RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30730, 21 April 1965, Page 28

RANDOM REMINDER

CRIPPLING The poor old barber was like that clown in the opera who had to keep on smiling though his heart was breaking for he had to keep on talking and laughing, cheering this client, accepting the troubles of that, soothing one and comforting another; and all the while his sole, indeed both of them, were anguished. On his way to work, nails had suddenly come through his shoes and the busy day seemed endless. He knocked the nails down a little that night, but took a new pair of shoes with him next morning to permit more permanent repairs. After

two hours of circling his chair that morning he found the new shoes just as uncomfortable and blisters began to appear. He changed back into the old ones and soon discovered he was not up to much as a cobbler for the nails began bitting into the holes they had developed almost immediately. He switched shoes again and again his feet seemed to him the centre of an aching Being It was with a sense of relief that he saw the nearby boot repairer come in for a haircut and he demanded immediate attention for the shoe*. The man promis-

ed to ease the agony and went with one pair wrapped in brown paper. He was back quite soon with the shoes; but the barber announced with some asperity that returning two left shoes was a bit thick and to go back and get the right or correct pair. The boot repairer did so, and returned, puzzled, with the same shoes. But his frown disappeared as he observed more closely the shuffling gait of the barber. Who. after all, could be expected to walk round and round all day in anything like comfort while wearing two right shoes?