Вино из одуванчиков

           "Youandtwozillionotherpeople,Doug,remember."

           "Dayliketoday,"murmuredDouglas,"Ifeelit’llbe...justme!"

           "Needanyhelp,"saidTom,"justyell."

           "Whatcouldaten-year-oldbrotherdo?"

           "Aten-year-oldbrother’llbeelevennextsummer.I’llunwindtheworldliketherubberbandonagolfball’sinsideseverymorning,putitbacktogethereverynight.Showyouhow,ifyouask."

           "Crazy."

           "Alwayswas."Tomcrossedhiseyes,stuckouthistongue."Alwayswillbe."

           Douglaslaughed.TheywentdowninthecellarwithGrandpaandwhilehedecapitatedtheflowerstheylookedatallthesummershelvesandglimmeringthereinthemotionlessstreams,thebottlesofdandelionwine.Numberedfromonetoninety-odd,theretheketchupbottles,mostofthemfullnow,stoodburninginthecellartwilight,oneforeverylivingsummerday.

           "Boy,"saidTom,"whataswellwaytosaveJune,July,andAugust.Realpractical."

           Grandfatherlookedup,consideredthis,andsmiled.

           "Betterthanputtingthingsintheatticyouneveruseagain.Thisway,yougettolivethesummeroverforaminuteortwohereortherealongthewaythroughthewinter,andwhenthebottlesareemptythesummer’sgoneforgoodandnoregretsandnosentimentaltrashlyingaboutforyoutostumbleoverfortyyearsfromnow.Clean,smokeless,efficient,that’sdandelionwine."

           Thetwoboyspointedalongtherowsofbottles.

           "There’sthefirstdayofsummer."

           "There’sthenewtennisshoesday."