Barney & Clyde by Gene Weingarten; Dan Weingarten & David Clark for June 09, 2024

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    Jesy Bertz Premium Member 22 days ago

    Mr. Pillsbury should be getting a discount with that nearly bald head of his. But it is generally not a good idea to tick off someone holding razors or scissors.

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    mobeydick  22 days ago

    TIL that USA barbers have blue on their poles.

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    Kwen  22 days ago

    …or I can offer you an enema AND a bloodletting, free of charge. Do we have a deal Mr Pillsbury?

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    gammaguy  22 days ago

    I demand a discount!

    ‘I have already discounted your rantings.’

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    T Smith  22 days ago

    Never insult the people you’re trusting your appearance to.

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    buschap  22 days ago

    I know Gene is old, but “clip joint” is pretty dated slang.

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    Dapperdan61  Premium Member 22 days ago

    I think there’s about to be some blood letting

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    Mark DeMist Premium Member 22 days ago

    “Let me get my pliers and scalpel and we’ll pull a few teeth and take a pint”.

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    davidlwashburn  22 days ago

    He should get a discount anyway since he only has three hairs.

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    gary.eddings4157 Premium Member 22 days ago

    “You may feel a slight sting”……….

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    MT Wallet   22 days ago

    The barber on “Dr. Quinn” resented that the town didn’t consider his abilities to be sufficient.

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    Stephen Gilberg  22 days ago

    Until 1163,

    The task of drawing blood would go

    To monks, but then a pope’s decree

    Forbade them to continue so.

    The academic surgeons thought

    That drawing blood was too mundane

    For them, and thus the barbers got

    Another source of fiscal gain.

    These barber-surgeons had the skills

    And tools to cut the patients’ skin,

    Extract their teeth (no dental drills),

    And tend their wounds through thick and thin.

    The patients gripped a staff to make

    Their veins stand out for blood to flow.

    The barber-surgeons came to take

    The symbol of a staff to show

    Their business to the public eye.

    Used bandages were wrapped around

    The staff to hang them out to dry,

    So stripes of red and white were bound.

    It’s possible the twining meant

    To bring to mind Asclepius,

    The healing god whose serpent went

    Around a rod—a medic’s plus.

    The barber poles no longer use

    Real bandages but keep the look

    Of helices of certain hues.

    Some rotate for an extra hook.

    Americans have added blue,

    To match the nation’s flag, I’d think.

    Some claim it’s an allusion to

    The blood in veins; I doubt the link.

    —me

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    Jefano Premium Member 22 days ago

    Give him an enema instead.

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    Boise Ed Premium Member 21 days ago

    Au contraire, Mr. Pillsbury, that makes him a specialist, so he should charge more.

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