A Visit to 'Handsome Parlour'

A Visit to  ‘Handsome Parlour’

(Thomas D’Silva)

On a bright sunny Saturday morning I decided to get a haircut. Being new to the place, as I was wandering about at  Sector-11 in Noida,  the signboard reading, ‘Handsome Parlour’ attracted me. I knew that was the place for me. After all who doesn’t want to look young and handsome? And being in my 40s, it was just for me!

The Airconditioned room with mirrors at the front and the back, the showcase filled with facials,  dyes, oils, talcum powers, shaving lathers and after-shaves of brands varying from L’Oreal to Gillette took my fancy. A Samsung 20” T.V was playing ‘Munni Badnaam Hui’ song on MTV channel. The empty parlour with huge rotating cum tilting four ‘saloon-chairs’ stood like four monsters in comparison with a boy hardly five-feet tall who welcomed me to be his first victim of the day!

“I just want to receive a hair-cut”, said I and sat on one of those monsters wiped clean with a towel for me to occupy. I could see the skill and swiftness of the barber boy: adjusting the speed of the airconditioner, keeping the mobile in the silent mode, wrapping me with one of cleanest linens (there weren’t many I guessed), checking the scissors and the combs! Then he asked the customary question in a telegraphic language, “chota ya medium?” (short or medium size). I responded, “medium”.

He first used a sprinkler to wet my hair. And then with a finesse of a skilled artisan he went about clicking the scissors over the comb which he ran over the head and the haircut was over in a matter of 8 minutes. Perhaps the MTV music gave him the speed and rhythm to go about his task. I got a new look! With a razor he gave a fine touch to the boundaries! Taking a fresh comb once again he combed the hair and asked for my final opinion. I certified- “Theek hai (O.K)”. But his opinion was yet to come. “Aapke sir ke peeche baal safed ho gaye hain (the hair have turned grey at the back)”, he said and showed me through a small mirror keeping it close to my head. I was sad. ‘Age is catching up’ I felt. I was not willing to neither admit nor accept it.

“Can you do something about it?”, I requested. “Yes, there is Godrej, Garnier and  L’Oreal. The rates are: Rs 150/-, Rs 250/- and 350/-. I thought of Aishwarya Rai the brand ambassador of L’Oreal and as I hail from the same city of Mangalore, opted for solidarity. The barber boy was now excited, humming a tune, prepared the mixture of dye and while his hands worked gave exercise to his long-checked tongue. “Aap is jagah ke liye nayen hai kya?”, he opened. I just grunted, ‘hmm’, as I was hardly relieved of the shock of Rs 350/-! But a minute later I said to myself, ‘Let me take it easy’. The work went on in studied silence.

“What is your name?” I broke the silence. “Sunil Pradhan. People call me ‘handsome Sunil’.” He added “You know today you are lucky to come in the morning. From Saturday afternoon to Sunday late night, I have no time to eat even. I employ  three more part time helpers on Saturday and Sunday, whom I pay Rs 100/- per hour.” I guessed, ‘people make optimum use of the weekends’. “Is this Saloon owned by you or rented?” was my next query. “I pay a rent of Rs 15,000/- a month”, was his proud reply. Rs 15,000/- a month? For a room of 12 ft x 10ft? Then what would be his monthly earnings? So many thoughts started running wild in my mind. I held back my doubts for a while. The applying of the dye paste was over. I looked like a cat taken out from the pond, with its furs all stuck tight to the body!

“Sir, you will have to wait for 45 minutes to wash the hair. Would you like to wash here or at home?” Sunil knew the reply. After all who on earth, in that shabby shape walk freely on the road? I grumbled, “I shall wait here”. Sunil had suggestions, “Sir, you have some dark spots just below the eyes and the cheeks. I have a facial, which can clear it. I have tried it with success on many so far. After all you have to wait for 45 minutes.” The prospect of looking young and handsome brightened my face. Moreover, I justified it with ‘optimum use of time’. But I was now conscious of the cost. “How much does it cost?” asked I. “For Shahnaaz Rs 650/-, Diamond Rs 1100/- and L’Oreal Rs 1300/” I felt some numbness in my head, yet the prospect of looking young in the league of Aish made me opt for “L’Oreal” once again. Sunil had not finished yet, “Sir, before applying the facial, we need to clean the face. Have you ever done a face massage”. I murmered, “No”. “Sir, we shall do the face massage first and go ahead with the facial”. “OK”, I said feeling embarrassed of asking the rate of ‘face massage’.

For the next one hour I had to undergo the ordeal of all kinds of applications on my face, rubbing and scrubbing, splashing of water and washing, etc. I kept my eyes shut, lest something of cream or content enter my delicate eyes. But all the while calculating the cost of looking young and handsome....  When the hair dye was washed and hair was wiped dry, Sunil had a fresh proposal, “Sir do you need a head massage with oil?” “No thanks, it is enough for today”, was my instantly shot reply. He now gently rubbed my head, and with a touch of a master artist ran his hands over my face, combed the ‘natural black’ hair and with an air of admiration exclaimed, “Sir, this is the right look for you”. I just nodded head in approval and got off the ‘monster’.

Sunil took a calculator, hit some digits and in a low and shy tone announced, “Your total is Rs 2350/-“. Well, I had to pay the price. Opening the wallet, while disbursing the amount, I asked myself- “Do you want to look young and handsome”? My heart replied an emphatic “No”.

The promises of ‘nirvana’, ‘youthfulness’, ‘happiness’, ‘long life’, ‘beauty’ and heaven on earth are there for asking. But they all come at a price tag. Sunil is a street-smart barber, who has been exploiting the ‘never say die’ attitude and the ‘thirst’ for ‘ever-green’ life innate in every person. Therefore he could afford a rent of 15000/- a month and pay his employees 100/- an hour. “This is my card, you may call me at any time for appointment”, and he offered the card as if an advance bill. I decided not to fall prey to temptation. But sorry, “spirit is willing, flesh is weak”.