A dream team

I know nothing of ying and yang. But I can tell a good vibration when I feel one. And I have inevitably felt it at a newly opened saloon nea...

I know nothing of ying and yang. But I can tell a good vibration when I feel one. And I have inevitably felt it at a newly opened saloon near my place, run by a team of three boys 8212; none of whom were over 22 years.

Despite their youth, they were deft with their hands and displayed the same confidence in handling the array of modern 8216;tools8217; on the shelf. There was an unmistakably professional and efficient aura about their work place. Four o8217;clock on Sunday evening is my chosen time for a haircut.

That particular Sunday, for some reason, even the road looked deserted but for a game of cricket that was in progress on the road just beside the saloon. One of the hairdressing boys, who was an onlooker to the game, welcomed me into the empty shop. I took my spot and allowed myself to be wrapped in the cloak. 8216;Short or medium?8217; 8216;Short.8217;

After this mandatory exchange he set about to work on my hair. I closed my eyes and settled down to enjoy the gradual build up of the weight loss.

8216;OUTOO!8217; The sudden yell from the street jolted me out of my stupor. Before I could recover from the shock, I got another. My hairdresser, on hearing the noise, had instantly dropped the scissors and rushed out to take the bat instead. Accentuating my disbelief, I saw that the dismissed batsman coming in towards me. He took up from where his colleague had left. I suppose I may have remained in that state of shock longer, had it not been for the shout from the new batsman:8216;Prakasa, shortu!8217;

I went livid. Did they take me for a joker who could be treated so shabbily? I swivelled the chair around and brought myself to face the cricket game. And I saw him. Poised for a strike, a picture of concentration; face aglow in anticipation of the magnificent swipe that he was about to execute. My anger melted.

He appeared, not as my truant barber, but as a youth no different from my own sons or the neighbourhood boys. And, as one who had once played hours of gully cricket, I knew exactly what it felt like in that moment of importance. I resigned to be a sport and allow myself to be 8216;finished8217; by the new comer.

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After the lapse of another five minutes, there was a joyous chorus of 8216;bowled8217;! My heart went out for my man, who I saw had already flung the bat and was returning to reclaim his position behind my back. Still, in my patronising mood, I gently sounded the youngster on the importance of putting work above fun, in the interest of business. 8216;Sorry, sir,8217; he said smiling, 8216;but you see, we are a sakkath team here, all equally good.8217;

I suppose the positive energy I was speaking of in that place was what was oozing out from the boys. And when I looked at the finished work there was nothing to complain. I would say, without any reservation, that the boys were poised for success.