A visit to barber shop

 Today is Saturday. Rohit was planning to get his hair trimmed for past one week. It has grown uneven from all sides and high time to get a hair cut.

He decided to visit the nearby hair salon. Recently he has found out that this salon charges much less that the other salon. Being a spendthrift he is it suited him perfect.

When he reached there, he found that instead of the regular middle aged barber a boy was sitting there who must not have been more that 20 years of age. He had seen this boy in his previous visits and thought he must be his son or some other relative. With the customary question of how he can help, to which Rohit answered by saying he needs hair cut, boy asked him to sit on the chair.

This was the usual chair where he used to sit in his previous visits. Boy asked him whether he will like hair cut by machine or scissors, Rohit replied that he can go with machine. Even though there was some doubt in Rohit's mind that whether this boy is any good with job or not, Rohit decided to give him a chance and especially he is not very particular with how his har should look perfect.

Boy was attentive and meticulous. He progressed well and asked for more inputs on whether back of hair should be straight or cut, which was again an amusing question to Rohit as he never cared. Eventually the job was done and it was not a bad job after all.

When Rohit asked how much to pay, the boy said Rs 130 which was much cheaper to Rohit's delight. Boy asked him if he can pay him by cash insted of mobile pay, Rohit told him that he doesn't have change and showed him his Rs 500 note. Boy took his money and said that he will get it changed.

Now it was waiting game for him. As minutes started passing, he began regretting first for wasting his time. He could have insisted on paying by mobile and would have been in home by now. Then he started doubting. Has the boy ran away with his money? It must be an easy money for him. Do I even know this boy? How will I get rest of my money back. Shall I come back later. But will barber shop owner even aknowledge my claim? What will happen if he refuses to recognize this boy. Oh man, I should have never trusted him.

Then he saw that a phone was lying there. He thought if the boy doesn't come in next 5 minutes he will simply grab the phone and leave. Of course this phone must be of some value to anyone and he has a chance of getting rest of the money back. But at the same time it didn't feel very right to grab some one elses phone. In this conundrum another 5 minutes have passed. There was no sign of boy on the street. Rohit was getting restless. He had almost made up his mind to take the phone and leave for home, when the boy came running up the stairs to shop. He gave him Rs 370 back and started serving other customer who was waiting.

Rohit felt little bit guilty, little relieved. He wanted to tip, but then hold back thinking that this fellow had made him wait unnecessarilty and went home.

(c) Anup Mayank