The barber smothered his words under a hot towel. “A little lilac water Captain?”
“No dont put any of your damn lotions on me, just a little witchhazel or something antiseptic.”
The blond manicure girl had faintly beaded lashes; she looked up at him bewitchingly, her rosebud lips parted. “I guess you’ve just landed Captain.... My you’ve got a good tan.” He gave up his hand to her on the little white table. “It’s a long time Captain since anybody took care of these hands.”
“How can you tell?”
“Look how the cuticle’s grown.”
“We were too busy for anything like that. I’m a free man since eight o’clock that’s all.”
“Oh it must have been terr ... ible.”
“Oh it was a great little war while it lasted.”
“I’ll say it was ... And now you’re all through Captain?”
“Of course I keep my commission in the reserve corps.”