"Ian R. Macleod - Grownups" - читать интересную книгу автора (Macleod Ian R)

Tony grew up on the Thursday of that same week. He and Bobby had spent the
afternoon together down at Monument Park. They had climbed the whispering
boughs of one of the big elm trees along the avenue and sat with their legs dangling,
trying to spit on the heads of the grownups passing below.

тАЬWill you tell me what itтАЩs like?тАЭ Bobby had asked when his mouth finally
went dry.

тАЬWhat?тАЭ Tony looked vague. He picked up a spider that crawled onto his
wrist and rolled it between finger and thumb.

тАЬAbout being a grownup. Talk to me afterward. I want ... I want to know.тАЭ

тАЬYeah, yeah. WeтАЩre still brothers, right?тАЭ

тАЬYouтАЩve got it. AndтАФтАЭ

тАЬтАФHey, shush!тАЭ
 Three young grownups were heading their way, a man, a woman, and an
uncle. Bobby supposed they were courtingтАФthey had their arms around each other
in that vaguely passionless way that grownups had, their faces absent, staring at the
sky and the trees without seeing. He began to salivate.

тАЬBombs away.тАЭ

Bobby missed with his lob, but Tony hawked up a green one and scored a
gleaming hit on the crown of the womanтАЩs head. The grownups walked on, stupidly
oblivious.

It was a fine afternoon. They climbed higher still, skinning their palms and
knees on the greenish bark, feeling the tree sway beneath them like a dancer. From
up here, the park shimmered, you could see everything; the lake, the glittering
greenhouses, grownups lazing on the grass, two fat kids from TonyтАЩs year lobbing
stones at a convoy of ducks. Bobby grinned and threw back his head. Here, you
could feel the hot sky around you, taste the clouds like white candy.

тАЬYou will tell me what itтАЩs like to be a grownup?тАЭ he asked again.

But Tony suddenly looked pale and afraid, holding onto the trembling boughs.
тАЬLetтАЩs climb down,тАЭ he said.

When Bobby thought back, he guessed that that was the beginning.

Mum took one look at Tony when they got home and called Doctor Halstead.
He was quick in coming. On MumтАЩs instructions, Bobby also phoned Dad at the
office, feeling terribly grownup and responsible as he asked to be put through in the
middle of a meeting.

Tony was sitting on the sofa in the lounge, rocking to and fro, starting to