Recently, while addressing media people, the firebrand Rajya Sabha MP Renuka Chaudhary said, “sar kategi lekin nahin jhukegi”. For that matter, she and everyone in the world have no choice but to bow or bend their head before an individual, and mind you, not once but rather several times before they kick the bucket. Yes, you guessed it right.
The barber, nowadays newly coined as hairdresser or even a beautician. This occurred to me when I had to visit a barber in Brisbane. Most of the saloons are available in a mall rather than an exclusive outlet like in India. Either you take an appointment over the phone or try your luck without it. I tried the latter way, dropping in just when the barber opened his saloon in a mall nearby.
No appointment here, but there is a cash collecting machine which, when fed with the required amount, gives you a ticket and your waiting number. This machine is unique because it doesn’t believe in doling out the balance amount if you pass on a higher denomination note. So, what do I do?
I didn’t have exact change. The barber is customer-friendly and gives out the change. I feed the cash and get a token, which puts me in fourth place. So token number 4 gets displayed when you have to bow your head before a he or she barber. I will move into when I get my turn. The lady barber asks how I would prefer to have my hair cut.
I make it clear to retain my hairstyle as it is, except that I want the hair to be cut. How short, she asks. I say neither too short nor too long, just the medium. Now there is a twist here. She asks me the number again. I said four is the token number. No, she didn’t mean that. She means the number of the trimmer she needs to use.
When I said I had no idea, she used her discretion and went about the work in a seamless and fairly good manner. Once done and before parting, she tells me that during my next visit, I should refer to the trimmer number as 4. Looks like the nature of trimming is linked to a specific trimming machine.
What a coincidence! Token No. 4 and Trimmer No. 4. Easy to remember, and I head back home rather pretty satisfied.
