INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Beirut, Lebanon: Dressed in an old straw hat and navy suspenders, Abo Tawila pedals around a southern district
A rare sight in modern-day Lebanon, the young barber-on-a-bike is looking for his next customer.Everything he needs for a trim on the
pavement is in a handmade trunk attached to the back of his pushbike: scissors, combs, electric razors and brushes."It's a beautiful idea
because it's a really old one," says the dapper 18-year-old as he makes his way through the buzzing district of Burj al-Barajneh.His real
name is Mohammad Khaled Jahjah, but he prefers the name Abo Tawila -- "the Tall One" in Arabic."People like this, and I love everything old
If I ever have the chance to open a barbershop, it'll be a vintage one," he says.Mobile barbers were once ubiquitous in Beirut, but regular
salons have since become more popular.Abo Tawila works in both, spending most of his day in a barbershop before hitting the tarmac on his
bike.Some stop him for a haircut, but others hail him down to catch up or introduce themselves."I used to love watching the barber near my
I'd come back from school, drop off my backpack, and go to his shop," Abo Tawila says."He told me to come to the salon after school if I
But I decided to leave school altogether to work with him
He taught me the trade and introduced people to me." Abo Tawila gives a client a haircut on a sidewalk in the Lebanese capital Beirut
(AFP) Loyal to his bicycle The handsome hairdresser has become something of a celebrity in southern Beirut
He is slender, stylishly dressed, and has a sharp wit."I'm so happy he's here," says Abo Saeed, one of his favourite curbside
customers."He's talented and always available
When I have some time, I call him and he comes immediately, so I never have to leave work to go to the barber," he tells AFP."On top of all
of that, he reminds us of the barbers of the old days."Abo Tawila wakes up at 9:00am every day, puts together an outfit and goes down to the
coffee shop near his house before beginning his day at the salon.In his free time or when his shift is done, he heads out on his bike to
find customers, grooming between five and 30 people a day."The situation changes depending on the day," he says."There's not much work now
during Ramadan, because people are waiting for Eid", the feast which marks the end of the Islamic fasting month and triggers a flurry of
trade."Before Eid, we have three days where we don't sleep from all the customers coming in," he says.While he dreams of opening his own
shop, Abo Tawila insists he'll stay loyal to his bike."If I open a salon, I'll still keep it, because that's what got me here," he
says.(This story has not been edited by TheIndianSubcontinent staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
