19 year old Nisha is all ready for going to barbers. She combed her hair once more, checked it once again in the mirror. The hair is dark, black and touching her bra strap length. She grasped all the hair and made a pony of it and went downstairs.

“Let’s go” Nisha said feeling excited. She left for the barbershop with her 8 year old cousin, Jitu.

They reached the barbershop, an old but big one with three barber chairs and a lot of waiting chair. All three chairs were occupied. Both of them took seat in the waiting area.

Nisha was never fond of barbershops, actually she hate any place related to haircutting, but barbershop is a place which refreshes her various terrible memories. She accompanied Jitu only to help her aunt and show her how responsible she is. She wanted her aunt to know she is not a little girl anymore. Her aunt a lovely lady with short curls has warned her though to be very careful in barbershop with Jitu around.

The second barber a middle-aged man completed and asked for next. She escorted her cousin to the chair when the barber asked, “I wish to do your hair young lady, and maybe your brother can wait”

Nisha was surprised, “Excuse me? I am not getting any cut here”

The barber apologized, “Oh! But you were sitting in the waiting chair”

Nisha was irritated. She sighed and said, “Look I am not getting haircut, I am just escorting him”

Barber said, “But your hair…umm leave it”

Nisha was getting restless and irritated now. Then Jitu said, “Why should only I get a haircut didi (elder sister)?”

Nisha yelled at Jitu, “Because it’s your haircut day, not mine”

Jitu retaliated, “no I won’t get haircut if you don’t”

Nisha tried to trick him but she failed. She said with misery, “okay, okay, I will, but at the moment you get the cut, then me”

Jitu was pacified by this and the cutting began. She thought she has managed her escape when suddenly the first barber an old man in his 50s completed his customer. Jitu started again. She walked to the chair thumping her foot to show her anger to Jitu. She adjusted herself in the big chair opened her hair and threw it behind the chair.

The barber asked in heavy voice, “What to do lady?” she explained to him, “I have not planned any haircut today, but you see he had forced me into this. So I want you for two inches”

“Two inches? Are you sure?” the barber was amazed. Other barber also started glancing her

She replied, “Is it? Then one inches”

The barber replied, “As you say. It may be unplanned but it should be little long”

Nisha replied, “Just do it as little as possible”

The barber didn’t said much then.

Nisha was staring at her refection sting in such a large chair, her pony tail now open, her hair spread at the back, with some in front, when suddenly a large white cloth cape was draped on her. She could feel her hair being pulled out of it and the cloth tightened around her neck.

The barber used his fingers to untangle her hair. The barber then took the comb to make her hair straight. Nisha could feel the barber’s hand in the neck, as he held her hair to untangle the hair below.

The barber then kept the comb, making the hair spread evenly. Her hair looked dashing hanging behind the chair. The barber complimented her hair, “it’s very well maintained, very nice” Nisha didn’t replied to this. The barber then took out a large clipper and switched it on which made Nisha jump.

Nisha was distressed, “no scissor?”

The barber didn’t heeded to it, he pushed Nisha’s head down such as chin touched her breast. Nisha didn’t resisted. The barber then collected all the hair in a pony with his left hand, and pulled back.

He said, “I can do it with scissor, but am better with clippers for doing what you asked”

Nisha didn’t replied anything. She closed her eyes. The barber pulled her hair to the top of her head and placed the clipper behind. Before Nisha could understand anything, he ran it upward to top of her head, slashing Nisha’s hair.

Nisha was speechless. She could feel something in her back. The barber again kept the clipper a little sideways from the previous zone, then only she started screaming. She immediately tried to get up from the chair but couldn’t because barber was holding her by her hair. She reached for the chopped area and touched with her right hand. Barber has loosed his grip, some chopped hair fell to ground.

Nisha was horrified, “what have you done?”

Barber was confused, he babbled, “You said you want it as short as possible”

Nisha face whitened, “I meant as short as possible… cut it, I mean the…”

Barber didn’t said anything. He faced down in regret for error. Nisha saw her chopped locks, her anger boiled. She started shouting, “what have you done? You…”

Before she could complete Jitu interrupted her. His haircut was complete. Nisha saw him and then quietly sat on the chair and said gently, “Do something, just to make it right”

The barber trembled and said, “umm, am sorry but I think I have to take most of the length, it has to be cut umm… short overall, but I can keep front longer”

She asked, “How long?”

He said, “Few inches, maybe four or five. You won’t have to pay for your haircut as well as brother”

She sighed and bent her head down in submission to the barber.

The barber again collected her hair, but this time he didn’t took the clipper, but picked up the scissors. He collected the hair at neck in pony and inserted the scissors, and kaaachchch…chchchc…chch.

Nisha could feel the cold blades oscillating at her neck. He could feel the jerk and sound of the hair being chopped. Her hair locks slide to floor with each snip.

Chchch.chhhh. The barber was finished with the chop and left his grip and shook her hair. It was now neck length with choppy ends. Her beautiful mane was lying in floor. The barber then switched to clipper again.

He tilted her head back, such that see can see herself in mirror, and attached a guard in the clipper. He combed all her hair back, and then placed the clipper in front of her hair right in the middle and ran it slowly to the top of head.

Long hair pieces detached fell to her lap. He again combed once and did the same thing little sideways. He continued doing so.

Nisha could see her transformation right in front of her eyes. Her lovely locks are all now short stubbles just enough to make her head look black. She could see her locks on her lap, and feel as more locks fell and some slide to floor.

Once barber was complete with front, he remove the guard, and revolved her chair by ninety degrees, and ran the clipper from side to top. More of her hair fell to floor.

Nisha could felt little breeze on her left side now. She knew it is shorter than front but she is eager to know how short. After barber completed left side he turned her to see her right. Nisha got a quick glance of her side while revolving. She just saw white spot with black patches on her left.

Nisha could fell the clipper on her right now. Her hair sliding to floor. She now started liking the vibration of the clipper.

After right was complete, barber again spun her chair such that she was back to her initial position. Nisha couldn’t believe what she saw. Her sides are almost bald, her virgin scalp can be seen. Before she completed visualizing it properly, she felt the force of barber’s hand pushing her head. She accepted and bend her head.

Barber was doing the back really fast. Her hair rained to floor with each run. After he was complete, Nisha raised her head. Barber started massaging her head in back and sides which she didn’t like.

Next barber took out a razor and inserted blades. Nisha was horrified and yelled, “Don’t shave me bald”

Barber replied, “It’s just to clear the nape” and sprayed water on her back.

He placed the razor at her back and said, “Don’t move” and scrapped her hair till her ear ends.

He declared, “It’s complete” and then dusted her and uncapped her.

Nisha stepped on her chopped hair as she got up. She was too concerned to check her hair. She touched her sides and back.

She took her time to check her. She is felling something different, and couldn’t decide if she is happy or sad. She left the shop with Jitu afterwards.

Nisha’s aunt was not at all surprised to see her in such. She smiled, “I told you to be careful you know…”

Nisha didn’t replied. Her Aunt tried to cheer her up, “Go get a shower, it’s not at all bad”

Nisha replied slowly, “You like short hair, but it’s just I always have it long”

Her aunt replied, “Believe me I had hair longer than yours and…”