Friday, 30 December 2011

The 99th Parallel

I've had some interesting conversations while having my hair cut (here and here for example). This one, with an assistant who was washing my hair the other day, got a little competitive.

Assistant: So, you doing anything for Christmas?
Me: We're having a family Christmas.
Assistant: You got any kids?
Me: Yes, a little boy.*
Assistant: How old? That water warm enough?
Me: Great, thank you. Three and a half months.
Assistant: Aw! So it will be his first Christmas?
Me: Yes.

Pause as I wonder if that is the end of the conversation about children? Because now you've got me started... 

Me: You know, this morning when he woke up, I could have sworn he was bigger than last night.
Assistant: A friend of mine, she's got kids. She says that her kid was, like, top percentage or something? Essentially, if there were a hundred kids in the room of that age, he would be in the top five.
Me: My boy's in the 98th percentile for height. 99th for head size.
Assistant: My brother's head was off the chart. Massive.
Me: Was he OK?
Assistant: Yeah, think so. 
Me: Good.
Assistant: Should be. He's 19 now. 

Pause as that probably is the end of the conversation about children.

Me: So, has it been busy in here over the Christmas period....?

Notes
*It always gives me enormous happiness to answer that question. It's like a little batch of fireworks bursting in my head every single time.

No comments:

Post a Comment