, “Ayyo, later ra, let us go home first, my head is burning,” but Nishan stopped walking and started making faces, “No later, now only, everyone heard.” A few villagers slowed down and looked at them, and Samantha felt her ears heat up. 

“Okay, okay, come,” she said softly, pulling him toward the small ice cream shop. She ordered two cup ice creams, pushed one into his hand, and Nishan’s face lit up as he started eating happily, ice cream dripping on his fingers. Just then a small wind came, her dupatta slipped from her head, and Samantha gasped and ran two steps to catch it, trying to cover her smooth bald head. Nishan burst out laughing, “Ammaaa, bald head... Amma bald head!” and a couple of people nearby also chuckled. Samantha froze for a second, then straightened up, put the dupatta calmly on her shoulder, not covering her head at all, and snapped, “Enough, Nishan. Now happy? See properly.” Nishan blinked, surprised, then smiled again and kept eating. They started walking home, and with every step Samantha’s heart felt heavier, her smile gone, her mind racing—what will they ask, what will I say, how will I explain my bald head and this boy’s shaved head too—while Nishan walked beside her, licking his ice cream, careless and happy.  

As they entered the house, Ravi was the first to notice them and he stopped for a second, looking from Nishan to Samantha. Nishan stood proudly, rubbing his smooth head and smiling wide, while Ravi nodded slowly and said, “Good… summer haircut, hmm?” Then his eyes moved to Samantha’s bald head and he added with a small smile, “Even you joined him ah… brave decision.” Before Samantha could reply, Trisha came out wiping her hands, and Nishan ran to her shouting, “Grandma! Amma also shaved head like me!” Trisha froze, looked at Nishan’s head, then at Samantha, and burst out, “Ayyo, what all you people do without asking!” She pulled Nishan inside, lightly scolding Samantha, “You and your ideas… now small boy also bald because of you.” Samantha stood quietly, heart beating fast, and slowly walked toward the bedroom. At that moment Vishal came out of the bathroom, towel on his shoulder, and stopped seeing her. He looked at her head once, twice, and asked softly,

“What happened… when… where… why like this?” Samantha answered slowly, nervously explaining everything, eyes down, fingers holding her dupatta. Vishal listened fully, then stepped closer and gently ran his hand over her smooth head. He smiled and said teasingly, “Hmm… full shine polish also done, looks cool actually.” Samantha frowned, half angry, half embarrassed, “Don’t joke now.” Vishal laughed softly, lifted her suddenly in his arms, and said, “Come… explanation pending, discussion in bathroom.” Samantha hit his shoulder lightly, “Leave me, people are there!” He walked anyway, smiling, “Let them see, my wife only.” As he carried her inside, her fear slowly melted into a shy smile. Outside, Trisha shook her head, Ravi smiled quietly, and Nishan laughed proudly rubbing his bald head again. Inside the house, the noise faded, leaving only warmth, teasing words, and the feeling of home. The day ended not with anger, but with laughter, closeness, and love settling gently back into the house.