BANGALORE: Samuel Butler, in his book Erewhon (1872 ), describes a fictional society. He mentions the 'Straighteners' - those who bend back the 'crooked'! They were the equivalent of our counsellors. The term 'straighteners' and 'curlers' denote a hair stylist's implements. The combination of these two concepts converged upon a popular beautician in south Bangalore, who by all standards is a fine counsellor. I mean no offence to the well trained academics, yet, she is a natural. As Carol works on her client's tresses, she keeps an eagle's eye on her colleagues too and suitably instructs them. One afternoon as I watched her working, she was called to the phone. Conversation, in Mandarin I guess, was animated and had the suggestion that she was handling a recalcitrant family member. After promising a truce, she returned to her station and prompted the lady in the salon chair to resume the interrupted discourse. Upon being asked for advice, she gave a balanced one. I have had the joy of listening to her 'counselling sessions' for almost two decades now!
It is not easy getting people to talk about their problems, imaginary or real. Then how is it possible for Carol to hear confessions in an easy flow? It is perhaps due to the fact that she has professional access to their heads. Carol, after a brief stint of schooling at Kalimpong, moved to Bangalore's Baldwins. As a school graduate, she had to support herself. A close family member offered to train her in a salon. A few years of apprenticeship gave her the confidence to go on her own. That was almost three decades ago. Since then she has worked relentlessly. She has supported a restaurateur husband and put two immensely talented children through college. She has also helped many young women to learn her trade and become independent. Some have been, very lovingly, financed through their training period.
Having had no time or talent to be misled, Carol has figured everything out all by herself. To the dozen queries from women, 16 to 60, she has reasonable solutions. Some are amusing but always fair to everybody in the problem scenario. Listening to a newly married woman, distraught with her new status and it's expected concomitants, Carol offered to talk to her husband! She may have succeeded too! The power of the 'Straightener'! Kudos.