No rub-in. The water I knew as a youth was never hot enough to support a shave with no rub-in. (The first time I was shaved in Italy was in a Sicilian hill town, where there was no hot water at all. The barber’s apprentice spent about ten minutes lathering and rubbing-in.)

     “Just wet your razor then begin.” That’s absolutely right. Children love to simulate shaving. They don’t need—shouldn’t have, in fact, --a razor blade. They are completely happy with a smear of lather and a wet holder sans razor. As they stand on the toilet seat to peer into the medicine chest mirror, they go through all the motions they’ve seen their elders go through.

      Ed what’s-his-name was a good salesman.

     Wait! Do you think I’m still using Barbasol because of that singing commercial of sixty-odd years ago? Can Madison Avenue be triumphant?

     O! Barbasol!

JUMP ROPE RHYMES

Remember those long summer days when you were a kid…...jumping rope and making up rhymes? Here are two great old jump rope rhymes found in Zickary Zan, Childhood Folklore, by Jack and Olivia Solomon. (submitted to the Quill for others to enjoy).

Mary Mack                                 Bubble Gum

Mary Mack, dressed                 Bubble gum, bubble

     in black                                         gum

Silver gold buttons                      Chew and blow

     down her back                         Bubble gum, bubble

Ask her ma for                                  gum

     fifteen cents                             Scrape your toe.

To see the elephant                      Bubble gum, bubble

     jump the fence.                              gum

He jumped so high                        Tastes so sweet,

     he touched the sky                   Get that bubble

And won't come back                        gum off your feet.

     until the Fourth of July.