ALEXANDER HAIR CUTTING SALON

One guy suddenly got up after his shave and started shouting at the person who did the shaving for him. I was startled and confused as he threatened the hair salon worker with police complaint and said he will get him arrested and take severe action. I mean how can anyone talk such extreme and drastic? Admitted the boy mustn’t have done the shave to his satisfaction but such reaction and walk away? This boy got so demoralized that i wondered if ever he will regain his confidence and work properly. Despite being cut on shave on my neck region by the owner himself (seriously truthful and no exaggeration at all) i pacified that boy and asked him to take it easy by giving several examples of success failure dynamics and people’s attitudes hoping it will help him.

This incident made me recollect my child hood and the hair cutting salons. The owners always seemed confidence personified and knowledgeable. They would talk authoritatively on anything from cricket to cinema to politics. Most of their knowledge was based on newspaper, Radio and commonsense. All the customers would seek the owner’s opinions on issues and he would exude total confidence as if he is going to decide the future of the country. It was all cute and everyone would listen to them. This was not pertained to one shop and this was the pattern of all owners. I always wondered at their confidence and the place seemed like power centre. They would order tea only to the elite and senior people and that was a privilege. I can’t forget the day when i was in intermediate when the tea was ordered for me and i was excited and volunteered to pay but was denied. Such was the time spent with importance there in such places.

It was in 1970’s that the movies like bobby, deewar, sholay , zanjeer got released and not in this order. All of us had so much information and trivia on movies that it surprises me sometimes as to how?  No net, no websites, no television and only screen and film fare were available. And these salons were the centres to read them. Homes were not allowed for such reading and we could not afford to buy them or take on a rent. Every fate of a politician and movie and cricket was decided at such places. Hence the wait and queue in the salon was not only felt worth but was exciting. There was also some camaraderie among people visiting. No impatience and no arrogance. There was hardly dettol and wonder if they ever used fresh blades or towels. There is no suggestion that this is preferable but that total fearlessness was the order in the absence of viruses.

Styles would be based on bollywood movies and that manual machine was a culprit as parents would insist on running the same for all children for short hair. It was a freedom and fun when we were allowed to go on our own but we could not go for more than an hour and definitely not other than morning.

When i was very young, they would put a plank in the wooden chair and then do the hair cutting. They day they stopped using that was the indication of growth. Another yardstick was when they would listen to us and stop using the machine and only use the scissors. Then of course, using of razor to get the finish beneath years and back of neck. Then shaving and the rest as they say is hair story. Hence the evolution was also indicated from that place. In that sense it was so much part of the cultural context and the growing up.

These centres were the places of informal research centres, opinionated knowledge based places and discussion platforms and more objective and healthy than the ones that happens on the news channels in the name of experts. Gone are those times and salons of such culture is rare. Now we have hugely hygiene centres, expensive and very impersonal. The tip paid to the performer is part of this new culture and nothing wrong. Earlier that smile and a warm thank you after a deadly no extra penny hair massage was the order. Times change, tempers change and hence the warmth of the people.. lage raho , and everything as they say is for the good.

How can i forget the dream of going to Alexander hair cutting next to AIR opp assembly.. My god, it had AC and chairs had the recliner and probably get to see film stars. By the time i could fulfil the desire life had changed so much and the gap between Alexander and all salons became small. But i indeed went to that place for a special hair cut and shave 2 days before my marriage. Still remember with what pride and satisfaction i walked out.. indeed times change and so do people.