On deep background

It has never been easy to get Graham to cut his hair. Almost always it is a process. A few days before I am thinking of taking him to the barber, perhaps even a week, I start seeding the idea: "Graham, do you think you might like to get your hair cut sometime soon?" Most often he will respond something like: "I'll consider it." And then we'll repeat the discussion a few days later, and eventually I'll take him.

Over the last year or so, for my own hair cutting needs, I have upgraded my service provider from a barber, since the election the team at Menscutz, who have always done a perfectly decent job and have offered me the opportunity to talk to people from different parts of the world and walks of life without leaving the rarefied domain of Chapel Hill. I've been using Ashlyn Davis Hayes, an old Tiger like myself, who has set herself up on Rosemary Street with a nice little jernt. So a month or so back I offered to take Graham there to get a little bit better treatment, but was unable to make an appointment before he started tripping over his bangs. Surprisingly, he agreed.

I have an appointment this evening, and simultaneously Graham's hair has started to get a little long, if not really all that unruly. This weekend I asked him if he'd like to go an get a bit of an upgrade for a haircut, and he quickly agreed.

Now, I'm not saying that he definitely has specific ulterior or strategic goals in mind, but puberty is definitely going on there, and I think that he is not altogether disinterested in the charms of the fairer sex. We shall see...

But this is all, I should be very clear, on deepest background, and no comments should be made to the young man on pain of death or banishment from the ranks of the Grouse's readership.