Читать книгу The Street Detectives: Drugs are for mugs (school edition) - Janis Ford - Страница 7

Pre-reading

1.	Think of the thousands of people in South Africa who make a living out of picking up scrap and litter. They work hard to earn a mere pittance.
During reading
2.	Notice how the writer fills us in about different strands of the story in the same chapter. Humour and suspense are balanced in this way.

“Shall I take this load to Louis?” Vuyo was helping Tembile and Victor fill an old, rusty trolley with cardboard boxes.

“Okay,” Victor agreed. “Tem and I’ll get that lot over there.”

Vuyo set off cheerfully, but it was hard work. The cardboard was heavy and the wheels of the rickety trolley did not want to go in the same direction that he was pushing.

“Here, I’ll help you,” Sizwe offered.

Tembile and Victor grabbed another trolley and rushed over to the fish shop where clouds of flies buzzed over the pile of rubbish in the side alley.

“Pfu! These stink!” complained Victor. “Shall we leave them?”

Tembile examined the cardboard and thought of the extra chips he would be able to buy with the proceeds.

“Hold your breath,” he suggested. “It won’t take long to sort it.”

Vuyo and Sizwe pushed the trolley to the building in the street where Louis du Toit had his junk shop. The street kids brought everything that they found to him – paper, wire, grills, car hubs, saucepans, broken toys, buckets. Louis took everything. Especially wire! And he knew everyone.

“Seen Mlibo around?” asked Sizwe as the old man checked the weight of the cardboard.

“Yeah,” Louis nodded. “He’s been in a couple of times this week to ask me to read addresses on bits of paper for him.”

“Where’s he hanging out?” enquired Vuyo. “He hasn’t been to the shelter lately.”

“You keep clear of him!” Louis turned angrily on Vuyo. “He’s a bad one. He’s in with that gang, The Devils. Drugs and that.”

Tembile and Victor joined them as Louis paid Vuyo twenty rand for the cardboard.

“Mlibo’s in big trouble,” Sizwe announced.

“Serves him right.” Victor shrugged. “He’s been told time and again not to get mixed up with gangs.”

“We should warn Thabo,” Tembile suggested.

“You can tell him if you want to,” Victor said. “I don’t care!”

In the shelter’s kitchen Mrs Misengana and her assistant Nombile were busily peeling potatoes to go into her famous Malay curry.

“Where’s Miss Collette?” asked Nombile suddenly.

“Gone shopping for something smart to wear on Saturday. She’s going to the Baxter Theatre.” Mrs Misengana winked. “Thabo’s taking her to a symphony concert.”

“Thabo interested in classical music?!” exclaimed Nombile. “I can’t believe it!”

“It just goes to show,” nodded Mrs Misengana, “you never can tell!”

Miss Collette parked her car and made her way to the shop that had advertised a sale in the newspaper. Cheerfully, she went to the dress department and began her search for a new outfit. She wanted to look her very best for Thabo. She always wore jeans and a T-shirt at the shelter. He had never seen her dressed up before.

She smiled to herself. How wonderful that they had an interest in common, apart from the boys!

“Can I help you?” a young assistant enquired.

“Yes. Thank you. I’m going to a concert at the Baxter Theatre and …”

“I have the very thing for you,” the girl said eagerly. “This suit. An Yvette de Paris! An absolute bargain!”

Miss Collette looked at the jacket’s plunging neckline and the short skirt and shook her head.

“Not quite me …” she muttered indecisively. “But it’s a very good price …”

“Try it on,” urged the sales assistant. “It’ll look divine on you. I’m sure you’ll fall in love with it!”

Post reading

1.	How much does Louis pay the boys?
2.	What advice does Louis give them?
3.	What do you learn about Victor and Tembile from the way they react to Louis’ advice?
4.	We know that Miss Collette has misunderstood Thabo’s invitation. Describe some of the amusing results of this misunderstanding so far.
5.	What kind of outfit do you think Miss Collette should choose?
6.	Try playing the following game. Whisper a short message (between 12 and 15 words) to the person sitting next to you. He or she must pass the message on to someone nearby and so on. The tenth person must say the message aloud. What is the result and what does this exercise show?