Haircuts
Over the past two months, I have had two haircuts—each a completely different experience. The first was at one in a chain of barbershops, offered at a very reasonable price. The professionals there, and our conversation, were intriguing. Nestled in a small town in Kerala, the shop was run by three young barbers from Uttarakhand who had picked up respectable Malayalam. My grasp of Hindi allowed me to connect further, leading to minimal discussions about their lives, how they ended up here, and what it was like living far from home. Still, there was a restraint in our exchange. I pondered the reason - perhaps my age, a subtle sense of being outsiders, or that intricate web of hierarchy present in every Indian community. Of course, there was an offer to dye my hair and make me look young too, which I politely refused. The second haircut took place in a stand-alone shop, an older-style barbershop, again charging the same fee but at the capital city. I had last vis...