The other day, thinking twice before going all the way to Kandy from Peradeniya for a simple haircut, I thought “What the heck, let me try this one in town”, and peeped into the nearest typical saloon door, first thing in the morning. The barber was setting up his accessories to start the day, and I asked him so humbly, “Is it possible to get a haircut”. He smiled and invited me straight away and asked me to take a seat. I was carrying a plastic container to carry back home some fish for my two cats, and I placed the box on a counter and asked him whether he could remind me to take the box on the way out. That triggered him, and he asked me why. I said I may forget it because I told him that a week ago after visiting the dentist, I had forgotten my glasses on the dentist’s chair. He nodded but looked bewildered.

He proceeded to fix the apron on me and asked me, “Why do you keep saying that you forgot and you may forget and so on”. I replied, “That’s the way it is when people get old”. He refused and said, “Its’ all in your head”. “Your brain is playing tricks on you and wanting you to all the time to say that forget or forgot because the brain does not want to work for you at normal speed and is taxing your character with negativity”. “Then people will think that you have life style diseases like most of the aging people in the world”. “So, don’t repeat it”, he said firmly. I thought he had a very valuable message on positive thinking to get rid of laziness of my own brain!

After the job, I asked him how much is the haircut. To my genuine surprise he said, “One hundred and eighty rupees”. That is about two hundred rupees cheaper than the average charged by people in the same profession in town. So, gave him two hundred and was about to walk away. He stopped me and said, “Don’t forget the balance”. What a spot reminder, I thought and thanked him for handing it over at the door. The parting shot from him, “Don’t forget to come back next month for a haircut”. Wow, what a reminder again! “And, don’t forget the fish box for the cats” he said while handing over the box too!!

The “take home” from the kind-hearted barber did kindle my thoughts and I decided that I shall hereafter never say that I forgot and I would tax my brain not to let me down. I try hard not to forget people’s names or where I leave the keys or why I walked into a room and wonder why I came there. I think it helps and rewires the brain to be smarter for you. After all, I am still the boss, not my brain. I feed the brain, don’t I, and it should look after me.

By the way, I forgot to get his name, maybe next time.

Uncle Brian Brain