The Boy with Green Hair

Small-town police bring in a psychologist to talk to the silent runaway boy. Through questions, they learn the boy's name is Peter Fry and that he is a war orphan. Peter begins to recount his life story, answering questions about his family and upbringing.

Peter passes from one neglectful aunt or uncle to another, never finding a steady home. The constant instability leaves him lonely and wary of adults. This troubled childhood explains why he trusts the psychologist only slowly.

Peter moves in with Gramp, a kind-hearted retired actor who tries to understand him. Gramp provides stability and warmth, giving Peter a sense of belonging. Peter begins to settle into a more normal routine, including attending school.

Peter starts attending school, where his class becomes involved in helping war orphans in Europe and Asia. The project broadens Peter's world and makes him feel connected to children beyond his town. He begins to see the bigger purpose behind the posters he has seen.

Peter suddenly learns that he is also a war orphan, just like the children on the posters. The haunting images make his past feel personal and urgent. This realization deepens his seriousness and sense of responsibility.

Peter overhears adults discussing the world preparing for another war, deepening his fear and seriousness. The next day, after a bath, he sees that his hair has turned green. Taunts from townspeople and peers drive him to flee.

In a lonely part of the woods, the children from posters materialize as if by magic. They tell him that he is a war orphan with a mission: warn others about the dangers of war for children. He accepts this calling and resolves to spread the message.

Peter returns to town, and his difference provokes hostility from townspeople and peers. They urge Gramp to have Peter shave his hair so it might grow back normally, questioning his message and identity.

Peter heads back to the woods to seek the poster children, but is chased by a group of schoolboys who attempt to cut his hair. The pursuit underscores the town’s resistance to his message and his own resolve. He remains committed to telling people about the dangers of war for children.

Peter decides to have his head shaved, and the town barber performs the deed. He then leaves home in the middle of the night, wearing a baseball cap and carrying a baseball bat. This bold move signals a turning point in his life.

Back in the present, the psychologist tells Peter that true belief drives action and that hair color matters little compared to the message. Peter realizes that what he believes shapes what he does. The session frames the story as a moral tale rather than a simple hair-based rumor.

Peter finishes his recollection and is reunited with Gramp in the station's waiting room. Gramp reads a letter from Peter's father intended for his 16th birthday, sharing beliefs about what is worth dying for and asking Peter to remind others. The letter underscores the theme of legacy and responsibility.

Encouraged by the psychologist and Gramp, Peter resolves to keep sharing his message about war's dangers to children, convinced his hair will grow back green again. He finds renewed resolve and a sense of purpose. Gramp and Peter return home together, carrying the message forward.