Legendary Head Shave Tales
Ashika was a quiet and reserved first-year college girl. She enjoyed scrolling through Instagram, getting lost in the world of fashion, beauty tips, and trending hairstyles. Lately, her feed was flooded with Instagram reels showcasing various hair transformations—one of them being trendy bangs. The idea captured her imagination. The thought of cutting her long, beautiful hair into something bold and new was tempting, especially with her desire for a change. One afternoon, when no one was home, Ashika decided to take matters into her own hands.
With shaky hands and a pair of scissors, she carefully snipped the front section of her hair to create uneven bangs. The result was nothing like what she’d seen online, but she smiled at herself in the mirror, excited by her new look. She quickly took a few selfies, thinking that maybe her friends would like the change when she went to college the next day. Later that evening, Ashika’s mother, Amma, returned home from shopping. Ashika, panicking, quickly threw on a monkey cap to hide the fresh bangs.
She tried to act normal, sitting quietly in the living room, but her heart raced as Amma approached. “Chinamma, I got your favorite snacks!” Amma called cheerfully. Ashika replied with a nervous smile, trying to act casual, but Amma’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Why are you wearing that cap inside?” Amma asked, walking toward her. Before Ashika could react, Amma yanked the cap off her head, revealing the freshly cut bangs. The room fell silent for a moment, and then Amma’s face turned furious.
“Osey! What have you done to yourself?” Amma exclaimed. Her voice was sharp and filled with anger. “Did those stupid reels make you lose your senses? Nee chetiki scissors evvaru icharu?” she demanded. Ashika’s heart sank. “Amma, it’s just a small change. Everyone’s doing it… it’s fashionable,” she tried to explain, but Amma was beyond reasoning. “Small change? Are you mad? You ruined your beautiful hair!” Amma was livid. “Come here! Osey, I’ll show you what discipline means.”
Without another word, Amma grabbed Ashika’s wrist and dragged her out of the house. Ashika protested, her heart racing, but Amma was resolute. They walked to the next lane, where a small, old barbershop sat between a paan shop and a stationery store. The sign above the door read “Sri Sai Gents Saloon.” Amma pushed the door open and walked in, dragging Ashika along. “Ayya, gundu cheyyandi,” Amma told the old barber. “Kaani, oka front lo unna bangs alane undali. Migatha mottam clean shave cheyyandi.”
The barber raised his eyebrows, confused. “Ammayi ki gundu?” he asked. “Avunu,” Amma said strictly. Ashika stood frozen. “Amma, please! No! I don’t want to!” she begged, her eyes wide with fear. But Amma was not to be swayed. “Osey, I’ll make sure you learn a lesson,” she said coldly. Ashika was pushed into the chair by her mother. The barber soaked her remaining long hair with warm water, and Ashika shuddered as the damp strands clung to her skin. He began applying shaving foam to her scalp, covering everything except her bangs.
The barber looked at Ashika, asking gently, “Shikha vadalava?” “No,” Amma snapped. “Motham gundu cheyyandi.” The razor began to glide across Ashika’s scalp, and the first few strokes made her feel smaller, more exposed. The thick, long hair she had always loved began to fall in strands onto the barber’s cape. Each stroke felt like a wave of cold air hitting her skin. She closed her eyes, feeling the blade move over her scalp, revealing smooth, bare skin.
Her once-beautiful hair was gone, and the only thing left was the uneven bangs that looked out of place now on her bald head. “Clean aindi,” the barber said. But Amma wasn’t done. “Inko sari gundu cheyyandi. Foam pettandi, smooth shave kavali,” Amma instructed firmly. The barber nodded and applied fresh foam to Ashika’s scalp. The cold lather spread over her head, covering it completely. With each stroke, the razor cut closer, clearing away every last strand.
Ashika could feel the blade move more precisely this time, and as the foam disappeared, her scalp felt like smooth marble under the razor. There was nothing left—her hair was gone, leaving only the fringe at the front. Amma looked at her daughter’s completely smooth, bald head with satisfaction as Ashika ran her fingers over her shiny, smooth scalp, trying to adjust to the new reality. She looked at her reflection in the mirror—her smooth, bald scalp and the awkward, short bangs that now seemed ridiculous against the starkness of the rest of her bald head.
The walk back home was silent. Ashika’s mind was racing, her scalp still tingling from the fresh shave. She couldn’t believe what had just happened. All for a silly decision she made after watching a few Instagram reels. But there was no turning back now. Her long hair was gone, and she had learned a painful lesson about impulsive choices. At home, Amma didn’t say much more but silently went about her chores. Ashika, meanwhile, sat on her bed, touching her bald head again and again, trying to process the shock.
