In the Old Testament — the second Book of Kings, to be exact — there’s a curious story about the prophet Elisha. He is walking along a road, minding his own business, when suddenly some boys run up after him and mock him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they jeer. (That’s the New International version; the King James Bible has it “Go up, thou bald head.”) What does Elisha do? Does he ignore them? Does he make a profound comment about the wisdom that comes with age, or maybe a good-hearted baldness joke?..
