The Taming Of The Tights. Louise Rennison
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Название: The Taming Of The Tights
Автор: Louise Rennison
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Детская проза
isbn: 9780007476404
isbn:
As I drifted off to sleep next to Ruby, lulled by the rain pattering on the roof, I dreamed of Charlie … Zzz
… I was up on the moorland path behind The Blind Pig. Looking through my Darkly Demanding Damson Diary. I was dressed in a black mini skirt and green tights. Thinking of doing a performance about being a person with corkers, not a silly schoolgirl any more.
Hmmmm, perhaps through the medium of dance I could show the things I’d learned from my wise Cousin Georgia.
How to do sticky eyes and ‘look interested’ when boys do things.
I started wafting my arms from side to side (in my dream, otherwise Ruby would have kicked me out of bed) and sweet music began floating across the moors. So lovely and magical and otherworldly, but somehow familiar.
I looked up into the tree where the music was coming from and …
… there they were, the owlets with tiny electric guitars. Hurrah!
Little Lullah was on rhythm guitar and little Rubes on bass. They were playing Dancing Queen by Abba!
I began to dance more wildly. Drawn by the inescapable rhythms of Sweden, lost in a world of my own.
The owlets turned up their amplifiers. (Not easy when you haven’t got any hands.)
I sang my version of Dancing Queen.
“Friday night and it’s got late
I’m out here without a mate
Got my new green tights on
You can see them from Skipton
They’re in the mood for a dance
And when I get the chaaaance …
I am the dancing queen
My Irish legs have a lovely sheeeen!!!!
Oh yeah, you can dance, you can …”
And I began to spin and kick wildly, I was doing my Irish dancing on a hillock to the cool sounds of The Owlets when … Charlie! There was Charlie!
He smiled his special smile and gave a thumbs-up to the owlets. Then he danced towards me. (In time to the music, but carefully as his lurex flares were quite snug.)
Charlie looked into my eyes and then lowered his lips towards mine. Just as he’d touched my lips with his, he drew back and said (in that weird slow voice like in dreams), “No … I caaan’t … I haaaaave a girlfrieeeeeend.”
And he got a tiny girl out of his pocket. She waved at me.
He left with the tiny girl in his hand and sadness filled my tights. The owlets played a slow version of Dancing Queen on pan-pipes.
But the show must always go on. That’s what Sidone tells us.
I began singing again, even though my heart was breaking.
“I am the dancing queen
My Irish legs have a lovely shhheeeeeen!!”
And someone started whistling along.
Who could this be?
Alex came up the path. In a flouncy shirt!
He danced towards me in time to the music and put his hand to my face. The frills on his sleeve temporarily blinded me. He said in a deep voice, “Hello, Tallulah, you’ve grown up. You are the dancing queen. Your Irish legs have a lovely sheen.”
Then there was a loud growling and Cain’s big black dog bounded out – ridden by Cain.
I woke up on Sunday morning to the light pattering of hail on the roof. I feel a bit tired. As if I’ve been dancing to Abba all night.
Rubes and Matilda were snoozing nose to nose at the bottom of the bed. So I quietly crept downstairs and unbolted the door without anyone hearing me. The church bells rang for early morning service as I crossed the village green to the Dobbins’ house.
Dandelion Cottage looked sweet in the early morning hail. The trees in the garden were losing their leaves and a wisp of smoke came from the chimney. There’s some ducks in the garden, but no sign of little Lullah and Ruby. I hope they’re all right.
Would they even know how to build a nest? Could they catch stuff to eat?
I don’t think their mum Connie has really shown them domestic skills. I’ve seen her eat a mouse head first, but I haven’t seen her teach them grooming or home-making. Bit like my mum and dad.
When I opened the unlatched door into the kitchen, Mrs Dobbins looked up from the stove. Wearing a hat covered in dead leaves and brown stuff. She was so pleased to see me she started jumping up and down. And the hugging began immediately. She is very huggy.
“Oh, Tallulah, I have SO missed you!! You darling girl!! You’ve grown AGAIN!! Look at you! You are GORGEOUS. What a shame you’ve just missed the twins and Harold – they’ve gone to church. They’ve got Micky and Dicky with them because it’s Tortoise Sunday. Ooh, we’ve had foraging fun, we found a badger’s set. Thrilling!!! Harold followed the droppings … actually, he brought some home, I’m drying them in the airing cupboard so be careful with your undies. We’re going to make sculptures with them.”
I said, from underneath her arms, “That sounds, er, spiffing.”
Dibdobs kissed me on the hair.
“Oooooh, you smell soooo Tallulah-ish. The twins will be so pleased to see you. Are you coming to church?”
I said, “Er, well, I’d love to but, er, I haven’t got a tortoise.”
Dibdobs said, “The boys would let you hold Micky and Dicky, I’m sure! Or you could take a duck.”
I said quickly, “Ooooh, that would be nice, but I have to, erm, prepare myself for Dother Hall tomorrow. Check my tights and so on.”
“Yes, yes, of course. СКАЧАТЬ