Teenager Kevin Finnegan is in line to inherit the family funeral home/ice cream parlor, but his father, Arthur, is worried that Kevin, who has literally been silent all his life, may be too feeble-minded to take over the business. A new employee inspires Kevin to finally learn how to speak and assert his true ambition--to become a barber. Events come to a head when the success of a high-profile funeral planned by Arthur is threatened by his son Anvil’s rebelliousness, his daughter Pamela’s inappropriate taste in food and Kevin’s determination not to follow in his father’s footsteps.
"It is evident ... that the author has an outrageous sense of humor."
--The New York Times