Vera Ivanovna walked into the lobby of a recently opened barber shop in their area and shook her head in surprise: «It’s so cozy and beautiful here.» On the walls hung pictures of girls who had a variety of hairstyles. The mirrors sparkled with cleanliness, the comfortable purple armchair beckoned to sit down and enjoy the rest. Vera Ivanovna turned to the masters: «Girls, is there a free master? I would like a haircut and dye my hair.» The masters looked at each other and contemptuously grinned at a thin, gray-haired old woman in a poor coat and worn-out boots. She looked very pitiful. The wrinkled face was refreshed only by the intelligent eyes of an elderly woman.
— «And what exactly do you want?» -the hairdresser asked on whose badge it was written «Svetlana».
— «Yes, I would like to get a haircut,» Vera Ivanovna repeated and showed the page of the magazine she had brought with her.
The hairdresser laughed and turned to her friends, inviting them to have fun with the old lady’s desire.
«No, but did you see? Give her a haircut like that… Well, first of all, it’s a youth haircut. That is, for the young. Secondly, have you seen your hair? Rare gray hair, now you wave your scissors twice and you are bald …
And thirdly, such a thin haircut will not do! Anyway, do you even know how much money it will take? Yes, your entire pension probably!»
«But that’s okay, I have money with me. so you’re cutting it?»
— «I’m going to die of laughter now» — Svetlana persisted
— «How old are you, Grandma? Do you even hear me or are you thinking of getting younger? They realized so late. Grandfather will not let you on the threshold, he will say that the young woman made a mistake with the door.
Vera Ivanovna blushed and said: «I haven’t had a grandfather for more than ten years.»
— «And with such a hairstyle, you will not pick up a grandfather, but a young one,» another girl master laughed, finishing the client’s haircut. He also smiled at her witty remark.
Vera Ivanovna realized that no one would help her here. She lowered her head and left the beautiful, but not so hospitable salon. The old lady walked across the square, then turned into a small street and there she saw a small barber shop, just for two chairs. A young woman met her in the hall. She was short, plump, with a simple open face.
— «Hello, did you want to get a haircut?»
— «Yes, my daughter,» Vera Ivanovna answered shyly, expecting ridicule here, but the hairdresser sat the old lady in a chair and smiled.
— «Well, tell me, how are we going to get a haircut?»
— «Here I have a magazine,» the old woman was confused again, «Of course it’s youth-oriented, but maybe at least something similar will turn out.»
The woman took the magazine and carefully examined the picture. Then she put it aside and said: «You know, this model is very suitable for you. Only I suggest that you also dye your hair. If you want gray hair, we can give it a noble shade. If not, then let’s choose a color in the catalog and don’t worry, it won’t be very expensive, and you will really like the result.»
-«Thank you, my daughter, but today is my 70th anniversary. So I wanted to please myself.»
— «I congratulate you. You have more health, but don’t worry about beauty, everything will be fine now.»
— «What’s your name honey?» Vera Ivanovna asked. The girl replied that her name was Lena and got to work.
Three hours later, Vera Ivanovna, happy, beautiful, well-groomed and even with a manicure, which Lena gave her as a gift, was walking down the street enjoying a warm spring day. She was in a great mood. She felt much younger than she really was. The old lady was thinking about Lena. About a hairdresser with «golden hands», but a difficult fate.
While Lena was working on a haircut, Vera Ivanovna managed to ask about her life and found out that she came to the city from the outback. Lena lives with her son, who now goes to kindergarten. Lena told me that she rents an apartment. And her husband left them after seven years of marriage. He often went on watch, to the north. Her husband did not come somehow, but only called, saying that he already had another family there in the north and would not return home. Lena took her son and left there. I left the keys with the neighbors, in case my ex-husband arrives. Lena was an orphan and grew up in a boarding school. And after university I studied to be a hairdresser. So her skill came in handy.
Vera Ivanovna looked simply gorgeous now. She was returning home, thinking about Lena’s difficult fate. Suddenly someone stopped her: «Vera Ivanovna, is that you?» Grandma turned around and saw a beautiful, well-groomed woman walking towards her and immediately recognized her. It was one of her favorite students — Anya Volkova.
— «Anyuta, my good one,» the former teacher rejoiced, «but what have you become, you just can’t take your eyes off. What am I saying, you’ve always been like this. Do you remember how the boys ran after you in droves?»
Anya hugged the elderly woman and was sincerely glad to meet her.
— «I haven’t seen you for a hundred years. How is your health? You look so gorgeous.» When Anya found out that Vera Ivanovna had a birthday, she invited her to a restaurant for dinner. Meanwhile, she needed to go to her own beauty salon and Anya first invited Vera Ivanovna there. Vera Ivanovna gladly agreed, but the smile faded from her face when she approached the salon from which she was kicked out. However, at the sight of Anna, all the workers fussed and looked ingratiatingly into her eyes. The employees did not immediately recognize the old lady.
— «Here, look Vera Ivanovna, this is my salon,» she boasted, «now I have my own business.» The salon you have is good,» Vera Ivanovna shook her head, «but the people working in it are bad, you can’t rely on them. Thank you, Anya, but I’m going. I don’t want to spoil my mood again…»
«Wait, Vera Ivanovna,» Anya looked at her in confusion, «I don’t understand anything…»
— «And I’ll explain,» said the old lady
The old lady looked at her, and then looked around at everyone who had offended her. Listening to Vera Ivanovna’s story, the workers lowered their heads lower and lower, and Anna’s face simply burned with indignation.
«Excuse me, Vera Ivanovna,» she said to the former teacher, «and now come into my office, our agreement is still in force. We’ll go to a restaurant, I’ll just make some orders here and a couple of calls.»
When the door closed behind the old woman, she turned to her employees:
«You’re all fired! Vera Ivanovna told the truth about people like you. You can’t be relied on! We will assume that you have not passed the test. My salon is the best in the city and the salaries are many times higher than other hairdressers, but you are not worthy of them. I don’t want to see you here from tomorrow!
There were sad voices in the cabin. Now Svetlana and her friends were not laughing, but Vera Ivanovna was expecting a surprise. Anna managed to invite a few more classmates and the feast in the restaurant turned out to be noisy and cheerful.
Everyone was honoring the old teacher and congratulating her on such a wonderful anniversary.
The next day, Anna came to Lena’s hairdresser (the one who gave the old lady a haircut) and offered her a job in her salon. The women were very happy and agreed to all the conditions. And later in the evening Vera Ivanovna came to her and said: «That’s what, Lenochka, it just so happened that I have no children or grandchildren and there is no one to leave the inheritance to. And move with your son to live with me. You’ll be like a daughter to me. There is nothing to pay for housing, you will look after me, run the household. And then, after me, the apartment will stay with you and your son.» Lena only gasped at these words, and Vera Ivanovna smiled: «I’ve always dreamed of a daughter like you. So God sent you to me.»
