Hairtoday,gonetomorrow

Findinga new hairdressercanbeanerve-wracking experience

For a personwho likes to go with the A.owwhen it comes to most things in life, I amextremely hesitant co change the relationshipwith threeimportant peoplein mylife;mydentist, accountant,andhairdresser.I have heldonto my accountant since he filedmy firstever ta."Xreturn. Withthedentist,I didchange once afewyears ago,bur that wasbecause thepreviousdentist packednpshop andmovedto another town.I have been going to the samehairdresserfor almost a decade now.I have movedhouse twice, and thesalonis nowmore than a 30-minuredrive away,but Ifeelit'sworth it to hangon to her.Thereisa simplereasonfor stickingwiththesethreepeople inmylife -everytime youvisit them,they can justpick up from where theyleft.You don't have co go throughyourentirehistoryall overagain.

Unfortunately for me, onmy last,7:isit, my haLrdresser toldme thatshewaspregnant and would beawayfromwork for more than a year.Therewas a lot of silencebetween thetwoof us during that trim. As she finished my haircut,I congramlatedher, wished her luck andleftthesalon in a daze.NowI was forced into alingeringsearchfor someone newtocut my hair for at least one fullyear!

Ileftmyhair to growabitmore thanmyusualfourweeks, justto defer the impending changeto a newhairdresser.But themoment finally camewhen mywife,Jassu, told mein no uncertaintermsthat ] needed ahaircut,pronto.

Aswewalkedpastdifferent salonsin the shopping centre, I spenta good fiveminutes peering into each of them from the outside They alllookedsnazzy enough,butsomehowIresisted goinginto any of the threewe'd seen. Iwas not readyto have that initial conversation."Howwould you like thehaircut today?What munber of clippers?Howshort on the sides? How short at the back?'' Aud thenwhatif they still cut it 'theirway'andnotthewayI wantedthem col

SoonJassusensedmy reluctanceandfinally donned her 'boss' hat,heldmyhandandled meinto a salon.Iprotested!Even tried co run away! But thencame that ''look" from her..Andthe next thing,Iwas perchedin the seatwiththat blackcape around myneck. i\.ndthenshe dusted off the hair frommy shouldersand set mefree.Jassu camerunning over to me,looked at mein the mirror andsmiled."Looks niceeh?"she exclaimed.I just smiledback.

Thencamethe dreaded questionfrom mynewhairdresser, "HowwouldyouJi.keit?"I so wished I couldsay, 'Just the usual, please." With aheavyheart and a softvoice,Iexplainedmydesired cut.I felt thespray of water and then a gentlerun of fingers throughmy hair.They clid not feelthesan1e.I lookedatJassu fromthe cornerof myeye.She wassittingmerrilyinthewaiting area,browsingthrough agossip magazine,unaware of my trauma.

ThenI heard a 'snip'as I looked upin themirrnr.Shehadclipped off thefirst strand."Too late nowbuddy,"I thought to myself, and tried to settlein thechair.

Tobefairto my new hairdresser, sheexercisedextremecaution in manoeuvring around my bead while cutcii.1gmyhair, andasked me anumberof timesif] was happywith the progress shewas making.

T11ehair cutlasted just 15 rninutes,burit felt likean eternity. I even hadmy fingers crossed underneaththat sillyblack cape!

Iwasgladthat anxious 'fust time' was over.Hopefullynext time allIwill have to sayis "Just theusual,please."