FIRST CUT

The blow-dryers buzzed, the grand dames chatted. Our correspondent picked up the scissors, trimmed a few tresses and brought back a snippy tale

The first time I held a pair of scissors and stood before a mirror, I was 14. I wanted my fringe back8212;the one I had sported all through kindergarten. The decision had been an easy one. All I had to do was gaze at a picture of Brenda Shannen Doherty, the cutest of the Beverly Hills 90210 cast, and be convinced that the transformation would be perfect. It was the middle of a very hot summer afternoon and with the parents asleep, the brat brother busy dismantling a dinky car, I made my first cut. Wispy but surprisingly even, the fringe was almost perfect. The only other time I tried my hand with the scissors on someone else, I left the kid brother with a bloody ear.

Now, years later, I let life complete its circle and picked up the scissors again. Convincing Arshad Khan, winner of this year8217;s prestigious India Cup Open, a national-level hair and beauty contest and co-owner of one of Chandigarh8217;s oldest and busiest salons, Oleega, was, to cut a long story short, very easy. 8220;For starters, go through this,8221; said the stylist, handing me a pictorial book of the year8217;s coolest cuts. 8220;You don8217;t have an English version,8221; I asked, flipping through the book, all of which was in German or was it Russian? 8220;Concentrate on the photos,8221; he said, opening his appointment register. 8220;I have someone coming in about an hour for a cut. So let8217;s get started shall we?8221; Shall we? There was no way I was going to share my first, in all ways professional, cut! 8220;Arshad, I am going solo,8221; I padded off behind him. 8220;Ok, but just for a trim,8221; he answered handing me his prized pair and a sleek comb. From the days of Fevicol-stained craft scissors to Arshad8217;s sterile, sleek, steel pair, I sure had come a long way. 8220;All stylists have their own kit. You can be my student and use these,8221; he said, ushering me into the ladies section.

It was a packed house. The blow-dryers were buzzing like the engines of an aircraft. A lady sat in her curlers while another ran her fingers through a mop of freshly highlighted hair. Tufts of hair lay below my feet as I heard an attendant asking me to step aside for a sweep. Soon I would have my own little mess. With that pleasant thought, I made my way to Arshad, who was waiting near a client to give me my first lesson. 8220;Divide hair into sections, pin up the rest, work from back to front, use your fingers, feel the movement, don8217;t rush, see you are going too fast8230;8221; The directions came fast and furious and I strained hard to listen in. Just when I had managed to pin up the tresses, the Miss walked in.

Shivani, BCA student, Arshad8217;s regular for close to three years. 8220;The usual,8221; she chirped taking a seat. As I draped the cape around her shoulders, she looked quizzically at Arshad. 8220;New?8221; said her eyes.

8220;She8217;s my student. She8217;ll start off and I8217;ll finish up,8221; Arshad stepped in to fill in the blanks.

8220;Hi,8221; I said. 8220;What8217;s usual?8221; I asked, my cheeks flushing in expectation I bet the blow-dyers were to blame. 8220;Oh, I would like a razor cut with a few layers thrown in,8221; Shivani said as I faced her in the full-length mirror and almost drowned her with my overzealous spray of water.

A few deep breaths later for both and I was at work. Hair partitions done with, it was time for my first move. 8216;Snip8217; sounded the scissors as a lock of freshly chopped, no-no, sliced, no-no, sheared hair made their way to the ground. The smile reached my ears. The photographer got his shot. 8220;Ok, now make sure the length is even,8221; the senior said softly as I managed to maintain a line and a balance. Never had I imagined cutting hair could be so taxing on the feet. 8220;I stand for close to ten hours in a day,8221; senior chipped in as I thanked myself for choosing to slip into a pair of pumps for the day.

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The tension notwithstanding, I even managed a professional conversation with Miss. 8220;When did you last colour your hair? Ok, you don8217;t colour your hair. It must be the light bouncing off your head. Ok, so you have dry hair? No wrong, oily scalp,8221; the brief chat ended with Miss looking around nervously for Arshad.

A few very long minutes later, the basic back trim done with, I asked for approval. 8220;You are getting there,8221; smiled Khan running his fingers through the hair. Client looked more relieved than I did. 8220;I could teach you the razor cut as well but I see competition,8221; said Khan as I heard the blow-dryers fall silent. I knew it. The decision to pick up the scissors some 13 years back had been the right one.
The writer is a senior reporter with The Indian Express, Chandigarh