“Whispers of Wisdom: Reflections from My Barber’s Chair”

I would plead with him to cut the hair very short; he would say it won’t help because I have to have another haircut before a month. I learn.

One day I learned from him that as a daughter’s father, he has to plan for her marriage for at least five years so that he can buy a gold ring for the boy in one year, a gold chain for her the next year, a pair of gold bangles the following year and so on. I asked if he has to arrange a motorcycle as well. He made me wiser saying that boys these days aren’t keen on such assets, they look for a girl with good education. I also learned that he would have the wedding ceremony in Bhubaneswar rather than in his village because he would be able to get help from his customers in the city.

He lives alone in the city and his day starts pretty early. He has more customers because he is in his shop by six. He cooks rice before he goes to work. Cooks dal or vegetables on return around one in the afternoon. In the evening he works longer. I learn that these are real skills — far different from what our government teaches on skill development.

His shop is the place where he earns his livelihood and where he socialises. He likes to talk and listen. This is a great lesson.

I also learned that when he attended customers like me at home he leaves his shop open in the care of the waiting customers and the the owner of pan shop next to his shop. The bond of loyalty is so strong that his clients would not look for another barber if he wasn’t in his shop. They wait. I learned.

He made me learn that a farmer like him never got the MSP for paddy he grew. A trader comes to his house and buys his surplus at at least four hundred rupees less than the MSP. He gets ready cash and doesn’t have to carry his surplus to market.

His last visit to my house was two days ago. He always arrives within fifteen minutes after getting a call from me. This time he told me of an incident early in the morning. Three youths came to the pan-shop and bought cigarettes. They stopped at a distance and tried to snatch the cellphone of a passerby who perhaps was a morning walker. Two lady sweepers on work cleaning the lonely lane with their brooms with long stout sticks soon ran to protect the victim. One of the miscreants brandishing a knife didn’t scare them. All three youths ran for their lives. I learned about these noble and brave ladies who keep our city clean.

My barber has been my window to the world around. I see through him an unedited, unadulterated view of the world I live in. His reporting and his analysis are far more educative and authentic than what I get from media including social media or from our loud mouthed public men.