I had no intention of having my hair cut today. I went to the market this morning. To day is the weekly vegetable bazaar and I did not find any place to park my scooter. I went a little ahead and found a place in front of Hadapad’s hair cutting shop. I peeped in and was surprised to see all the chairs empty. Hadapad and his colleagues were watching the TV. Some crazy channel was discussing in detail, the issue of colour combination of the dresses worn by “Team India” for their matches and and it’s effect on the results. Hadapad's assistants are cricket crazy. I have spent anxious moments when they have been cutting the hair over my ears with their eyes fixed on Dhoni's bat. Today there were no customers and they were free to watch cricket discussion in a relaxed mood. It was a very rare sight. Hadapad and his co-workers are usually busy all through the day. Whenever I go there I need to wait at least half an hour for my chance. To day all the chairs were mine! I was tempted. I sat in a chair and handed over my head to Hadapad.
We know each other for nearly twenty years. I have been following his upward movement in the profession from the time he began his career as a helper with another barber. He learnt the trade, was promoted as a qualified barber and continued to work on income sharing basis. He managed to save enough to make a part payment for a shop, obtained a loan and began his own venture. His hands being good and tongue even better, he flourished, and repaid the loan earlier than scheduled. With a fresh loan he started another saloon which he later handed over to his brother to run. Today he informed me in his own very humble way that he has purchased yet another shop worth twelve lakhs rupees and is looking for some reliable person to run it as a franchisee. Hadapad will equip the saloon and put in an appearance twice a week to promote business. With all modesty he told me that god has looked after him well. Having come to Goa with only the clothes on his back, he now owns a house, and three shops. He employs about seven others, who earn approximately 7-9 thousands a month for themselves and pay an equal amount to Hadapad. If he decides to quit working today, he can be assured of an income of not less than fifty thousand rupees a month! If I quit working today, I can continue to live on my pension, eating every alternate day. I would gladly trade my professional qualification, for Hadapad’s foresight and business sense. I told him so. His response was quick. “Please don’t say that sir, education is far more valuable than all these. I wish and pray to god at least one of my children will be a doctor like you”. We yearn for what we do not possess!