A READER’S MEDLEY

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 90, 10 January 1935, Page 7

A READER’S MEDLEY

Mr. Pimplebury Talks of Haircutting instead of greeting me with bis customary benignity Mr. Pimplebury gazed with considerable asperity when I was ushered into his presence. Disregarding my salutation he gazed in reproachful silence at my head for some moments. “You need a haircut," he said suddenly. It was true that my hair had been uncut for a fortnight, but during that interval its growth had not warranted expenditure on its curtailment. I opened my mouth to protest, but Mr. Pimplebury cut me short. “I know what you are going to say,” he said. “You are going to say that there is no barber in Wellington whose establishment and services merit your attention.” I had not been going to say that at all, but just as I was going to inform Mr. Pimplebury of this he cut me short again. - “In my young days,” he said, “we did not go to barbers for haircuts. My father would perform the operation by placing a saucepan on my head and trimming thei hair round the edges. This procedure was quiteXgeneral, but later we graduated to an age, and our heads grew, to a size, which rendered the process impracticable, and perforce we were compelled to attend barbers’ saloons. But let me tell you. sir,” he said, wagging bis finger at me, "there was no molly-coddling in those days. There were none of your electric machines or marble chairs or disinfectants. The scissors and comb were all we needed. I don’t know what is the matter with the younger generation these days. If they are not fooling away their time in barbers’ saloons tliey are going to pictures or playing bridge or drinking in bars.” Mr. Pimplebury paused abruptly as he completed this statement, and glanced at his watch as if he had suddenly remembered something. “I must, go now,” he said. "It is quarter to six and I must get my hair cut before the barbers close,” and, suiting action to the word, he departed hurriedly. I could not but reflect, as I gazed on his rapidly retreating figure, that this was a remarkable extravagance for one who bad been bald for so long as Mr. Pimplebury.—H.T.C.