Varnon Drane, more than any of his siblings, broke new ground when seeking a way to make a living. As a child he had always watched with fascination as his mother cut the hair of various members of the family. Eventually he took over the role and soon reached such a level of competence that the children of neighbours would come to him rather than let their own mother loose near them with scissors.

Now the cutting of hair is one of those areas where the deeper one looks into it, the more interesting it becomes. Across the city it is normal for a man to have his hair cut by his wife or his mother. I’ve heard many wives comment that it would be ridiculous to spend good money getting a man’s hair cut. Children get their hair cut by their mothers. Again, thrift wins out over artistry. But…