Written for RDP, where segoil asks us
to get creative with the word “parlour”.
Thanks, Heather! Here’s where the prompt took me.
Show of hands if you remember the terms “beauty parlor”, “funeral parlor” or “pizza parlor”.
I do. In fact, when I was very young, before we moved to The Bronx, we lived in a brownstone in Manhattan with my mother’s family. Except for the rooms upstairs, all the other rooms had pocket doors which slid into the walls and opened up the entire downstairs area. Only the kitchen had a door which swung open and closed. We had a front room which we referred to as the “parlor”; that was the room where my great-grandmother’s wake was held.
The word “parlor” isn’t used much in the US anymore; these days we have hair and nail “salons”, funeral “homes” and pizza “places”. Sometimes I slip up and say “beauty parlor”, and my 17-year-old granddaughter looks at me like I’m from Mars.
I miss those “parlor” days; there was a certain refinement, a gentility to our vocabulary. Some things just shouldn’t be messed with, you know?
NAR©2026
This is “Mary Ann” by Beauty Parlor
Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.
The Elephant's Trunk 
I do remember when everything was a parlor and I don’t think you are from Mars. A home sounded more cozy for a funeral, and a salon sounded more modern, and a place provided a better atmosphere for gathering and conversation when having a slice of pizza.
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Of course I’m not from Mars! I’m from Venus 😌
You, my friend, are an overflowing font of information. Thank you.
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You don’t hear it in the UK any longer. I think it’s a great word!
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Now that surprises me! You’re right; it really is a great word. Thanks, Esther.
PS – on a different note, I screwed up the timing for my Peacock Limerick and it will be published tomorrow. I’m sure I missed the cut off date; it happens! 😊 🦚
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You’ll be in time, Nancy!
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All those parlors you mentioned–yes!! A beauty salon…🙄
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I knew you’d get it, Lois! Thank you 😊
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😂❤️
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I am seldom in the company of young people and had no idea the word parlor had gone out of fashion! hehehe
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Young whippersnappers! My teenage grandkids are always laughing at me although they say they’re laughing with me! I like to think of myself as an endless source of entertainment! 😂
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Over here we still call them beauty parlors.
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Thank goodness for that!
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Does anybody still use the term “pizza parlor”?
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I do! hehehe
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Me too!
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Yep!
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Me, three!
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