Two Heads in a Saloon

[This is just a time pass story/experience. NOM to any race, country or type of work they do.]

It is a Sunday and a nice summer morning in the city of San Antonio, United States of America. Krishna recently has come to this city on a project work for a big client of his IT services company. It has been a month since he is here and he is planning to have haircut this weekend. Time is 9 AM and as a bachelor after marriage (staying away from his family), he is currently sharing his apartment with another colleague and friend, Ram. Ram is staying in US from past 1 year.

Krishna: Ram, can you tell me where the nearest saloon is located at? I don’t mind if it is a bit expensive but they should complete the haircut decently.

Ram: The nearest one takes 10 min to walk, right beside the grocery store and they charge you $10. There are saloons where they charge less than that but they are far away from here.

Krishna: That’s cool! Is there anything to remember before going to the saloon? I am going to the saloon for the first time in US and I am a bit excited.

[Krishna is excited because he had few bad experiences from his childhood related to haircut. So he is enquiring more than needed and is a bit scared too. He generally does need based talk.]

Ram (very casually): Nothing much, just tell them how you want to get it done, Clipper or scissors? If you are not used to clipper, I suggest you to take the option of scissors.

Krishna: Thanks man, I will have my haircut done today. See you!

While walking to the saloon, he has various things running in his mind. Actually, his head started ‘fissioning’ into 2 heads, one is the head that the world could see and the other is the imaginary head that talks only to the first head. The eyes of the first head are seeing the path towards the saloon while the eyes of his second head are imagining a typical US saloon environment. However his imagination is a ‘fusion’ of typical Indian saloon with American guys doing the haircut. Finally he reached the saloon.

The Lady: Hello Sir, Good Morning. How are you doing today?

Krishna (Head 1) HH.. Hi … I am doing well. How are you?

Krishna (Head 2): What! A lady in a saloon? Got it, this saloon is for both gents and ladies. I hope this will be my last surprise today.

The Lady: Doing Well! How can I help you today?

Krishna (Head 1) I am looking for a haircut today.

The Lady: Sure, please come over. You are our first customer today. Please have a seat in that chair, I will be right back.

Krishna (Head 1) Thanks!

Krishna (Head 2): Hmm, looks like the guy who does the haircut for gents is inside. She went to call him.

[The lady came back after couple of minutes and started to prepare Krishna for the haircut by covering him with a cloth from neck to toe.]

The Lady: Ok sir, what size you want to have the haircut?

Krishna (Head 1) Please make it near to short length.

The Lady: Do you have a number?

Krishna (Head 1) Number? I do not know any number. What is that?

The Lady: Ok, so you might be new to this. Let us say 1 stands for a very mild haircut and 5 stands for completely tonsured head, what is your preference?

Krishna (Head 1) Aaa..aa…aa…

Krishna (Head 2): Unexpected man! Ram didn’t tell about this before. Whatever, let us do not take risk. Anyway, this lady doesn’t understand the gent’s preference of haircut; just tell her 3 which will be medium and the safest option. When will the other guy come to do my haircut?

Krishna (Head 1) Let us make it 3.

The Lady: OK sir, that suits you as you look like an office going professional. Let me start.

Krishna (Head 1) Are you going to do the hair cut?

The Lady: Yes sir, any problem?

Krishna (Head 2): Whaaatt!!

Krishna (Head 1) O..O…Ok, is it possible for you to use scissors?

The Lady: Sure sir, I should have asked your preference. There is no major difference though, the scissors take much more time but I will take your option.

Krishna (Head 1) Thank you!!

Krishna (Head 2): Unreal maaannn!! For the first time, you hair is being cut by a lady!!

[The Scissors started making noise and the hair started to appear the blanket cloth covered on the rest of the body]

The Lady: Are you married?

Krishna (Head 1) Yes

The Lady: How many kids do you have?

Krishna (Head 1) I have a daughter who is 1 year old.

The Lady: I have a daughter who just crossed 18 years of age.

Krishna (Head 2): Why are you telling this to me?

Krishna (Head 1) Ahaa..ok…

The Lady: You know we have to be very careful with these kids at this age. I know you have lot of time but I am telling you. You should be a very strict father and your wife should be a strict mother. Otherwise they will never listen to us….

[The Lady started to tell her experiences and opinions.]

[After 5 min]

Krishna (Head 2): Am I still in the real world? An Indian having a haircut done by a Chinese or Vietnamese lady in America. Wow, this is globalisation.

[After 5 min]

The Lady: And you should never say yes to them at the first time. They are shouting in the car. And I stopped the car in the middle of highway and asked them to leave the car if they shout......

Krishna (Head 2): God! Why is she telling all this to me? Is she actually doing what she is supposed to do? Is she doing size 3 or 5? When will she stop tell me all her stories?

Krishna (Head 1) Ok, what happened next?

[After 5 min]

The Lady: And I said no. I asked them not to power off the cooler and switch to the heater and vice versa on their will. They should take my permission to do it. After all, I am paying the current bill….

Krishna (Head 2): Hey Head1, just sleep man. You don’t have to listen to her. Or at least acknowledge her every one minute. Don’t just sit silent.

[After 5 min, she goes on]

The Lady: Especially, University going girls should be very careful. It is different in this part of the country. We don’t just leave them to dating and other things in our side of the earth. Here they don’t care and you should not let your grown up fall into that…….

Krishna (Head 2): Will my haircut be done today? When? When? When? The stories are getting over but not the actual work. Come on, for how long your ears can bear this? Looks like this saloon has some offers. Come for haircut and get ears bleed for free. We have to have exceptions for people like this in every country, every state, every city, and every family.

[After 10 min]

The Lady: Sir..Sir..

Krishna (Head 1) Yeah

The Lady: we are done. You can pay at the counter.

Krishna (Head 2): Hurray!! You know what, only I know that you had a quick nap in past 5 minutes.

Krishna (Head 1) Y..Ye..Yeah…sure lets go.

The first saloon experience in a different country has left memories in Krishna’s brain. Although the second head disappeared later, it is such a different experience for him. He changed the saloon the next time he did his haircut and the problems continued.