Legendary Head Shave Tales
Anitha, a lively teenager from Delhi, eagerly packed for her summer vacations to her village in Uttar Pradesh, seeking a break from the city life. Her mother, Maya, reassured her that the peaceful atmosphere of the village would be a welcome change.
After a long train journey, Anitha, her mother Maya, and father, Suresh, finally arrived at the village, where Aunt Namitha and her cousin Meera and neha were waiting for them. Meera excitedly greeted Anitha, promising her a fun and relaxing time in the village, away from the noise of the city.
Days passed, and the village’s calm beauty began to soothe Anitha’s fast-paced city nerves. Then, one day, Aunt Namitha, Meera, and Anitha decided it was time for a change. They all headed to Ramu’s local Barbershop.Ramu sat on a wooden stool, casually sharpening his razor.
Maya spoke “Ramu, cut Anitha’s hair to shoulder length. It’s getting too long and hot for her now,” Anitha touched her long braid that reached her waist. “But Amma, my hair is so long, I’ll look so different!” Maya smiled and gently patted her back. “ You’ll feel lighter, and it’ll be easier to manage in the heat. Trust me.” Aunt Namitha chuckled. “You know, I think Meera and Neha should get the same too. Short hair is much cooler to manage in this weather. What do you think, girls?”.
Neha and Meera exchanged excited glances. “Yes, Mom! Short hair will be so much fun!” “Alright then Ramu, go ahead and give all of them the same shoulder-length cut.” Ramu, nodded and began his work. As the scissors snipped away, the room filled with the soft sound of hair falling to the floor. Anitha felt a strange sense of freedom. Her mother and aunt watched, their faces reflecting both excitement and a touch of nostalgia as their daughters underwent the transformation.
As the last locks fell, Anitha looked with smile. “I look… different, Amma,” she said, Maya nodded with a smile. “It suits you, You are looking beautiful.” Neha and Meera twirled in their new haircuts, their faces lit up with joy. Aunt Namitha chuckled. “See, I told you, short hair is the way to go for this weather. You all look wonderful.”
A few days later, at the hall Anitha touched her shoulder-length hair and sighed, “It feels so much lighter, but I wonder how even shorter hair would feel in this heat.” Maya, wiping her forehead with a dupatta “You’re right, beta. This heat is unbearable. Maybe we should go and get a bit more off. It’ll be cooler.” Namitha, overhearing,this said. “That’s a good idea! Let’s all get our hair cut. It’s the holidays, after all, and no one will say anything in our village.”
As they reached the barbershop, Namitha looked at her daughter Neha and smiled with playful glint in her eyes “can you trim Neha’s hair even shorter? Maybe a mushroom cut,” Ramu nodded, taking his scissors and carefully starting to shape Neha’s hair, shortening it gradually. As the curls around Neha’s face started to take shape, she couldn’t help but run her fingers through her hair, feeling the weight lift off. “Maa, it feels so much lighter!” she exclaimed, admiring the fresh look in the mirror.
Watching her cousin, Meera leaned forward eagerly. “can I get the same?” she asked with excitement. Ramu smiled and began trimming Meera’s hair to match Neha’s new style. The transformation was almost immediate, and Meera twirled in her chair, touching the new soft hair around her face. “I feel so free now,” she grinned, running her hand through her hair, and the girls all laughed together.
Anitha watched the transformation with a smile ans excitement. She nervously asked, ” maa, can I also get my hair cut short like Neha and Meera? It looks so cool, and I think it’ll be so much easier to manage in this heat.” Maya looked at her daughter, hesitating for a moment. “Anitha, I don’t know if you can go that short. But I’ll let you have a simple boycut, okay? Nothing too extreme,” she replied, unsure but trying to accommodate her daughter’s wishes.
“Alright, maa,” Anitha said, trying to hide her excitement. She loved the idea of trying something new. Ramu started by snipping off the ends of her shoulder-length hair, slowly shortening it to just above her neck. He expertly shaped the hair, giving it a sharp, clean edge. With each cut, the weight of her long hair seemed to lift, and Anitha’s face brightened. Soon, her long locks were gone, replaced by a neat, boyish style. “I love it! It’s so cool,” she said, looking at her reflection in awe.
Meanwhile, Namitha, who had been silently observing, looked at her own long, flowing hair and said, “Maybe I should also try something fresh. How about a bobcut, Ramu?” Ramu smiled, already knowing what to do. He began to carefully cut Namitha’s hair into a sleek bob, shaping it to frame her face perfectly. Namitha turned her head from side to side, admiring the new shape. “It looks wonderful,” she said, smiling at her new look. Maya, who was sitting nearby, was impressed. “It looks really nice on you, Namitha. Maybe I should try the same,”.
After a moment of hesitation, Maya finally agreed. Ramu nodded and began to cut Maya’s hair into a chin-length bob. When he finished, Maya touched her hair, smiling with satisfaction. “It’s quite different but I love it,” she said, running her fingers through the soft bob. “You look amazing, Maya,” Namitha said proudly.
When the haircuts were done, they all stood up to admire their new looks in the mirror. Walking out of the small salon. Maya and Namitha exchanged glances, both of them now sporting their own short bobcuts. “It feels really amazing,” Maya said, running her hand through her hair as they walked through the market, proud of their fresh looks.
Maya and Namitha sat together in the evening, sipping their chai, glancing at their children who were busy admiring their new haircuts in the mirror. Maya sighed, her fingers lightly brushing her chin-length bob. “These girls have become so bold with their choices. Who would have thought Meera and Neha would look so good with these mushroom cuts?”Namitha smiled, adjusting her own bob.
Maya added, “ It’s like they’re stepping into a new phase of their life. Anitha, too, looks different with her boycut.” Namitha chuckled. “Yes, even Anitha looks more grown up.” Maya smiled, “Yes, for now, they seem happy. Next time, maybe we’ll all try something shorter. A fresh change, like this summer. Who can resist?” Namitha laughed , “A new look every year, it will me amazing.” Both women shared a warm smile.
As the holiday came to an end, anitha’s fanily left to train station, Anitha hugged her cousins tightly. Neha and Meera playfully tugged at Anitha’s boycut. Maya’s chin-length bob swayed as she kissed Namitha on the cheek, Namitha’s soft laugh echoed in the air. “Next year, we’ll do it all again,” Maya said. As the train began to move, she waved at them, while she sat by the window of the train, her fingers gently brushed through her boy cut, feeling the cool breeze.
She had arrived in the village month ago with long hair, but now, it felt like an unforgettable memory. As the train rumbled on, Anitha’s mind wandered to next summer. A strange, thrilling sensation stirred in her stomach as she thought about getting a head shave on her next visit. She smiled, feeling determined. Next year, she would take that Bold Step no no… Bald Step…
