Читать книгу For big and small people - Роман Акимов - Страница 3

The entire family, dressed warmly, stands in front of the open window, awaiting the daily message to the kingdom. The Town Crier (from a podium) – Our kingdom is surrounded by entirely unfriendly neighbors, waiting for us to weaken so they can take advantage! From our tower, we increasingly hear calls, or rather, demands, to pay attention to resolving internal pressing issues! Know this – these are hostile elements; this is said only to lull your vigilance and divert your attention from what truly matters! The guards have learned to identify troublemakers. Be assured! Everyone will be held accountable under the law! That’s the first point! Second! Our wise king has consolidated all the kingdom’s hard-earned gold reserves exclusively in the royal treasury. Trusted ministers of the Crown are responsible for its safety. What does this mean? It means that thoughtful, wise decisions are the key to a prosperous future! After the Town Crier’s last words, joyful shouts and children’s crying can be heard from all the houses: “Hail the king!” Following the shouts and cries, windows begin to close one by one.

Victoria – Hail to the king! Hail to the king! (to her husband, half-whispering) Close the window! (loudly) Hail to the king! Hail to the king!

The room is lit up. Victoria’s Husband (taking off his coat) – That’s it, I can’t take it anymore! I’m getting too hot! (looks at the wall clock) Oh no, it’s time for work!

Tesya (very sleepy, falls to the floor) – Mom, I want to sleep…

Victoria (somewhat condescendingly) – Please, without this performance. I’ve wanted to sleep since the moment you were born! So, logically, I should be the one going to sleep, not you… But I can’t, why?

Tesya – I have to study…

Victoria – Go grab something from the table, or you’ll be hungry all day again!

Victoria’s Husband (clearing the clutter) – Where does my second sock always disappear to? The chest spits out some items into the room.

Victoria – Where you left it, that’s where you should look!!!

Victoria’s Husband – All my things are always neatly folded (pointing to separate piles of scattered items), right here and here, I folded them myself… But for some reason, what I’m looking for isn’t here… (to himself) How tired I am of all this… Fine, I’ll go look elsewhere! (tidies up suspiciously)

Victoria – You’d better not upset me! I can handle things without you…

Victoria wraps Tesya in a warm scarf, making her unable to speak clearly, turning her into something resembling a woolly ball.

Victoria (to Tesya) – Stop fidgeting! Stop, I said!

Victoria’s Husband (to Tesya) – Sweetie, you’d better not upset mom, you know what she’s like in the morning!

Victoria – What’s she like?

Victoria’s Husband – Absolutely magnificent!

Victoria – Alright, did we forget anything?

Tesya tries to say something important but only produces a prolonged murmur.

Victoria’s Husband – Seems like we didn’t!

Victoria – Then let’s go! (to Tesya) Stop mumbling!

The door slams shut and locks. From the pile of items, a drowsy dog, Versachka, slowly crawls out.

Versachka – They’ve chilled the room again! You can catch a cold like this! It seems I need to go outside! I need to go outside… They forgot about me again. (to himself) Can I do anything about it? Is it up to me? This is quite a complex question for a simple dog! On the other hand, if I sniff around seriously, I do everything I can, and I have a home… Can I dream of anything more? And this isn’t just a pile of items, it’s a real fortress! A real castle next to a large wooden hanger, a solid roof made of shawls, scarves, hats, gloves, and pants. Expensive hat! Good morning! Respectable pair of shoes, good morning to you too! Dear yellow scarf, I must say you resemble the real sun… and not just because you’re higher than me and in the blue clouds of pants! But the biggest and warmest good morning to the one who witnessed cleanliness and was there from the very beginning! Good morning, invisible old gray sock…

Versachka digs up a homemade musical instrument made of strings and starts to sing, causing the entire room to come alive as it sways in rhythm.

The Earth will turn upside down, and leaves will scatter into the sky

My little sock will hold my home, sturdy and strong as years go by

No one ever thought at once, this planet’s the universe’s core

No one will write stories, of a gray-colored sock and its lore

I believe it’s not just a word, what once was there at the start

I believe it was the foundation, of a grand universal chart

And the little thread in it, it’s also my home

One day it’ll save from discord, as the thread’s purpose is known

Spider (to Versachka) – Well, good morning, little doggy! Did you forget to walk with you again? Come on, I’ll crawl around you a bit so you won’t be so sad!

Versachka – Good morning! Thanks for the offer, but I have a lot to do!

Spider – I won’t offer twice!

Versachka – Thanks, but I’ll probably pass!

Spider – Lots to do… Well, you know, I’m always somewhere nearby! I’m off!

Outside, the sound of the royal guard’s boots approaching becomes audible. Small squads pass through the streets. Versachka rushes to the window!

Voice (to the recruits) – Stand in formation, offspring! You are now in the elite ranks of the Order of the Iron Shield and Sword; His Majesty the King’s! Step, more precisely! One, Two!

Meanwhile, the sun slowly rises above the hill…