‘Well, not exactly…’

But Creamy had heard enough. Mimi was his friend now and there was nothing he would not do for a friend. ‘No problem,’ he cried. ‘Just say the word, and I'll cut your silly hair … I mean all your hair off. ‘Very happy to!’

Mimi glowed. ‘Would you? Now that would be nice! I could look like a regular dog, and run about, and have fun with other dogs! Could you really cut my hair off?’

‘Sure!’ cried Creamy, and trotted over to a large tray where scissors and combs and hair razors were all laid out. ‘I'll do it at once!’

Scissors in one paw, comb in the other, he ran back to Mimi. ‘All set. Now you just relax and keep still while I cut.’

Mimi giggled and clapped her paws. ‘Oh, I'm so excited! Can't wait to see how it feels to have short hair!’

Creamy grasped the long strands of her white, silky hair in his paw and began to snip. Mimi closed her eyes. Soon, the floor around looked as though the snow had fallen.

‘That's it! Done!’ cried Creamy. ‘You can open your eyes now.’

Mimi looked at herself in the mirror and giggled. ‘It's lovely! Thank you so much! Oh, I'm so happy,’ she cried, and putting her paw in his, she began to dance.

Creamy beamed, well pleased with himself. And then, as they spun round and round, he burst into a song.

At the sound of Creamy's voice the door burst open and Lennie, with Mimi's owner on his heels, rushed into the room.

Lennie looked at Mimi and clutched his head.

Mimi's owner swooped down and clutched Mimi.

‘What have you done to my Mimi?! she screamed. ‘Who asked you to cut her hair? How dare you! I'll … I'll ….’ She was almost choking with rage.

‘Who asked me to cut her hair?’ repeated Creamy, ‘Why, of course …’ and catching suddenly Mimi's pleading glance, he stammered: ‘Why … er … nobody did. I just felt like it!’

‘What?! You just felt like it? Are you mad?’

‘Please, madam,’ Lennie tried to soothe.

Mimi's owner ignored him completely, and wagging her finger at Creamy, kept shouting: ‘I'll have the police on you for harming my poor Mimi! See if I don't! Hey, you!’ she cried, suddenly turning her fury on Lennie, ‘Where do you keep the phone?’

Wordlessly, Lennie pointed in the direction of the reception desk next door. The woman ran over to it, grabbed the phone and began to dial.

Lennie ran over to Creamy. ‘She means to call them! We've got to run for it! The back door! Quick, before she turns round!’

Creamy cast one last look at his new friend. Mimi winked and raised her paw and, though Creamy could not be sure of it, he thought she also whispered something; something that sounded very much like: ‘Thanks, friend!’

Creamy nodded and dashed out of the back door.

There was a big, happy smile on his face as he sped along the street with Lennie, away from the hairdresser's shop.

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