I have always been an ardent follower of Oscar Wilde, but the above quote somehow never made sense to me until that memorable day, the day when I saw passion unfurl itself into perfection.

It was someday after the strict Covid lockdown when the restrictions were slowly being lifted in a phase-wise manner. It was after much deliberation that I decided to go for a haircut but to my agony, my go-to barber was down with covid which forced me to visit a strangerbarber. Of all the risks you decide to take in a lifetime, changing the barber has the most unfavorable risk-reward ratio.

Fingers crossed, I walked into the shop and asked for a regular haircut. Halfway through the haircut, I asked him about the effect of covid on business in an attempt to break the awkward silence. “I survived the lockdown somehow by taking out loans”– came a heart wrenching reply, following which I kept mum.

After the haircut, the barber started insisting that I should get a shave as my beard was in a mess, but I made it clear that I had no intention of getting a shave. I added jokingly, “I don’t have the money right now, but if my beard makes you feel uneasy you can go ahead and showcase your craftmanship.” I was about to get off the chair when he said smilingly, ” Be seated and allow me to demonstrate my skills. You may choose to pay me later if you’re satisfied”

Awestruck, I slid back into the chair and a plethora of thoughts rushed through me. “How can he trust me?”, “Is he a fool?”,” Why does he want to shave?”. No matter how hard I thought, I wasn’t able to get a answer that would quench my thirst. Afraid that I would be left without an answer, I asked the barber after the shave (of course I had the money for a shave),“Why were you hell bent on shaving “.

The barber replied, “Behind the perfection of a man’s style, must lie the passion of a man’s soul.”