"The Giver Quartet" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lowry, Lois)

тАЬThe Elders know Asher,тАЭ his mother said. тАЬTheyтАЩll find exactly the right Assignment for him. I donтАЩt think you need to worry about him. But, Jonas, let me warn you about something that may not have occurred to you. I know I didnтАЩt think about it until after my Ceremony of Twelve.тАЭ



тАЬWhatтАЩs that?тАЭ



тАЬWell, itтАЩs the last of the Ceremonies, as you know. After Twelve, age isnтАЩt important. Most of us even lose track of how old we are as time passes, though the information is in the Hall of Open Records, and we could go and look it up if we wanted to. WhatтАЩs important is the preparation for adult life, and the training youтАЩll receive in your Assignment.тАЭ



тАЬI know that,тАЭ Jonas said. тАЬEveryone knows that.тАЭ



тАЬBut it means,тАЭ his mother went on, тАЬthat youтАЩll move into a new group. And each of your friends will. YouтАЩll no longer be spending your time with your group of Elevens. After the Ceremony of Twelve, youтАЩll be with your Assignment group, with those in training. No more volunteer hours. No more recreation hours. So your friends will no longer be as close.тАЭ



Jonas shook his head. тАЬAsher and I will always be friends,тАЭ he said firmly. тАЬAnd there will still be school.тАЭ



тАЬThatтАЩs true,тАЭ his father agreed. тАЬBut what your mother said is true as well. There will be changes.тАЭ



тАЬGood changes, though,тАЭ his mother pointed out. тАЬAfter my Ceremony of Twelve, I missed my childhood recreation. But when I entered my training for Law and Justice, I found myself with people who shared my interests. I made friends on a new level, friends of all ages.тАЭ



тАЬDid you still play at all, after Twelve?тАЭ Jonas asked.



тАЬOccasionally,тАЭ his mother replied. тАЬBut it didnтАЩt seem as important to me.тАЭ



тАЬI did,тАЭ his father said, laughing. тАЬI still do. Every day, at the Nurturing Center, I play bounce-on-the-knee, and peek-a-boo, and hug-the-teddy.тАЭ He reached over and stroked JonasтАЩs neatly trimmed hair. тАЬFun doesnтАЩt end when you become Twelve.тАЭ



Lily appeared, wearing her nightclothes, in the door-way. She gave an impatient sigh. тАЬThis is certainly a very long private conversation,тАЭ she said. тАЬAnd there are certain people waiting for their comfort object.тАЭ