Annie tickled Simons foot with her green comb.
"Yoo-hoo, big brother! Guess what Ive been
doing?"
Simon looked up. "What, Annie?"
"Fixing Hazels hair," said Annie. "When I grow
up, Im going to be a hairdresser."
Simon looked at Hazel. Then he turned a page.
"Theres an idea," he said.
Annie combed the hair on top of Simons head straight up. She combed the sides straight out. She patted the back down flat. Annie looked at Simons head.
"Can I fix your hair, Simon?"
"My hair?" said Simon.
"Hazel hardly has any," said Annie.
Simon stopped reading and sat up. "My hair doesnt need fixing, Annie."
"It does, too, Simon. Hold still."
Annie laid out the cards. "My turn," she said.
Annie picked up two cards and put them back.
Hazel jumped up and licked Simons hairdo. "Hazel, lie down," said Simon. Hazel didnt.
Simon picked up two cards and two cards and two cards.
"Shell listen to me, Simon. Hazel, LIE DOWN!"
said Annie.
But Hazel didnt.
"There," she said. "Now you look pretty."
Annie held up a mirror and showed Simon his new hairdo.
"Holy cow!" said Simon.
"Now lets play cards," said Annie.
Soon Annies hair was all done. And it wouldnt come undone.
"Eeeeeek!" said Annie.
Hazel leaped and barked at Annies hairdo.
"HAZEL, LIE DOWN!" said Annie.
But Hazel didnt.
"Hey, I won!" said Simon.
"Lets not play cards," said Annie.
"You know, Annie," said Simon, "if youre going to be a hairdresser, aybe you should give yourself a new hairdo."
Simon went back to reading his book.
Annie picked up the comb. She combed her hair up and down and all around.
"Hey, this is fun," she said.
"Lord love a duck," said Simon. "It really is stuck."
Simon twisted Annies comb a little this way and a little that.
"Ouch!" said Annie. "Maybe I wont be a hairdresser, Simon. I could be . . . a baker."
"Huh," said Simon. "Theres an idea."
"Can I have a cookie, Simon?"
"Whats up?" asked Simon. He came over to have a look. "Annie, what have you done?"
Annie pulled her sweater over her head. "I wound up my hair and its all stuck."
"Let me see," said Simon.
Annie took the sweater off her head.
"There," said Simon. "Now you have your old hairdo back."
Annie held up the mirror to see.
Then she tapped Simons head. "Simon, Simon, look! Hazels lying down!"
"At last," said Simon. "Here, Annie. Have another cookie."
Simon found a pair of scissors.
"Hold still, Annie. Ill cut the comb to bits."
"Aaaaaagh!" said Annie.
One by one, Simon snipped off each tooth of Annies comb. He wiggled the comb a little this way and a little that. Then he pulled the comb from Annies hair.
Annie and Simon munched on their cookies.
"You know what, Simon?"
"What?"
Annie scratched Hazels tummy. "When I grow up, Im going to be a dog trainer."
Simon took a bite of his cookie. "Theres an idea," he said.
***************
ANNIE AND SIMON by Catharine O'Neill. Copyright (c) 2008 by Catharine O'Neill. Published by Candlewick Press, Inc., Cambridge, MA.