Kenny’s Haircut

by Margaret Haun

Kenny and Daddy were going to the barbershop to get their hair cut.

Kenny had never had a haircut. “Will it hurt?” he asked Daddy.

Daddy smiled down at Kenny. “No, it won’t hurt. The clippers will make a buzzing sound, and they might tickle but they won’t hurt a bit.”

Kenny held Daddy’s hand very tightly as they walked from the car to the barbershop.

“Good morning!” said the barber. He wore a white coat and was trimming a man’s hair. The man sat in a special chair. His clothes were covered with a white cloth.

“Good morning, Joe,” said Daddy. “This is Kenny. He’s getting a haircut today too.”

The barber smiled and said, “Hi, Kenny!”

Snip, snip, snip went the barber’s scissors as he cut the man’s hair.

Daddy and Kenny sat down to wait. Soon Barber Joe took the cloth off the man. The man paid for his haircut and left.

“Now, young man, you’re next,” said the barber. He put a board across the arms of the chair to make Kenny higher. Then he put the white cloth around Kenny.

Snip, snip, snip went the scissors.

Buzz, buzz, buzz went the clippers, and they did tickle!

Kenny scrunched his shoulders and looked at Daddy. Daddy was smiling. Kenny smiled too.

Kenny’s hair fell on the white cloth. Some of it rolled off onto the floor. Kenny didn’t like to see his hair on the floor. He felt like crying. He looked at Daddy again.

Daddy was still smiling. “It will be easier for Mother to shampoo and comb your hair now,” he said. “You’re going to look great!”

Barber Joe rubbed some sweet-smelling oil on Kenny’s head and combed Kenny’s hair. Then he took off the white cloth and helped Kenny down.

“My turn now,” said Daddy.

Kenny watched while Daddy had a haircut.

“I had the most hair on the floor,” Kenny said on his way back to the car.

Daddy nodded in agreement.

Kenny felt the top of his head and the back of his neck. “My head feels funny,” he said.

“It won’t next time,” said Daddy. “The first haircut is always special.”

Illustrated by Julie Fuhriman