Вино из одуванчиков

           "Right!"saidTommysteriously."Threadsoneway,threadsanother.Iseeitall.Direfiends.Deadlysinners.There’sbadweather,there’sgood.Picnics.Banquets.Strawberryfestivals."Hetappedthebeaterfromplacetoplaceportentously.

           "That’ssomeboardinghouseyougotmerunning,"saidGrandma,glowingwithexertion.

           "It’sallthere,fuzzylike.Holdyourheadononeside,Doug,getoneeyealmostshut.It’sbetteratnight,ofcourse,inside,therugonthefloor,lamplightandall.Thenyougetshadowsallshapes,lightanddark,andwatchthethreadsrunningoff,feelthenap,runyourhandaroundonthefur.Smellsjustlikeadesert,Ibet.Allhotandsandy,likeinsideamummycase,maybe.Look,thatredspot,that’stheHappinessMachineburningup!"

           "Catsupfromsomebody’ssandwich,nodoubt,"saidMom.

           "No,HappinessMachine,"saidDouglas,andwassadtoseeitburningthere.HehadbeencountingonLeoAuffmanntokeepthingsinorder,keepeverybodysmiling,keepthesmallgyroscopeheoftenfeltinsidehimselftiltingtowardthesuneverytimetheearthtiltedtowardouterspaceanddarkness.Butno,therewasAuffmann’sfolly,ashesandcinders.Bang!Bang!Douglasstruck.

           "Look,there’sthegreenelectricrunabout!MissFern!MissRoberta!"saidTom."Honk,Honk!"Bang!

           Theyalllaughed.

           "There’syourlife-strings,Doug,runningalonginknots.Toomanysourapples.Picklesatbedtime!"

           "Whichone,where?"criedDouglas,peering.