"You losing your hair?"

"What hair? I'm as bald as a Shapton."

"A what?"

"Shapton, a stone for honing — sharpening — straight razors."

"I don't mean the hair on your head."

"I'm losing hair in the other place, too."

"Well, as long as that's all you're losing."

"I keep my fingers crossed."

"Your arms I mean."

"What's wrong with my arms?"

"Looks like some kind of skin disease."

"I don't have skin disease."

"There, hair falling out in patches."

"Oh, that."

"That's what I said."

"It's from honing — sharpening — my straight razors."

"You sharpen your straight razors on your arms?"

"No, I test the blade to see if it cuts the hair on my arms."

"That's the craziest thing I ever heard."

"Wait till you hear the rest."