wide.
“Here, helper. You can sweep your daddy’s hair as I’m cutting it,” she said.
“Yes!” I said back. “’Cause I am excellent at this appliance, I believe!”
After that, I held the broom real tight in my hands. And I runned up and down the floor.
“Look, Maxine! Look at me sweeping! See me? See how fast I am?”
Only too bad for me.
’Cause just then, a lady didn’t get out of my way.
And she walked right in front of my big, wide broom.
And her feet got sweeped.
“OW!” she hollered. “OW! OUCH! OW!”
Daddy runned over and snatched my broom away. ’Cause I wasn’t the helper anymore, apparently.
After that, he gave Maxine lots of dollars.
And he took my hand.
And me and him rushed right out of that place.
3 / Practicing
Daddy drove me home in the car.
I kept on sniffing the air.
“You smell like a lovely woman,” I said.
Daddy wasn’t that friendly.
“It’s the hair gel,” he grouched.
I sniffed some more.
“Mmm. I love that smelly hair gel,” I said. “Plus also I love sweeping and holding the fluffy towel. And so maybe I might be a beauty shop guy when I grow up.”
“Wonderful,” said Daddy.
“I know it is wonderful!” I said. “And here’s another wonderful thing. I already have a name tag and a towel and a broom and some scissors! And so I am all set to go to work, probably!”
Just then, Daddy quick pulled the car to the curb.
“No, Junie B. No. You’re
not
all set to go to work,” he said. “You don’t just pick up some scissors and start cutting hair. Do you understand? Working in a beauty shop takes years and years of practice.”
“Yeah, only I already know that,” I said. “I already know it takes years and years of practice.”
“Years and years and
years
,” said Daddy.
I did a huffy breath at him. “I already know that, I told you,” I said again.
After that, I leaned back in my seat. AndI thinked about the years and years of practice.
Finally, I did a big sigh.
I would have to get started right away.
Daddy pulled the car into our driveway.
I runned inside my house zippity quick.
“I’M HOME!” I hollered. “I’M HOME FROM THE BEAUTY SHOP!”
Mother runned out of baby Ollie’s room.
“Shh! I just put your brother down for his nap,” she said.
I stood there for a minute.
’Cause that woman just gave me a sneaky idea, that’s why.
I did a fake yawn.
“Hmm. I need a nap, too, I think,” I said. “’Cause that beauty shop got me all tired out.”
I walked to my bedroom.
“Well, nightie night. Don’t let the bedbugs fight,” I said.
Mother followed me.
Her face looked suspicious.
Suspicious
is the grown-up word for
I think maybe you might be fibbing
.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there a second,” said Mother. “I thought you hated naps.”
“I do,” I said. “I do hate naps. But today I worked at the beauty shop. And that job got me pooped, I tell you.”
After that, I closed my door. And I got under my covers.
Mother peeked in at me.
I did a fake snore.
Then I waited and waited till she closed the door again.
I stayed in bed till it was safe.
Then finally, I tippytoed to my desk.
And I opened the top drawer real quiet.
I searched my hands all around that thing.
Then all of a sudden my heart got very pumpy!
’Cause my hands felt what they were looking for!
And their name is my bestest shiny scissors!
4 / Snipping, Snipping, Snipping
I opened and closed my shiny scissors real fast.
“Now I can start my years and years of practice!” I whispered very thrilled.
I skipped to my bed where my stuffed animals sit. ’Cause I needed volunteers, of course.
“Who wants to go first?” I asked my animals. “Who wants to get their fur trimmed at my beauty shop?”
My bestest elephant named Philip Johnny Bob raised his foot.
“
I do! I do!
” he said.
I hugged him very tight. ’Cause that guy is always a good sport, that’s why.
I picked him up and put him in my beauty chair.
I
“Here, helper. You can sweep your daddy’s hair as I’m cutting it,” she said.
“Yes!” I said back. “’Cause I am excellent at this appliance, I believe!”
After that, I held the broom real tight in my hands. And I runned up and down the floor.
“Look, Maxine! Look at me sweeping! See me? See how fast I am?”
Only too bad for me.
’Cause just then, a lady didn’t get out of my way.
And she walked right in front of my big, wide broom.
And her feet got sweeped.
“OW!” she hollered. “OW! OUCH! OW!”
Daddy runned over and snatched my broom away. ’Cause I wasn’t the helper anymore, apparently.
After that, he gave Maxine lots of dollars.
And he took my hand.
And me and him rushed right out of that place.
3 / Practicing
Daddy drove me home in the car.
I kept on sniffing the air.
“You smell like a lovely woman,” I said.
Daddy wasn’t that friendly.
“It’s the hair gel,” he grouched.
I sniffed some more.
“Mmm. I love that smelly hair gel,” I said. “Plus also I love sweeping and holding the fluffy towel. And so maybe I might be a beauty shop guy when I grow up.”
“Wonderful,” said Daddy.
“I know it is wonderful!” I said. “And here’s another wonderful thing. I already have a name tag and a towel and a broom and some scissors! And so I am all set to go to work, probably!”
Just then, Daddy quick pulled the car to the curb.
“No, Junie B. No. You’re
not
all set to go to work,” he said. “You don’t just pick up some scissors and start cutting hair. Do you understand? Working in a beauty shop takes years and years of practice.”
“Yeah, only I already know that,” I said. “I already know it takes years and years of practice.”
“Years and years and
years
,” said Daddy.
I did a huffy breath at him. “I already know that, I told you,” I said again.
After that, I leaned back in my seat. AndI thinked about the years and years of practice.
Finally, I did a big sigh.
I would have to get started right away.
Daddy pulled the car into our driveway.
I runned inside my house zippity quick.
“I’M HOME!” I hollered. “I’M HOME FROM THE BEAUTY SHOP!”
Mother runned out of baby Ollie’s room.
“Shh! I just put your brother down for his nap,” she said.
I stood there for a minute.
’Cause that woman just gave me a sneaky idea, that’s why.
I did a fake yawn.
“Hmm. I need a nap, too, I think,” I said. “’Cause that beauty shop got me all tired out.”
I walked to my bedroom.
“Well, nightie night. Don’t let the bedbugs fight,” I said.
Mother followed me.
Her face looked suspicious.
Suspicious
is the grown-up word for
I think maybe you might be fibbing
.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there a second,” said Mother. “I thought you hated naps.”
“I do,” I said. “I do hate naps. But today I worked at the beauty shop. And that job got me pooped, I tell you.”
After that, I closed my door. And I got under my covers.
Mother peeked in at me.
I did a fake snore.
Then I waited and waited till she closed the door again.
I stayed in bed till it was safe.
Then finally, I tippytoed to my desk.
And I opened the top drawer real quiet.
I searched my hands all around that thing.
Then all of a sudden my heart got very pumpy!
’Cause my hands felt what they were looking for!
And their name is my bestest shiny scissors!
4 / Snipping, Snipping, Snipping
I opened and closed my shiny scissors real fast.
“Now I can start my years and years of practice!” I whispered very thrilled.
I skipped to my bed where my stuffed animals sit. ’Cause I needed volunteers, of course.
“Who wants to go first?” I asked my animals. “Who wants to get their fur trimmed at my beauty shop?”
My bestest elephant named Philip Johnny Bob raised his foot.
“
I do! I do!
” he said.
I hugged him very tight. ’Cause that guy is always a good sport, that’s why.
I picked him up and put him in my beauty chair.
I
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