No lofty price, Rs 5500 +service tax

Make time for a haircut and rush,

a simple process, no botheration

if 2/3 guys came before you, read

the Filmfare and wait for your turn

Walked into one hifi saloon today,

Excuse me, the receptionist asked

 You have an earlier appointment!

without one, I can't permit you, sir

 

An appointment for a haircut too,

appears unusual and unbearable

d' timeslots, made to synchronize,

get used to it, now feel troubled

Even after that shame and insult,

yet, I was fanatical to agree to it

wished to achieve a thing in life,

asked for their cell no., didn't fight

 Silently could come home back,

 called them as if a regular client

Hello, I need to do a haircutting,

please give me an appointment

The next question he asked me

was confusing even a lot more

for the stylist or d' senior stylist,

which service you're looking for

 

Earlier days, either d' father/ d' son,

if one is busy, it's done by the other

know not when this concept was in

the usual stylist and d' stylist senior

Being an MBA guy, I analyze terms,

senior, done masters in hair cutting?

an abundant onsite experience too

for the senior stylist self-declaring

 

Please book me the sr. stylist itself,

it'll be a 1st-time experience for me

can take no chance on any account,

and wait for a time he becomes free

Sir, tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock,

A working day, I've to go to d' office

Do take permission and come down,

he's free then, the chance don't miss

 

Latest hifi barber shop, d' sr. stylist,

got ready in the morning d' next day

never ever been to d' office so early

but the shock of d' day was the guy

Not one up to my thinking, no onsite

exposure, no master in haircutting

had a barber shop next street earlier

for a hair trim, shaving, and tonsuring

 

Earlier was called Dinesh Madhavan,

d' sr. stylist Denym today he's known

a gold dollar chain around his neck,

a hairstyle similar to Ooty hill station

Curvilinear pathway to reach the top

view sharp to observe d' client's hair

finally, he takes a pathetic look at it,

one must regret why he did come here

 

Sir, d' hair, is dry with no moisture,

appears, no harvest for a long time

but needn't worry, try my level best,

and assuredly keep a solid hairstyle

Sir, first, you'll be given a hair wash,

I presumed it to be something great

but done in a wash basin, I realized

no unique head bath, daily I do that

 

They keep on changing the rooms,

as the sick in d' private hosp. wards

shift to general/special or ICU beds,

for any ailment, even if not required

They changed me to the next room,

and the barber started the coaching

earlier they ask, which class u read in

who d' Headmaster, d' job dad doing

 

Lucid gossip no more there, rather

the guy tries to sell me his products

34 different brands in just 20 mins,

taken it for granted that I'm an idiot

This one, pedicure, sir, its manicure,

to garnish d' nails costs Rs2500+GST

why such an expensive nail trimming,

I can conveniently bite and throw it

 

He makes to believe, you look stylish,

motivational talks, like our KG miss

now is d' time you should enjoy life,

an opportunity arrived, not to miss

it's d' age to go for all these things,

oh! someone approved my decision

a 70 yr. guy sat next to me, to him

too, d' same dialogue delivery done

 

Old age calls for such fine fashion,

shapes you to look 20 yrs. younger

at this age, you need to do all these,

relish d' agedness a way, a lot better

Finally, d' process got over, he said,

ok, sir, after a long struggle, we did it

able to keep the hairstyle wonderful,

superb look, ought to feel fine and fit

 

The startling design, to stick around,

for d' next 24 hrs., u can rest assured

we have got one more exotic cream,

carries forward d' same 48 hrs. more

It costs Rs3000 + GST+ service tax,

save d' service tax if u try on your own

but result, far better in skillful hands,

left to you, after all, it's your decision

 

How much for a grey hair plucking?

out of curiosity, I impulsively asked

sir, very liberal to our regular clients,

no lofty price, Rs 5500 +service tax

I wish, like him if all of us were plumbers!

 

He began fixing the kitchen tap, 

casually I watched him working

took out a wrench from his bag,

did a rejig, soon started spanning

But it was a half-broken spanner,

d' rear end was missing, corroded

he would work with such a tool!

saw with curiosity, I got excited

 

I called him in d' morning today,

d' leaking tap was too annoying

his response was quite prompt,

assured, reach in an hour's time

Set apart the tap from the pipe,

need to cut off the rotten portion

pulled out a thin saw from d' bag,

strange, it was also half broken

 

I sighed, asked myself in silence,

is it the right plumber I've called

without the proper tools, how will

be able to do an appropriate job

But proved proficient in his work,

held the saw skillfully in his hand

slowly run it over the rusted pipe

able to cut it into two in the end

 

He removed that rotten portion,

joined to d' remainder of d' pipe

took only ten mins time to finish,

never saw a fast work of this type

I handed him a 100 rupee note,

Sir, you do not owe me so much

just give me half of that amount,

for this much work 50Rs, enough

 

I was too surprised at his words,

who lets go of money like this?

his reply stunned me yet more

certain truths of life, I did realize

Sir, when there is a fixed rate for

every single piece of task done

be happy to charge a little more,

but always don't get d' same sum

 

Want to accept only an amount,

as much as this service is worth

won't be an issue as expectations

won't be raised high henceforth

Listened to him cooly turned polite,

you can buy a new saw and wrench

with d' little extra funds you receive,

job is easy with proper instruments

 

The plumber smiled, brushed it off,

No, sir, tools do break during work

not hamper much, work continues,

rely on those, do my job, get d' perk

Sir, when you work in your office,

does it matter which pen you use?

you know how to write that's vital,

can finish with any pen you choose

 

D' skill is in our hands and mind,

never available in the machines

won't able to write with d' best pen

in d' world, if u don't know writing

As the pen for you an instrument,

to me, it's a mere tool, nothing else

these are breakable items, during

hard work, often bound to break

 

A little broken, but it comes in handy,

rebuy new ones, again will wear off

nothing else to snap further in these,

works smoothly, life, not made tough

A sense of satisfaction spurted out,

amazingly in the daily worker's face

we chase after money our whole life,

don't need so much, for God's sake

 

Get such a guy in d' journey of life,

anyhow, be anywhere at any time

perceive them, do learn from them,

bow down and admire their thinking

I dared not to say anything further,

yet asked if he would have little tea

No, sir a lot of pending work there,

a number of taps need a repairing

 

Unless taken care of d' leaking taps,

be sure, will get wasted much water

to use resources, we apply d' intellect,

funds, d' ego, it defines our character

Do we put it to use for d' right purpose,

a proper way to benefit us and others!

he left but left me thinking for a long

I wish,

like him, if all of us were plumbers!