Ask Oscar. Alan MacDonald
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Название: Ask Oscar
Автор: Alan MacDonald
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Природа и животные
isbn: 9781780317953
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The next day was Monday, a school day, which posed an awkward problem – what to do with Oscar? Sam considered taking him to school but he was pretty sure dogs weren’t allowed. Even if he dressed Oscar in a shirt and school tie he didn’t think Miss Bramble would be fooled. He’d have to hide him at home somewhere his parents weren’t likely to look. But where? A dog under the duvet would look pretty obvious and anyway Oscar wouldn’t stay there for long.
Sam looked around, trying to think. Of course – the clothes cupboard! Sam’s bedroom had a large built-in cupboard with shelves piled high with clothes, books, comics and toys. If he cleared some space on the floor there was plenty of room for a not-too-large dog. He dragged the beanbag into the cupboard.
‘In you go, boy,’ he said, pointing. Oscar looked at the cupboard then back at him. He didn’t budge.
‘Come on, Oscar, it’s not for long, just while I’m at school,’ pleaded Sam. ‘Once Mum and Dad know, you won’t have to hide.’
In the end, Sam had to pick Oscar up and carry him into the cupboard. He left him with a supply of dog biscuits, a bowl of water and the rubber bone to play with in case he got bored. It wasn’t ideal, he told himself, but it was only for today. As long as Dad didn’t go nosing in his room then Oscar would be safe – and it would give him time to break the news that they were getting a dog.
All that day at school, Sam’s thoughts kept returning to Oscar. He worried that he might be scared of the dark. What if he started barking or whining and his dad went up to investigate? (His mum worked part time as a physio at the hospital so she wasn’t at home on Mondays). Sam was dying to tell someone, so eventually he let his best friend, Louie, in on the secret half way through maths.
‘A DOG?’ cried Louie.
‘Shh! Keep your voice down!’ whispered Sam. ‘It’s a secret!’ He glanced up. Miss Bramble was busy helping someone with their work.
‘But where did you get him?’ asked Louie.
Sam briefly explained how Oscar had arrived on the bus.
‘That’s fantastic!’ enthused Louie. ‘We could take him for walks – we could go to the beach!’
‘If he stays,’ said Sam. ‘My parents don’t even know about him yet. I had to hide him in my cupboard.’
Louie’s eyebrows shot up. ‘You’ve left him in a cupboard?’
‘It’s quite a big one and he’s got biscuits,’ explained Sam. ‘But if my parents find him they’ll go mad.’
‘You’re the one that’s mad,’ said Louie.
But they didn’t get any further because Miss Bramble told them off for talking instead of getting on with their work.
As soon as the bell went, Sam grabbed his bag and ran all the way home. He’d been plagued by worries all day. What if Dad had discovered Oscar and thrown him out? They hadn’t even had the chance to get to know each other!
Arriving home, Sam dumped his bag and ran upstairs. He found his Dad hoovering the landing.
‘Ah, Sam, perfect timing,’ he said, switching the machine off. ‘I was just about to do your room.’
His room? Sam looked aghast.
‘You can’t!’ he said. ‘I mean, my pyjamas are all over the floor. I haven’t tidied up!’
‘Well you can tidy it now,’ said Dad. ‘But get a move on, I haven’t got all day.’
Sam dashed into his bedroom and closed the door. He was surprised to see the cupboard door was wide open. Somehow Oscar had managed to get out because he was curled on the bed with a book open. (It was a picture book about pirates and for a moment Sam imagined he was reading it). In the cupboard were a scattering of biscuit crumbs and a damp patch on the carpet that might have been water but probably wasn’t. Oscar yawned, rolled onto his side and stretched out lazily.
Sam had to think fast. He could put Oscar back in the cupboard but what if his Dad tried to tidy something away when he was hoovering the room? The only other solution was to smuggle Oscar out of the house. But how could he get past his dad on the landing? Suddenly he saw a possible way out – the laundry basket! Sam reckoned it was probably just big enough to hold Oscar if he made himself small.
A few moments later Sam emerged from his room, dragging the laundry basket with an effort. Oscar was a lot heavier than he’d expected and he was hidden under a pile of dirty T-shirts, socks and pants.
‘Finally!’ said Dad. ‘What’s that?’
‘My dirty washing,’ said Sam. ‘I thought I’d take it down to the washing machine for er . . . washing.’
‘Right,’ said Dad, sounding puzzled. Generally Sam regarded washing and ironing as something that happened as if by magic.
Sam staggered forward and Dad stepped aside to let him past. He could feel his dad’s eyes on him as he reached the stairs. The laundry basket was so heavy he was sweating and could hardly get it off the floor. He wished Oscar had been a pug dog or something smaller.
‘What on earth have you got in there?’ asked Dad.
‘Just my clothes and stuff,’ said Sam, breathing hard. If he could just make it downstairs then they’d be safe. He heaved the basket after him, setting it down on the next step with a thump. A loud grunt came from inside.
‘What was that?’ asked Dad.
‘What?’
‘That noise!’
‘It was me,’ said Sam. He coughed loudly but Dad wasn’t buying it.
‘Let me see the basket,’ he demanded.
Sam turned round slowly in time to see his dad’s eyes grow wide with astonishment. Looking down, Sam saw a pair of blue pants rising up out of the basket. Underneath was a whiskery face and a wet black nose. Oscar sneezed and the pants fell off.
Unluckily at that very moment the front door slammed and Mum came in.
‘A DOG!’ she screamed.