A One Hair Cutting Salon

A One Hair Cutting Salon. Katras Bazar is a busy market in Dhanbad. The shop is on Rajganj Road. It's always noisy with the horns and the shouting outside. I’ve been working here since I was twenty. The space is very narrow, just enough for two people to work side by side. We have those old-fashioned razors that you have to sharpen on a leather strap. Not many people use those anymore, but I still do for some old regulars who like the feel of it. The ceiling fan wobbles a bit when it's on high speed. The floor is covered in green linoleum that is starting to peel at the corners. I have a small shelf where I keep some hair creams and powders. Most of them are covered in a thin layer of dust. I try to wipe it down every morning, but the coal dust in Dhanbad is hard to beat. My customers are mostly men who have worked in the mines or the market. They have tough hair that blunts my blades quickly. We don't talk much, just the basics. I like the smell of the shaving soap we use. It reminds me of my father's shop when I was a kid. The window is small and doesn't let in much light, so I have to keep the bulbs on all day. It’s a simple shop for simple people. I sit on a wooden bench outside when it gets too cramped inside. The rent has gone up lately, but I manage to pay it every month.