Green pill.

The Children's Doctor was awakened by the bright sun and childish laughter.

The Children's Doctor could listen to this laughter all day long. It was the sweetest sound in the world for him.

The children played in the yard and laughed.

From time to time, a silver jet of water rose from below. One might have thought that a large whale lay in the middle of the yard. The Children's Doctor, of course, understood that this could not be. He knew that it was the janitor, Uncle Anton, who was watering the flower bed.

The Children's Doctor felt tired.

He has been very busy lately. At night he wrote a book. The book was called: "The role of a fair fight in the normal development of the boy."

During the day he worked in a children's clinic, and after work he collected material for his book. He walked through the yards and squares, entered the dark entrances and even looked under the stairs.

“It’s good that I don’t have to go to the clinic today! thought the Children's Doctor. “I can rest today and maybe even finish the seventh chapter of my book. I have only two calls today. True, one case is very difficult: this sad girl Toma ... "

At this time, a loud bell rang.

The Children's Doctor went into the hall and opened the door.

Mom was at the door.

Of course, it wasn't the Children's Doctor's mom. It was the mother of a boy or girl. But the fact that it was a mother was undeniable. This was immediately evident in her large unhappy eyes.

The Children's Doctor sighed softly and invited this someone's mother into the office.

True, she was a very good mother. The Children's Doctor immediately identified this.

Such a mother certainly knew how to be strict.

But on the other hand, such a mother probably allowed her child to climb trees and run barefoot through puddles.

“I wonder how she feels about fights? thought the Children's Doctor. - Her opinion would be important for my book "The role of a fair fight in the normal development of a boy" ...

“You understand, Doctor…” Mom began, worried. Her eyes were very dark and miserable. But, perhaps, her eyes knew how to shine brightly. - You see ... You were highly recommended to me ... I have a son, Petya ... He is nine years old. He is very sick. He... you understand... he... a coward...

Transparent tears, one after another, dripped from my mother's eyes. One might have thought that two strands of shiny beads were hanging along her cheeks. It was obvious that it was very difficult for her.

The Children's Doctor was embarrassed and began to look away.

“It’s early in the morning…” Mom continued. - You understand how he wakes up ... or, for example, how he comes from school ... and in the evening ...

"Yes, yes," said the Children's Doctor. - Just a minute, just a minute. You better answer my questions... Does he go to school alone?

- Escort and meet.

- And in the cinema?

Haven't been for a year and a half.

- Are you afraid of dogs?

“Even cats…” Mom said softly and sobbed.

- I see, I understand! said the Children's Doctor. - That is OK. Modern medicine… Come to my clinic tomorrow. I'll write you down at twelve o'clock. Are you comfortable at this time?

- To the clinic? Mom was confused. You know he won't go. Well, for nothing in the world. Can't I lead him by force? What do you think? .. I thought ... you are at our house ... We live not far from here. On the 102 bus...

“Well, well, well…” the Children's Doctor said with a sigh and looked longingly at his desk. - I still have to go to Lermontovsky Prospekt to see this sad girl Toma ...

And the Children's Doctor began to put the medicines in his small suitcase. The suitcase was middle-aged, neither new nor old, yellow in color, with shiny locks.

- Wait a minute, just a minute, so as not to forget ... This is a powder of laughter for the sad girl Toma. A very potent remedy... If it doesn't help... Well... A bottle of anti-bolt. Well well. Shake before use... This is for one talker... And for your Petya...

“Excuse me, Doctor…” Mom was embarrassed again. – You are already very kind… But… Petya doesn't take any medications. Fears. He doesn't even drink soda because it fizzes. And I pour the soup into a small bowl for him. He is afraid to eat from a deep plate.

“Naturally, naturally…” muttered the Children's Doctor thoughtfully.

Do you find it natural? My mother's eyes quadrupled in surprise.

“It is natural for this disease,” the Children's Doctor replied, pouring something into a paper bag. “I give these children medicine in the form of sweets. You see, the most ordinary candy in a pink piece of paper. The most cowardly children boldly put it in their mouths and ...

The Children's Doctor and Mom went out into the street.

It was amazing outside!

The sun was hot. The breeze is cool. The children laughed. The adults smiled. Cars were moving fast.

The Children's Doctor and Mom went to the bus stop.

Behind the yellow fence, a high television tower went up into the sky. She was very beautiful and very tall. Probably all the boys in the area dreamed of her every night.

And at the very top of it, a dazzling light burned. It was so bright that it was better to look at the sun for an hour than one minute at this light.

Suddenly, the flame went out. And then it became clear that some black ant was swarming there at the very top. Then this black ant crawled down.

It got bigger and bigger, and suddenly it turned out that it was not an ant at all, but a worker in blue overalls.

Then a door opened in the yellow fence, and the worker, bending down, went through this door. He had a yellow suitcase in his hand.

The worker was very young and very tanned.

He had bright blue eyes.

Maybe they're so blue because he works so high in the sky... thought the Children's Doctor. “No, of course, I’m talking too naively…”

“Excuse me, old man! said the Children's Doctor to the young worker. - But I want to tell you that you are a very brave person!

- Well, what are you! - the young worker was embarrassed and became even younger, and became quite like a boy. - Well, what courage!

– Work at such a height! Let me shake your hand! - the Doctor got excited and, putting his yellow suitcase on the ground, extended his hand to the young worker. The young worker also put his suitcase on the ground and shook hands with the Children's Doctor.

- You, of course, loved to fight as a child? Am I wrong?

The young worker blushed and glanced in embarrassment at the people standing in line.

- Yes, it happened ... Well, what to remember such nonsense ...

- It's not stupid at all! exclaimed the Children's Doctor. - From the point of view of science ... But now is not the time to talk about it. The main thing is your amazing courage. Courage is...

“Our bus,” Mom said quietly.

But she said it in such a voice that the Children's Doctor immediately looked at her. He saw that her face turned white and became somehow stone. One might think that this is not a mother, but a statue of a mother. And the eyes that knew how to shine became completely gloomy.

The Children's Doctor guiltily put his head in his shoulders, picked up the yellow suitcase and climbed into the bus.

"Oh, I'm a broken thermometer! he thought, trying not to look at his mother. “What tactlessness to speak of courage in her presence. I'm a doctor and so rudely jabbed a finger into the wound. Moreover, such a good mother ... Oh, I'm a leaky heating pad, oh, I ... "

Mother opened the door and led the Children's Doctor through a dark hallway into a brightly lit room.

The room was flooded with sun.

But as if that wasn't enough. A large chandelier was lit from the ceiling. There was a lit table lamp on the bedside table. And on the table lay a lit electric torch.

- My pet! Mom said softly and kindly. - It's me who came! Where are you?

Someone moved under the bed. One would think that there lies a large snake.

- Petenka! - again quietly and affectionately said my mother. - I'm here. I won't let anyone hurt you. Get out please!

Current page: 1 (total book has 6 pages) [accessible reading passage: 2 pages]

Sofia Leonidovna Prokofieva
The adventures of the yellow suitcase. New adventures of the yellow suitcase

The Adventures of the Yellow Suitcase

Chapter 1
Children's Doctor

The Children's Doctor was awakened by the bright sun and childish laughter.

The Children's Doctor could listen to this laughter all day long. It was the sweetest sound in the world for him.

The children played in the yard and laughed.

From time to time, a silver jet of water rose from below. One might have thought that a large whale lay in the middle of the yard. The Children's Doctor, of course, understood that this could not be. He knew that it was the janitor, Uncle Anton, who was watering the flower bed.

The Children's Doctor felt tired.

He has been very busy lately. At night he wrote a book. The book was called: "The role of a fair fight in the normal development of the boy."

During the day he worked in a children's clinic, and after work he collected material for his book. He walked through the yards and squares, entered the dark entrances and even looked under the stairs.

“It’s good that I don’t have to go to the clinic today! thought the Children's Doctor. “I can rest today and maybe even finish the seventh chapter of my book. I have only two calls today. True, one case is very difficult: this sad girl Toma ... "

At this time, a loud bell rang.

The Children's Doctor went into the hall and opened the door.

Mom was at the door.

Of course, it wasn't the Children's Doctor's mom. It was the mother of a boy or girl. But the fact that it was a mother was undeniable. This was immediately evident in her large unhappy eyes.

The Children's Doctor sighed softly and invited this someone's mother into the office.

True, she was a very good mother. The Children's Doctor immediately identified this.

Such a mother certainly knew how to be strict.

But on the other hand, such a mother probably allowed her child to climb trees and run barefoot through puddles.

“I wonder how she feels about fights? thought the Children's Doctor. - Her opinion would be important for my book "The role of a fair fight in the normal development of a boy" ...

“You understand, Doctor…” Mom began, worried. Her eyes were very dark and miserable. But, perhaps, her eyes knew how to shine brightly. - You see ... You were highly recommended to me ... I have a son, Petya ... He is nine years old. He is very sick. He... you understand... he... a coward...

Transparent tears, one after another, dripped from my mother's eyes. One might have thought that two strands of shiny beads were hanging along her cheeks. It was obvious that it was very difficult for her.

The Children's Doctor was embarrassed and began to look away.

“It’s early in the morning…” Mom continued. - You understand how he wakes up ... or, for example, how he comes from school ... and in the evening ...

"Yes, yes," said the Children's Doctor. - Just a minute, just a minute. You better answer my questions... Does he go to school alone?

- Escort and meet.

- And in the cinema?

Haven't been for a year and a half.

- Are you afraid of dogs?

“Even cats…” Mom said softly and sobbed.

- I see, I understand! said the Children's Doctor. - That is OK. Modern medicine… Come to my clinic tomorrow. I'll write you down at twelve o'clock. Are you comfortable at this time?

- To the clinic? Mom was confused. You know he won't go. Well, for nothing in the world. Can't I lead him by force? What do you think? .. I thought ... you are at our house ... We live not far from here. On the 102 bus...

“Well, well, well…” the Children's Doctor said with a sigh and looked longingly at his desk. - I still have to go to Lermontovsky Prospekt to see this sad girl Toma ...

And the Children's Doctor began to put the medicines in his small suitcase. The suitcase was middle-aged, neither new nor old, yellow in color, with shiny locks.

- Wait a minute, just a minute, so as not to forget ... This is a powder of laughter for the sad girl Toma. A very potent remedy... If it doesn't help... Well... A bottle of anti-bolt. Well well. Shake before use... This is for one talker... And for your Petya...

“Excuse me, Doctor…” Mom was embarrassed again. – You are already very kind… But… Petya doesn't take any medications. Fears. He doesn't even drink soda because it fizzes. And I pour the soup into a small bowl for him. He is afraid to eat from a deep plate.

“Naturally, naturally…” muttered the Children's Doctor thoughtfully.

Do you find it natural? My mother's eyes quadrupled in surprise.

“It is natural for this disease,” the Children's Doctor replied, pouring something into a paper bag. “I give these children medicine in the form of sweets. You see, the most ordinary candy in a pink piece of paper. The most cowardly children boldly put it in their mouths and ...

The Children's Doctor and Mom went out into the street.

It was amazing outside!

The sun was hot. The breeze is cool. The children laughed. The adults smiled. Cars were moving fast.

The Children's Doctor and Mom went to the bus stop.

Behind the yellow fence, a high television tower went up into the sky. She was very beautiful and very tall. Probably all the boys in the area dreamed of her every night.

And at the very top of it, a dazzling light burned. It was so bright that it was better to look at the sun for an hour than one minute at this light.

Suddenly, the flame went out. And then it became clear that some black ant was swarming there at the very top. Then this black ant crawled down.

It got bigger and bigger, and suddenly it turned out that it was not an ant at all, but a worker in blue overalls.

Then a door opened in the yellow fence, and the worker, bending down, went through this door. He had a yellow suitcase in his hand.

The worker was very young and very tanned.

He had bright blue eyes.

Maybe they're so blue because he works so high in the sky... thought the Children's Doctor. “No, of course, I’m talking too naively…”

“Excuse me, old man! said the Children's Doctor to the young worker. - But I want to tell you that you are a very brave person!

- Well, what are you! - the young worker was embarrassed and became even younger and became quite like a boy. - Well, what courage!

– Work at such a height! Let me shake your hand! - the Doctor got excited and, putting his yellow suitcase on the ground, extended his hand to the young worker. The young worker also put his suitcase on the ground and shook hands with the Children's Doctor.

- You, of course, loved to fight as a child? Am I wrong?

The young worker blushed and glanced in embarrassment at the people standing in line.

- Yes, it happened ... Well, what to remember such nonsense ...

- It's not stupid at all! exclaimed the Children's Doctor. - From the point of view of science ... But now is not the time to talk about it. The main thing is your amazing courage. Courage is...

“Our bus,” Mom said quietly.

But she said it in such a voice that the Children's Doctor immediately looked at her. He saw that her face turned white and became somehow stone. One might think that this is not a mother, but a statue of a mother. And the eyes that knew how to shine became completely gloomy.

The Children's Doctor guiltily put his head in his shoulders, picked up the yellow suitcase and climbed into the bus.

"Oh, I'm a broken thermometer! he thought, trying not to look at his mother. “What tactlessness to speak of courage in her presence. I'm a doctor and so rudely jabbed a finger into the wound. Moreover, such a good mother ... Oh, I'm a leaky heating pad, oh, I ... "

Chapter 2
cowardly boy

Mom opened the door and led the Children's Doctor through the dark hallway into a brightly lit room.

The room was flooded with sun.

But as if that wasn't enough. A large chandelier was lit from the ceiling. There was a lit table lamp on the bedside table. And on the table lay a lit electric torch.

- My pet! Mom said softly and kindly. - It's me who came! Where are you?

Someone moved under the bed. One would think that there lies a large snake.

- Petenka! - again quietly and affectionately said my mother. - I'm here. I won't let anyone hurt you. Get out please!

A boy's head popped out from under the bed.

The Children's Doctor looked at Petka and smiled.

He hated treating boys and girls he didn't like. And he immediately liked Petka.

That is, of course, not the whole of Petka, but only Petka's head. All Petka was still under the bed.

But Petka had a good chin, pretty ears sticking out in different directions, and four wonderful freckles on his nose.

“Get out, get out,” said the Children's Doctor, glad that he liked Petka. It's dark under the bed, get out into the sun.

Petka on his stomach carefully crawled out from under the bed. Now he looked not like a snake, but like a large lizard without a tail.

- Well, get up, get up, why lie on the floor! said the Children's Doctor. – On the floor, you know, sometimes mice walk.

- Get up, Petenka, don't be afraid! – quietly and patiently said mother.

Petka got up. Now he did not look like a lizard, but just like a good boy.

The Children's Doctor walked around Petka, looking at him with his experienced eyes.

- Come on, bend your arm, I'll see what muscles you have!

Petka looked at his mother with miserable eyes and bent his trembling arm at the elbow.

- Not so bad at all! Not so bad at all! said the Children's Doctor in a pleased voice. "Come on, now jump up!"

But instead of jumping up, Petka grabbed the back of the chair with both hands. Petka clung to him so that his fingers turned white, as if frostbitten.

- Well, jump up, son! Mom said softly. - Oh please. It is necessary for the treatment ...

Petka looked reproachfully at his mother and jumped up.

In truth, when he jumped up, it was hard to get the little finger of a small child between his soles and the floor.

- Great, great! said the Children's Doctor and sat down at the table. - The case, of course, neglected, but not severe. One hundred grams of True Courage candy and he'll be healthy. You will see: he will now eat one candy and go for a walk in the yard.

And then my mother's eyes, which knew how to shine, finally shone.

“Yes, yes, I was not mistaken,” thought the Children's Doctor, “they can shine, her eyes…”

- Is that really true? - Mom said and laughed with happiness. “Well, then I’ll go to work, otherwise I’m already quite late.” I have to run all the way. I'll just ask my neighbor to sit with Petenka, and I'll go.

- No neighbors! No neighbors! the Children's Doctor said sternly. - I am categorically against the neighbors. It can only hurt. I'll see to it that your son chews his True Courage candy properly and swallows it. And everything will be all right.

- Mommy! Petka whispered.

- Do not be afraid, son, you must obey the doctor.

- Don't leave! Petka sobbed.

“But you heard what the Doctor said. Everything will be fine!

And with that, this good mother kissed her son hard, shook hands with the Children's Doctor, and left.

She left very happy, and her eyes shone.

And the Children's Doctor took the yellow suitcase and put it on the table.

Then he pulled the locks with his thumbs in different directions. The locks clicked loudly and the suitcase opened.

And suddenly the Children's Doctor cried out loudly and stared into the open suitcase as if he were staring into the open mouth of a crocodile.

Then he grabbed his hair with his hands and froze with his mouth open. Then he closed his mouth, lowered his hands, grabbed the suitcase and dumped all its contents on the table.

A thick gray book and a metal shield with dark glass in the middle fell heavily on the table. On the book was written in large letters "Top climber-electric welder."

“Suitcase…” whispered the Children's Doctor with white, quivering lips. This is not my suitcase...

Petka roared hoarsely from fear.

The Children's Doctor looked at Petka with absent eyes.

"It's that brave young man's suitcase," he groaned. - Well, of course, I did not take my suitcase, but I did not take my suitcase. That is, I want to say that he took my suitcase, and did not take his suitcase. And in my suitcase there are some True Courage candy... Oh-oh-oh...

The Child Doctor groaned again in that terrible voice, as if all his teeth ached at once.

Only a coward can eat these sweets. And this brave young man is already too brave. If he eats even one candy, he will become too brave, and then ... No, no, he must be found soon! Here it is written on the book: Valentin Vederkin. I must run! shouted the Children's Doctor, turning to Petka. - And you wait here mom!

But Petka hung with all his weight on the sleeve of the Children's Doctor. Tears flooded his entire face and dangled like earrings on his protruding ears. The sleeve crackled. A little more, and the Children's Doctor would have gone in search of Valentin Vederkin in a jacket with one sleeve.

- I won't be left alone! I'm afraid! Petka sobbed.

“Then come with me!”

And I won't go with you! I'm afraid!

“What are you more afraid of: staying here or going with me?”

- The same!

- Choose!

- I'm afraid to choose!

- Well, decide, quickly!

- I'm afraid to decide!

- Well, hurry up!

- I'm afraid soon!

- Well, do you want me to take you to a neighbor? What is her name?

- Aunt Katya.

- Where she lives?

- I do not know.

- Well, in what apartment?

- I do not know.

"Well, let's go find her!"

- I'm afraid to look!

- So we'll talk until the evening! shouted the Doctor, rushing to the door. - I can't wait any longer!

Chapter 3
Valentin Vederkin and his grandmother

Valentin Vederkin stood in the middle of the room and looked at the ceiling. He was no longer in blue overalls, but in a beautiful suit.

His grandmother Anna Petrovna stood next to him and also looked at the ceiling.

Two pairs of blue eyes stared up at the ceiling.

There was a yellow spot on the ceiling. It was completely useless on this white ceiling in this new room.

“It’s flowing,” Anna Petrovna sighed. - It rained at night, and it leaked again.

Anna Petrovna was a little old woman with a quiet, kind face. She had kind eyes, a kind mouth, and kind eyebrows. Even her nose and cheeks were kind.

- You should talk to the house manager, grandmother! - Valentin Vederkin said with annoyance.

Anna Petrovna raised her mild blue eyes to him.

“I would talk to him, but he doesn’t want to talk to me,” she said with chagrin. - There he is, sitting on a bench ...

- Let me talk to him!

- What are you, what are you, Valechka! You are a hot person! Anna Petrovna was frightened. And your voice is too loud. You will disturb our neighbor too. I drink tea, so I don’t stir sugar in a cup. I'm afraid I'll jingle with a spoon - I'll disturb him. Maybe he's resting now. Maybe he should fly today ... You go, go, dear, otherwise you will be late for the cinema ...

Anna Petrovna escorted her grandson into the hall and closed the door behind him.

“Wow, how desperate! she thought as she tiptoed back into the room. “He’s not even afraid of the house manager.”

Anna Petrovna sat down on a chair and began to look at the yellow spot.

She looked at him and looked as if this stain could give her strength to talk with the manager. Finally she went to the window.

The house manager was sitting on a bench, looking at the flower bed and thinking about something. He had a red face and a red neck. In the middle of the red face stuck out not very beautiful nose, like a big pear.

Anna Petrovna cleared her throat for a long time and even smiled to herself from embarrassment, and then timidly shouted:

– Please, be so kind… I beg you…

The house manager raised his head and growled something. Anna Petrovna quickly left the balcony, although the balcony was on the fifth floor.

“Well, a stain is just a stain… It won’t fall on my head,” she thought. - True, in the fall, when it rains ... "

Anna Petrovna sighed and began to clean up. She hung her blue jumpsuit in the closet. Then she opened the yellow suitcase. She always put things in order in him too.

"Sweets! she said, looking into a small paper bag. - Well, quite a child, quite a child! Can't live without sweets. And some interesting sweets. I’ve never seen anything like this… I’ll have to try…”

And then this sweet, kind old woman unwrapped the candy and put it in her mouth. The candy was pleasant, a little minty, a little sweet, and a little bit you don’t understand which one. After it, my mouth felt cool and even fun.

“Very good sweets! Anna Petrovna decided and ate another one. - Even better than Mishka. And probably inexpensive. Only now I will have to talk with the house manager again, and more seriously ... "

The second candy seemed to her tastier than the first, and she ate another candy.

"It's true, what a disgrace," Anna Petrovna said to herself. - He always has enough time to sit on the bench, but he doesn’t have time to think about the tenants. Well, I'll get to this house manager yet!

Footsteps were heard in the corridor.

Anna Petrovna ran up to the door, flung it open, and dragged the tall pilot into the room.

The pilot had a very brave face. He had bold eyes, a high, bold forehead, and hard, bold lips.

He must have never been afraid of anything in his life. But now he looked at Anna Petrovna with astonishment and even some fear.

- Come on, my dear, now sit down to drink tea! Anna Petrovna shouted and slammed her fist on the table. (The old table swayed in fright. In all his long life in this family, no one banged on it with his fist.) - How is it that we live in the same apartment, and I have never given you tea, my dear?

“Thank you, Anna Petrovna,” the pilot said in confusion. - I have just…

- Then at least take these sweets, my grief! Anna Petrovna continued to shout. - I know you! .. Probably in the air you want sweets! Here you eat!

And with these words, Anna Petrovna poured the whole bag of sweets into the pocket of the pilot.

- Well, how is your sad daughter Tom? Haven't smiled yet? She needs to buy candy too!

The pilot's bold face darkened. Probably, when his plane was flying in continuous thunderclouds, he had such a face.

“Thank you, Anna Petrovna, but sweets won’t help here,” the pilot said quietly, and his bold lips trembled. Toma has stopped smiling since her mother got sick. You know, her mother was seriously ill for two weeks. Now she is healthy. But Toma has never been able to smile since. She unlearned. I went to the best Children's Doctor in our area... Maybe he will make her smile...

“Nothing, don’t despair, my dear! cried Anna Petrovna. - At her age! .. That's if at my age you forget how to smile! Well, have some tea! I'll warm it up now.

And she pushed the pilot onto the sofa so hard that all the springs croaked like frogs.

“Unfortunately, I have to go,” the pilot said, getting up and rubbing his bruised elbow. - I have a flight today, and even before the flight I wanted to go to my old friend. He works at the circus as a tamer. There they have, you know, different trained bears, dogs, clowns. Maybe they will make my sad girl laugh... And thank you for the candy...

As soon as the door closed behind the brave pilot, Anna Petrovna rushed to the window at a run.

The house manager was still sitting on the bench in the yard, still looking at the flower bed and still thinking about something.

- Hey, dove! Anna Petrovna shouted so loudly that sparrows squealed into the yard. – What a disgrace? Come on, get on the roof right now!

The house manager lifted his red face and grinned.

“I don’t have time to climb on different roofs here. You are leaking - you climb!

- Ah well?! Well, well, my dear! .. - Anna Petrovna shouted.

Anna Petrovna leaned out of the window even more and hugged the blue drainpipe with both hands, as if it were her best friend. Her slippers with white fur flashed in the air.

A minute later, she stood proudly on the fire escape.

She looked down and saw the upturned face of the house manager. It looked like a white saucer, on which lay a rather large pear. The house manager turned so pale that even his neck became completely white.

Chapter 4
On the fire escape

The Children's Doctor was running down the street dragging the trembling Petka behind him. Rather, Petka flew through the air and only occasionally pushed off the ground with the toes of his boots.

The Children's Doctor flew into a large crowd that was standing right in the middle of the street. He almost knocked down a tall aunt in a bright red hat and some red-haired boy. The red-haired boy stood with his head up, and held, you won’t understand what was on the string. It was something gray and so furry that neither eyes nor ears could be seen.

"Woof woof woof!" - this gray and furry one barked incessantly.

So it must have been a dog.

And the red-haired boy kept talking.

“And she’ll lean out of the window somehow,” said the red-haired boy, “how-how she’ll scream, somehow she’ll cling to the pipe, wrap her arms around her like that! ..

With these words, the red-haired boy tightly wrapped his arms around the leg of some tall uncle.

- What an old woman was brought to! To the fire escape! shouted the tall aunt in the bright red hat.

Such a quiet old lady! The cat will step on the tail - apologize!

“Yeah, he wouldn’t hurt a fly!”

- What fly? What's with the fly? It's not a pity to offend a fly! But the man was offended! Will fall! Will fall!

- Who? Who?

- Sensitivity, sensitivity is not enough! If she had more sensitivity, she would not have climbed onto the fire escape!

- Who? Who?

- Yes, Vederkin from the fortieth apartment!

– Vederkina?! shouted the Children's Doctor, grabbing some people by the elbows.

He raised his head and groaned in horror.

On the fire escape, almost under the roof, stood a little old woman. Her white hair came out from under a scarf with pink flowers. Blue eyes burned. And the satin apron fluttered in the wind like a pirate flag.

A little lower than her, on the fire escape, stood a man with a pale face, holding out first one hand, then the other.

A little further down stood a janitor in a white apron.

And even lower stood a fitter with a large coil of wire over his shoulder.

"Get off, Anna Petrovna, get off!" the pale-faced man yelled pleadingly. “I give you my word: I’ll climb myself right now!” May you hold on tight!

- I'm holding on, but you don't keep your word! the old woman said calmly and shook her finger at him.

“Ai!” the white-faced man shouted.

- Oh! .. - moaned the janitor, who was standing a few steps below.

And the fitter, standing even lower, trembled so violently, as if an electric current was passing through him all the time.

Blue eyes... thought the Children's Doctor. “Of course, it’s his grandmother…”

Petka hugged the Children's Doctor with both arms, tried to put his head under his dressing gown.

“And she will somehow grab the pipe, somehow she will climb the stairs, and they will scream somehow! ..” the red-haired boy did not stop talking for a minute. - And she moves her hands like this, and steps like this with her feet ...

"Woof woof woof!" barked an earless and eyeless dog.

She must have been a talker too, only she spoke dog language.

- Anna Petrovna, get down! shouted the Children's Doctor. - There was a misunderstanding! .. You ate a candy ... and with its help! ..

– Carriage?! ' shouted Anna Petrovna, leaning over. - "Ambulance"?! You are still young, my dear, so talk to me!

- Well no! - The Children's Doctor cupped his palms in despair, pressed them to his mouth and shouted with all his might: - There was a mistake!

- And I'm not very good! Anna Petrovna answered with dignity. - I climb myself slowly onto the roof, and that's it ...

“I have your grandson’s suitcase!” the Children's Doctor shouted in complete despair and raised a yellow suitcase over his head. He picked it up as if it were not a briefcase, but a lifeline.

- Valechkin's suitcase! How did he get to you? Anna Petrovna gasped and, quickly moving her arms and legs, she began to go down.

- Be careful! the crowd shouted.

- Ouch! She's going to fall right on top of us! Petka whispered and bent over, covering his head with his hands.

But Anna Petrovna, deftly grasping the pipe, had already dived through the window of her room.

The Children's Doctor ran to the entrance. Petka rushed after him.

On the stairs, Petka lagged behind the Children's Doctor. The Children's Doctor, like a boy, jumped over two steps. And Petka, like an old old man, was barely dragging himself up the stairs, clinging to the railing with a trembling hand.

When Petka finally entered Anna Petrovna's room, the Children's Doctor was already sitting on a chair, wiping large drops of sweat from his forehead with a happy smile.

And in front of him on the table were two identical yellow suitcases side by side.

- Dear Anna Petrovna! Now, when I explained everything to you, you understand why I got so excited… – the Children's Doctor said with relief and couldn't stop smiling. "So you've never climbed fire escapes?" Have you not noticed this before? So how many candies did you eat?

- Three pieces, my dear! - Anna Petrovna said a little embarrassed. - So I thought it was the Valechkins ... Otherwise I would ...

- Nothing, nothing. There should be more than a dozen of them left,” the Children's Doctor reassured her.

He opened his yellow suitcase, looked in, and then looked around in surprise.

– Where are they? Have you put them somewhere else?

But then something strange happened to Anna Petrovna. She blinked her blue eyes quickly and covered her face with her apron.

- Ouch! she whispered. The Children's Doctor, looking at her, turned pale and half rose from his chair.

Petka sobbed and hid behind the closet.

- No more of these sweets, my dear! Anna Petrovna said softly. - I gave them away!

- Yes, to our neighbor ... Pilot ...

- Pilot?

- Well, yes ... He is a tester ... He is testing some kind of aircraft, or something, - Anna Petrovna whispered even quieter from under her satin apron.

“Ohhh…” moaned the Children's Doctor and sat down on the floor next to the chair. - Horrible! If he eats at least one candy ... After all, all pilots are so brave. They are too bold. They, on the contrary, are taught caution ... Oh-oh-oh ...

Anna Petrovna lowered her apron and stepped towards the Children's Doctor.

- So why are you sitting on the floor, my dear? she screamed. “Then you can sit on the floor if you like.” And now you have to run, run! Was there a boy with you somewhere?

Something like a boy flickered in his eyes. Where is he, boy?

She grabbed Petka by the tuft and instantly pulled him out from behind the closet, like pulling a carrot out of the garden.

Petka roared loudly and plaintively.

- Go to the yard! cried Anna Petrovna and wiped his wet nose with her satin apron. – There you will find such a sad girl Tom. She's out there somewhere. You will recognize her immediately. All the girls are laughing, and she won't even smile. Find her and ask where her daddy is. And we're here for now...

- I won't go alone!

- Here's another!

- I'm afraid!

- Here's another! Anna Petrovna shouted and pushed him onto the stairs.

Chapter 1.

WHAT HAPPENED TO VOVA IVANOV ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL

Snow was falling outside. Snowflakes in the air got to know each other, clung to each other and flaked down to the ground. Vova Ivanov went to school in a gloomy mood.

His lessons were, of course, not learned, because he was too lazy to learn lessons. And then, early in the morning, my mother went to her mother, to Vova's grandmother, and even left such a note:

Vovochka, I'll be back late. After school, please go to the bakery. Buy two loaves and half a black one. Soup in a saucepan, cutlets in a frying pan under the lid.

Kiss, mom.

When Vova saw this note between a glass of boiled milk and a plate of sandwiches, he simply gritted his teeth with rage. No, just think! Go to school. Yes, even after school in the bakery. Yes, even after school and the bakery itself to warm up soup and meatballs. Yes, even after school, a bakery, soup and meatballs to learn lessons. This is not to mention the fact that you need to open the door yourself with a key, hang your coat on a hanger and, of course, answer the phone ten times and tell various friends that your mother is not at home and she will come late today.

“Is this life? It's just one torment and punishment, ”that's what Vova thought as he walked to school.

Well, I think you already guessed everything. Yes, unfortunately, this is true: Vova Ivanov was an amazing, unusual lazy person.

If we were to collect all the lazy people in our city, then it would be unlikely that there would be at least one more like Vova Ivanov among them.

In addition, Vova's laziness was of a very special nature. He simply could not hear when he was told: "You should go to the bakery" or "You should help your grandmother." That short word "should" was the most hated word in the world to him. As soon as Vova heard him, such an unusual, irresistible laziness immediately fell upon him that he could not move his arm or leg.

And now Vova walked with a gloomy look and swallowed snowflakes with his open mouth. It's always like that. Either three snowflakes fall on your tongue at once, or you can walk ten steps - and not a single one.

Vova yawned widely and immediately swallowed at least twenty-five snowflakes.

“And today there’s also a math test…” Vova thought wistfully. - And who only invented them, these control ones? Who needs them?

Everything at once seemed to Vova so gray and boring that he even closed his eyes. So he walked for a while, tightly closing his eyes, until he bumped into something. Then he opened his eyes and saw a frozen tree with branches covered with frost. He also saw an old gray house where his friend Mishka Petrov lived.

Here Vova was very surprised.

On the gray wall, just near the entrance, hung a sign with the inscription. Such a bright plate with colorful letters. It is possible that she had hung here before, and Vova simply did not pay attention to her. But, most likely, Vova noticed this sign precisely because it had not been here before.

The snowflakes twirled and tumbled before his eyes, as if they didn't want him to read the inscription on the sign. But Vova came very close and, blinking frequently so that the snowflakes would not stick to his eyelashes, read:

Children's Doctor, kv. 31, 5th floor.

And below it was written:

All girls and boys
Without suffering and torment
I heal from bumps
From resentment and grief,
From colds in a draft
And from deuces in the diary.

Below it was written:

Press the bell as many times as your age.

And right at the bottom it says:

Patients under the age of one year do not need to ring the bell. Enough to squeak under the door.

Vova immediately became hot, very interesting and even a little scary.

He opened the door and entered the dark hallway. There was a smell of mice on the stairs, and a black cat sat on the bottom step and looked at Vova with very intelligent eyes.

There was no elevator in this house, because the house was old. Probably, when it was built, people were just about to invent the elevator.

Vova sighed and trudged to the fifth floor.

“In vain I’m just dragging myself up the stairs ...” he thought languidly.

But just then, a door slammed somewhere upstairs.

A girl and a boy ran past Vova.

“You see,” the girl said quickly, moving her short, pretty nose like a hare, “you see, he gave me such sweets in pink papers. I ate one candy and I feel: I'm not afraid! I ate the second candy - I feel: I'm not afraid of other people's dogs, I'm not afraid of my grandmother ...

- And I ... and I, - the boy interrupted her, - for three days I dripped his nose drops, and look - five in singing ... Anna Ivanovna says: “Where did your hearing come from and even your voice? Now you will perform with us in amateur performances.

“We must hurry,” Vova thought. “And then suddenly the reception for today is over…”

Vova, puffing from fatigue and excitement, went up to the fifth floor and diligently jabbed his finger at the bell button ten times. Vova heard approaching steps. The apartment doors opened, and the Children's Doctor himself appeared in front of Vova, a short old man in a white coat. He had a gray beard, a gray mustache and gray eyebrows. His face was tired and angry.

But what eyes the Children's Doctor had! They were pale blue, like forget-me-nots, but no bully in the world could look at them for more than three seconds.

- If I'm not mistaken, fourth-grade student Ivanov! said the Children's Doctor and sighed. - Go to the office.

Shocked, Vova went down the corridor after the doctor's back, on which the ribbons from his dressing gown were tied with three neat bows.

Chapter 2

CHILDREN'S DOCTOR

The Children's Doctor's office disappointed Vova.

There was an ordinary desk by the window. Next to him is an ordinary couch, covered, as in a clinic, with a white oilcloth. Vova looked behind the usual glass of a white cabinet. Syringes with long needles lay predatory on the shelf. Under them were vials, bottles, vials with various medicines, Vova even thought that there was iodine in one vial, and green in the other.

- Well, what are you complaining about, Ivanov? asked wearily

Children's Doctor.

- You see, - said Vova, - I ... I'm lazy! The Children's Doctor's blue eyes gleamed.

- Ah well! - he said. - Lazy? Well, we'll see that now. Come on, undress.

Vova unbuttoned his cowboy shirt with trembling fingers. The Children's Doctor put a cold tube to Vova's chest. The pipe was as cold as if it had just been taken out of a refrigerator.

- Well well! said the Children's Doctor. - Breathe. Still breathe. Deeper. Even deeper. Well, how lazy to breathe?

“Laziness,” Vova admitted.

“Poor child…” The Children's Doctor raised his head and looked at Vova with sympathy. - Well, how about going to the bakery for bread?

- Oh, laziness!

The doctor thought for a moment, then tapped his pipe against his palm.

- Do you love grandma? he suddenly asked.

“Yeah,” Vova was surprised.

- For what? – Children's Doctor tilted his head to one side, carefully looking at Vova.

“She’s good,” Vova said with conviction, “there is Mishka Petrov’s grandmother grumbling all day long. Mine never! It just doesn't know how.

- Well well! Very nice,” said the Children's Doctor. “Well, how about helping Grandma?” Wash dishes, right? AND?

- Well no! Vova shook his head and even took a step back from the Children's Doctor. - It's for nothing.

“All right,” the Children's Doctor sighed. - Last question. Too lazy to go to the cinema?

- Well, that's nothing. I can do it…” Vova answered after some thought.

"I see, I see," said the Children's Doctor, and put the pipe on the table. - The case is very difficult, but not hopeless ... Now, if you were too lazy to go to the cinema ... That's when ... Well, nothing, don't be upset. Let's cure you of laziness. Come on, take off your shoes and lie down on this couch.

- Not! Vova shouted desperately. "I don't want to go to the couch!" I'm the opposite! I want to do nothing!

The Children's Doctor raised his gray eyebrows high in surprise and blinked his gray eyelashes,

If you don't want to do it, don't do it! - he said.

- Yes, but everyone swears: "Lazy", "loafer"! Vova grumbled.

“Ah, so that’s why you came to me!” The Child Doctor leaned back in his chair. - So, like this: do you want to do nothing and be praised by everyone?

The Children's Doctor's face suddenly became very old and sad. He pulled Vova to him and put his hands on his shoulders.

“If you can’t help it, just say so…” Vova muttered stubbornly and sadly, looking somewhere to the side.

The Baby Doctor's blue eyes flickered and went out.

“There is only one way…” he said coldly and slightly pushed Vova away from him. He took a fountain pen and wrote something on a long piece of paper.

"Here's your prescription for the green pill," he said. - If you take this green pill, then you can do nothing, and no one will scold you for it ...

Thanks, Uncle Doctor! Vova said hastily, eagerly grabbing the recipe.

- Wait! the Children's Doctor stopped him. “This recipe will give you another red pill. And if you want everything to be as before again, accept it. Watch out, don't lose the red pill! the Doctor shouted after Vova, who was running away.

A NEW BEAUTIFUL LIFE BEGINS FOR VOVA IVANOV

Vova, panting, ran down the street. Snowflakes melted before reaching his burning face. He ran into the pharmacy, pushed aside the coughing old men and sneezing old women, and thrust his prescription through the window.

The apothecary was very fat and very ruddy, probably because she could be treated with all the medicines at once. She read the prescription for a long time with an incredulous air, and then called the Head of the Pharmacy. The manager was short, thin, with pale lips. Maybe he did not believe in medicine at all, or maybe, on the contrary, he ate only medicines.

- Surname? the Head of the Pharmacy asked sternly, looking first at the prescription, then at Vova.

“Ivanov,” Vova said, and went cold.

"Oh, it won't! he thought. “Definitely, it won’t…”

- That's right, Ivanov. It says so: "B. Ivanov,” the Head of the Pharmacy repeated thoughtfully, turning the prescription in his hands. Who is this V. Ivanov?

- This is ... this is ... - Vova hesitated for a moment and hastily lied: - This is my grandfather, Vasya Ivanov. That is, Vasily Semyonovich Ivanov.

- So you take this for your grandfather? the Headmaster asked and stopped frowning.

“Yeah,” Vova spoke quickly, “you know, he’s like this with us: he works all day ... and studies. Just turn away, and he is already flying into the bakery. And my mother says: this is already harmful to him.

- How old is your grandfather?

Oh, he's already big! Vova exclaimed. He's already eighty! He is already eighty-first ...

- Nina Petrovna, everything is in order. Give him a green pill number 8, - said the Head of Pharmacy, sighed and, bending over, went to the small door.

The ruddy pharmacist nodded her head in a white cap and handed Vova a packet. Vova grabbed it and felt two round balls under the paper.

His hands were trembling slightly with excitement. He shook two pills out of the bag into his palm. They were the same size. Both are round and shiny. Only one was completely green, and the other red.

“Maybe throw out this red one? What is she to me? Oh, okay, let them…” And Vova carelessly put the red pill into his pocket.

Then he cautiously took the green pill with two fingers, for some reason blew on it, looked furtively around and quickly put it into his mouth.

The pill tasted kind of bitter-salty-sour. She hissed loudly on her tongue and instantly melted.

And that was it. Nothing else happened. Nothing, nothing. Vova stood for a long time with a beating heart. But everything remained the same as before.

"I'm a fool for believing! Vova thought with anger and disappointment. “That Children's Doctor deceived me. Ordinary private practice. Just late for school now ... "

Vova slowly trudged along the street, although the clock on the square showed that only five minutes remained before the start of the lessons. Several boys ran past Vova, overtaking him. They were late too.

But then Vova remembered the math test, and his legs went even slower, began to stumble and cling to one another.

Vova walked and looked at the falling snow. Finally, it began to seem to him that it was small white numbers falling from the sky that needed to be multiplied.

One way or another, but Vova dragged himself to school only at the beginning of the second lesson.

– Control! Control! - flew around the class. Everyone was rummaging through their briefcases, filling their pens with ink. All of them had concerned faces. No one fought, no one threw balls of chewed paper.

Vova hoped that the lesson would never start. Maybe the bell will break, or someone's desk will catch fire, or something else will happen.

But the bell rang, as always, carelessly and cheerfully, and Lidia Nikolaevna entered the classroom.

It seemed to Vova that she somehow especially slowly approached her table and solemnly laid a heavy briefcase on it.

Vova, in complete despondency, sat down on his desk next to Mishka Petrov.

Here Vova was very surprised. The desk was as if he and Mishka Petrov, as always, were sitting next to each other. But for some reason, Vova's legs dangled in the air and did not reach the floor.

“The party has been changed! Probably brought from the tenth grade. I wonder when they did it? Vova thought.

He just wanted to ask Mishka if he saw how their desk was taken out of the classroom and a new one was brought in, but then Vova noticed that the classroom had somehow become surprisingly quiet.

He raised his head. What? Lidia Nikolaevna, leaning her hands on the table and leaning forward, looked directly at him, at Vova Ivanov, with wide, astonished eyes.

That was incredible. Vova always believed that Lidia Nikolaevna would not be surprised even if in the class instead of the guys on the desks there were forty tigers and lions with unlearned lessons.

- Ouch! - Katya, who was sitting on the last desk, said quietly.

- So. Well, that’s even commendable,” Lidia Nikolaevna finally said in her usual, calm, slightly iron voice. I understand that you want to go to school. But you better go play, run...

Shocked, Vova took the briefcase and went out into the corridor. And during class, it was the most uninhabited and deserted place in the world. One would think that a human foot had never set foot here.

The locker room was also empty and quiet.

The rows of hangers with coats hanging on them looked like a dense forest, and at the edge of this forest sat a nurse in a warm shaggy shawl. She was knitting a long stocking that looked like a wolf's leg.

Vova quickly put on his coat. Mom bought this coat for him two years ago, and Vova managed to grow out of it decently over these two years. Especially from the sleeves. And now the sleeves were just right.

But Vova had no time to be surprised. He was afraid that now Lidia Nikolaevna would appear at the top of the stairs and in her stern voice tell him to go and write the test.

Vova buttoned the buttons with trembling fingers and rushed to the door.

THE GREAT LIFE CONTINUES

Vova, choking with joy, ran out into the street.

“Let them solve problems for themselves there, multiply three-digit by five-digit, plant mistakes, worry ...” he thought and laughed. - And Lidia Nikolaevna herself told me: “Go play, run.” Well done Children's Doctor - he didn't lie!

And the snow kept falling and falling. The snowdrifts seemed to Vova somehow especially high. No, there have never been such high snowdrifts on their street!

Then a frozen trolleybus pulled up to the stop. The wires above it simply shivered from the cold, and the windows were completely white. Vova remembered that this trolleybus stopped right next to the bakery, and stood in line. But a tall, thin citizen in a brown hat, on the brim of which there was a fair amount of snow, let Vova go ahead and said:

- Come on! Come on!

And all the people standing in line said in chorus:

- Come on! Come on!

Vova was surprised and quickly climbed into the trolleybus.

“Go sit by the window,” the old man in big glasses suggested to Vova. - Citizens, let the man through!

All the passengers immediately parted, and Vova crawled past the old man's knees to the window.

Vova began to breathe on the white opaque glass. He breathed and breathed and suddenly, through a small round hole, he saw a bakery window. Towers of dried bread rose in the window, buns lying comfortably curled up, and large pretzels looked at them with an arrogant look, round arms crossed on their chests.

Vova jumped out of the trolleybus.

- Be careful! Be careful! All the passengers shouted in unison.

Vova with difficulty opened the heavy door of the bakery and entered.

The store was warm and smelled unusually good.

Vova chose his favorite loaves sprinkled with poppy seeds.

The saleswoman, a beautiful girl with thick braids, with a smile held out her white arm, bare to the elbow, and helped Vova to put the loaves into the string bag.

- Oh, how good you are, helping your mom! She said in a beautiful, clear voice.

Vova was surprised again, but said nothing and, together with round puffs of white steam, went out into the street. And the snow was still in the air. The briefcase and the bag of bread weighed on his hands.

- Well, loaves, what heavy ones, - Vova was surprised, - and the briefcase is also wow. As if filled with stones.

Vova put his briefcase on the snow, and on top of it a string bag with long loaves, and stopped to rest.

- Poor! - Vova felt sorry for the blue-eyed aunt in a soft white scarf, holding the hand of a baby in a shaggy fur coat. Over the fur coat, the baby was also wrapped in a soft white scarf. Only two oversized blue eyes were visible. Whether the baby had a mouth and nose was unknown.

- Let me help you! - said the blue-eyed aunt. She took the briefcase and the shopping bag from Vova's hands. Vova gasped softly and followed his aunt.

"This is life! he thought, and almost groaned with delight. - You don't have to do anything. And how many years he suffered! I should have taken such a pill a long time ago! .. "

Aunt escorted Vova to the very entrance and even went up to the second floor with him.

“Well done, smart girl,” she said and smiled affectionately.

Why is everyone praising me? - Vova was surprised, looking at two large white scarves descending down the stairs.

There was no one at home. Probably, my mother was still with her mother, Vova's grandmother.

“All the guys at school are suffering, solving problems, and I’m already at home,” thought the happy Vova and lay down on the sofa right in his coat and galoshes. “If I want to, I’ll lie on the couch all day.” What is better?

Vova put a pillow under his head, on which his grandmother embroidered Little Red Riding Hood with a basket and a Gray Wolf. To make him even more comfortable, he pulled his knees up to his chin, and put his hand under his cheek.

So he lay and looked at the legs of the table and at the edge of the hanging tablecloth. One two three four. Four table legs. And under the table is a fork. She fell when Vova was having breakfast, but was too lazy to pick it up.

No, for some reason it was boring to lie like that.

“Probably got a boring pillow,” Vova decided.

He dropped the pillow with Little Red Riding Hood on the floor and pulled up the pillow, on which two huge fly agarics were embroidered.

But lying on the fly agaric was no more interesting.

“Maybe it’s just boring to lie on this side, it’s better on the other?” - thought Vova, turned on the other side and buried his nose in the back of the sofa. No, and lying on this side is boring, not at all more fun.

“Oh,” Vova remembered, “so I agreed with Katya to go to the cinema. At four o'clock".

Vova even laughed with pleasure. Maybe run after her? No, of course, Katya is now teaching lessons. Vova imagined how she was sitting evenly at the table and, sticking out the tip of her tongue, diligently writing in a notebook.

Here Vova could no longer hold back a condescending smile. Oh, Katya, Katya! Where is she! Would she ever think to take the green pill?

“Okay, I’ll go buy tickets. In advance,” Vova decided.

IN WHICH VOVA LEARNS ONE INCREDIBLE THING

The snow kept falling and falling.

Vova went to the cinema. There was a long line at the checkout. Girls and boys with round happy eyes walked away from the box office, holding blue tickets in their hands.

Near the cash register, Vova saw Grishka Ananasov. Grishka Ananasov previously studied with Vova, but then stayed for a second year in the second grade. And all the guys from Vova's class just jumped with delight, but the guys from the class where he ended up were not at all happy.

Because more than anything in the world, Grishka loved to throw stones, attack from around the corner, beat the kids, trip up and pour ink on other people's notebooks.

Grishka walked with dignity along the line, dragging a red-haired lop-eared puppy behind him on a strap.

That's how he was, this Grishka Pineapples, as soon as the guys gathered somewhere, Grishka immediately appeared there with his puppy.

He did it to make everyone jealous of him.

And everyone was jealous.

Because there was not a single girl or boy who did not dream of a puppy. But almost no one had a puppy, but Grishka did. And what a glorious one: simple-minded, lop-eared, with a nose like a melted chocolate bar.

Grishka often boasted:

- I'll grow a monogamous out of him. One will love me, just adore! - At these words, Grishka rolled his eyes and even sighed: what can you do, he loves me and that's it. - And all the others will be thrown, gnawed, torn to pieces! Here Grishka rubbed his hands with a satisfied look and began to laugh.

Vova looked at the puppy. The puppy's appearance was quite unimportant. Some kind of half-strangled, unhappy. It was evident that he did not at all want to follow Grishka. He rested with all four paws and rather rode through the snow than followed Grishka. The puppy's head hung to one side, and its protruding pink tongue trembled.

Grishka saw that everyone was looking at him, grinned with pleasure and, ruthlessly pulling the leash, pulled the puppy towards him.

“One-lover,” he said with gravity and sighed, “he loves me alone…”

“Why are you yawning, it’s your turn,” a boy said to Vova and pushed him in the back.

Vova found himself right in front of the cash register. Through the semicircular window he saw two businesslike hands in lace cuffs. The hands were white, with pretty pink candy-like nails.

But when Vova, standing on tiptoe, put his twenty kopecks into his white hands, then suddenly the cashier's head appeared in the window. Her long earrings gleamed and swayed in her ears.

- And you come in the morning, with your mother! she said kindly. “In the morning there will be a suitable picture for you. About Ivanushka the Fool.

- I do not want about the fool! Vova shouted with resentment. - I want about the war!

- Next! The cashier's head is gone. There were only two hands in lace cuffs. One of the hands severely threatened Vova with a finger.

Beside himself with indignation, Vova ran out into the street.

And then he saw Katya.

Yes, it was Katya, and snowflakes fell on her just like on everyone else. But at the same time, it was as if she was not Katya at all. She was somehow tall and unfamiliar.

Vova stared in amazement at her long legs, at her neat braids tied with brown bows, at her serious, slightly sad eyes, at her ruddy cheeks. He had long noticed that other girls' noses turned red from the cold. But Katya's nose was always white, as if made of sugar, and only her cheeks burned brightly.

Vova looked, looked at Katya, and suddenly he had a painful desire to either run away or fall through the ground.

- Yes, it's Katya. Just Katya. Well, the most ordinary Katya. What am I, honestly…” Vova muttered and forced himself to approach her. - Katya! he said quietly. - For twenty kopecks. Go buy tickets. There's a cashier there...

For some reason, Katya did not take twenty kopecks. She looked at him with her serious, slightly sad eyes and backed away.

- I do not know you! - she said.

- So it's me, Vova! - shouted Vova,

“You are not Vova,” Katya said quietly.

- Why not Vova? Vova was surprised.

“So, not Vova,” Katya said even more quietly.

Vova froze with his mouth open. Well, you know! This is him, Vova, they say that he is not Vova. Someone who, but he knows better than others whether he is Vova or not Vova.

But something is definitely going on with Katya.

Vova just wanted to say something witty to Katya. For example, if she has a high temperature today. And shouldn't she run home as soon as possible, before all the snowdrifts on the street melted from her temperature. But he did not have time to utter a word. Because at that time Grishka Pineapples approached Katya, as always stealthily. He went up to Katya and tugged hard on her braid.

- Ouch! Katya cried out submissively and helplessly.

Vova could no longer stand this. He clenched his fists and rushed at Grishka. But Grishka burst out laughing, showing all his bright yellow, unbrushed teeth, and pushed Vova with his head straight into the snowdrift. Vova desperately floundered in the snow, but the snowdrift was deep and dark, like a well.

- Hooligan! Katya's voice rang out somewhere far away.

And suddenly Vova felt how someone's big and very kind hands were pulling him out of the snowdrift.

Vova saw a real pilot in front of him.

Grishka proudly blew his nose and went behind the snowdrift.

The pilot shook off Vova from behind, then began to clean his knees with his palm.

Vova stood with his arms apart, and closely looked at the bold face of the pilot, which turned a little red because the pilot had to bend down a lot.

- Well, why are you sad? - asked the pilot, shaking out the snow that got into Vova's collar. - Come to visit me. Do you see this house? Apartment forty. Play with my daughter Toma. You know how funny she is!

Vova was so confused that he did not even know what to answer.

The pilot looked around, leaned close to Vova's ear and suddenly whispered in a low voice:

- Do you want to be a pilot?

“I want to,” Vova gasped.

“And you will,” the pilot said with conviction. - Wow what are you. You stand up for the girls. You definitely will. I see right through people.

The pilot looked at Vova so intently that he even felt uncomfortable. Suddenly, this brave pilot really sees through people. Then he will definitely see that Vova ...

“And time, brother, flies fast,” the pilot sighed for some reason, “you will go to school, and then to the institute ... You will become a pilot.” We will fly together.

Having said this, the pilot nodded seriously to Vova, as if they were old friends, and left.

Vova silently looked after him. Something in the pilot's words upset him. School, college...

But at that moment Vova saw Grishka. Grishka left. Grishka was already turning the corner. As a matter of fact, Vova saw only the edge of Grishka's white jacket and the red puppy, which, huddled into a pitiful ball, dragged after Grishka.

- Well, I'll show you now how to shove me into a snowdrift in front of Katya! Vova muttered and even gritted his teeth in resentment.

He figured that if he climbed over the fence, he would easily overtake Grishka.

And Vova climbed fences quite well. If he was not lazy, he could jump over the fence as well as any other boy. But this time something strange happened.

Vova ran up to the fence, grabbed the crossbar and tried to pull himself up on his hands, but instead he fell into the snow. Once again he pulled himself up on his hands and again fell into the snow.

- What is it with me today, I don’t understand? Vova muttered in confusion, slowly getting up. And all of them are weird. Even Katka. Didn't recognize me, funny...

At this time, someone pushed him on the shoulder. Past him, hunched over, passed the sad Thin Uncle, like a horse, sadly shaking his head. He dragged behind him a low cart, on which stood a large mirror cabinet proudly.

The mirror reflected the street and the restless dance of snowflakes.

Behind the closet walked the Fat Aunt and slightly held this closet with her hands.

She looked around with a resolute look: as if robbers could jump out of any alley and take away this wonderful mirror cabinet from her, so that later they themselves could look in a long mirror. Sad Uncle stopped for a minute to catch his breath, and at that moment Vova saw some funny baby in the mirror.

It must have been the dumbest kid in the world. His coat was almost to the toe. Huge boots with galoshes stuck out from under the coat. Long brown sleeves dangled dejectedly. If not for the protruding ears, the big hat would have moved down to his very nose.

Vova could not stand it and, clutching his stomach, laughed out loud.

The kid in the mirror crossed his long brown sleeves over his stomach and laughed too. Vova was surprised and came closer. Ouch! Why, it was he himself - Vova Ivanov. Vova's head was spinning. His eyes darkened. The mirror cabinet moved to the other side of the street a long time ago and went to his house, and Vova, pale with horror, was still standing in the same place.

- That's it! Now I understand…” Vova whispered, although he didn’t understand anything.

“You have to tell your mom. What if she still scolds that I have become small? Vova thought and, picking up the flaps of his coat, quickly ran to the pay phone.

VOVA IVANOV DECIDES TO TAKE THE RED PILL

Vova could not get a coin out of his pocket for a long time. The pocket was now at the very knees, and when Vova bent down, the pocket fell even lower.

Finally, Vova, holding his naughty pocket with his hand, took out two kopecks and entered the telephone booth.

He wanted to dial his phone number, but suddenly, to his horror, he was convinced that he had forgotten it.

“253…” Vova thought painfully. “Maybe not 253…”

Vova stood for a long time and remembered him in a half-dark cold booth, but he did not remember.

His legs were so cold that he was afraid they would freeze to the floor.

Then some uncle, who looked like a woodpecker, knocked something on the glass - either with a coin, or with his red nose.

Vova got out of the machine.

It was already getting dark. Snowflakes have become quite gray. Vova walked past a large dark truck. The driver covered with snow, bent over, stood near the wheel and screwed up some kind of nut.

The driver straightened up and dusted himself off. Snow flew in all directions.

- You know what? - the driver said to Vova and showed him a large wrench.

“Well, if you are already riding a bicycle,” the driver drawled respectfully, “then here’s what, brother: hold the key in this position for a minute ...

The driver crawled under the truck on his stomach, and Vova grabbed the handle of the key and forgot about his grief. And then three boys covered with snow appeared on the fence.

They stared with envy at Vova, who helped repair a real big truck. Vova looked at them with pride, and then deliberately made an ordinary, boring face, as if every day he helps all the drivers in the city to fix trucks.

- Hold on. Hold tight. Smoother! the driver said from under the truck.

Vova held the key with all his might. The key was large, black and very cold. And for some reason it was getting heavier and colder. He pulled Vovina's hands down. Vova tensed with all his strength, clenched his teeth and even closed his eyes. But the key still escaped from his hands and fell right on the driver's leg, sticking out from under the truck.

The snow-covered boys whistled with delight and jumped off the fence.

And Vova, pulling his head into his shoulders, hastily turned around the corner.

“Yes, I can go to bed at ten o’clock. Yes, maybe I just went to bed five minutes past ten ... - he thought, trying his best not to cry from deep resentment. “Yes, if I want, I’ll turn a hundred nuts myself ...”

Vova looked back. He has never been in this alley. The lane was crooked, dark, covered with snow.

“Where have I gone? Vova thought. Maybe people don't live here? No one is visible. And dark as...

But at that moment, the lanterns, suspended somewhere high, high, almost in the sky, began to flicker, flickering with a lilac light. And all the snowflakes joyfully rushed towards them, curled around them in circles.

And then Vova saw in the distance, at the very end of the alley, his grandmother. She was small, in an old coat. Grandmother walked a little sideways, because in one hand she carried a suitcase.

She would stop under every street lamp, put the suitcase on the ground, and, unfolding some narrow piece of paper, leaned in short-sightedly and examined it.

- Granny! Vova shouted and ran up to her.

But then he saw that this was not his grandmother at all, but just some kind of old woman very similar to her.

And although the old woman's nose, eyes, and mouth were completely different, she still looked like Vova's grandmother. Probably because she had a very kind face and old narrow shoulders.

“You see, granddaughter,” the old woman said, helplessly bringing the paper to her eyes, “she came to her daughter. After all, my daughter wrote to me: “They sent a telegram - I will meet you.” And I'm all "on my own, yes myself." Here's "herself" for you! I got lost. And I can't read the address. Look how small the letters are, like insects ...

“Let me read it,” Vova could not resist. - And the suitcase don ...

Here Vova squinted at the suitcase and did not finish. Before, it would have cost him nothing to carry this suitcase even to the ends of the world. And now he would probably hardly lift it with both hands.

- I'm in the fourth grade! - Vova was even offended. The old woman sighed and somehow hesitantly handed him a piece of paper.

- That's right, street, - the old woman was delighted. - Wow, what a wise man! Well, read on, granddaughter.

What? Strange affair. Vova could not remember the next letter. The letter was large, capital and very familiar. Vova could have sworn that he had met her in books a hundred, a thousand times... But now he could not remember her at all.

“Ah, okay, I’ll manage without the first letter somehow,” Vova decided.

“P…r…o., pro…” Vova folded, not noticing that he rearranged the letters a bit, “t…i…in…tiv…n…a…I…nasty.” Nasty Street, - Vova finally read it and raised his eyes to the old woman.

– Nasty?! The old woman gasped softly. - No, not the opposite. My daughter called her something else.

She looked reproachfully at Vova and pulled out a piece of paper with an address from his fingers. Under the nearest lamp she stopped again. And the snow fell on her back and shoulders.

“In vain I only contacted this pill ...” Vova suddenly thought with anguish.

I wish I could remember all the letters now and read this ill-fated address! Then Vova would definitely take this old woman to her daughter. He would ring the bell, and the daughter would open the door, and be delighted and surprised. And Vova would say quite simply: “Here you are, your mother. I found her on the street, far, far away from here ... "

But then Vova saw that some girl approached the old woman with a quick step. She wore a short plaid skirt and a narrow knitted cap on her head. In her hand she had a folder, and in it, probably, books and notebooks.

“Sportivnaya Street, building five,” the girl read aloud. And of course, she did not read in warehouses and remembered all the letters.

“Sporty, exactly, Sporty,” the old woman laughed with relief. - That's what my daughter called me: Sports Street. Not Opposite.

The girl lifted the suitcase lightly, as if it were full of fluff, and walked beside the old woman, trying to adjust to her small steps.

Vova looked after them and felt somehow quite miserable, useless to anyone. It made him feel even colder, even more chilly.

He wandered down the alley.

The houses were dark and silent. And only somewhere high, high, multi-colored windows lit up one after another. They were so high that, of course, no one from there could see Vova.

But now all the drainpipes were looking at Vova. They looked at him with malice, opening their round black mouths and teasing him with their white, icy tongues.

Vova got scared.

He ran down the alley, but suddenly slipped on the dark icy pavement and fell, absurdly flapping his long sleeves. He drove a little more on his stomach and stopped, grabbing the wheels of some kind of baby carriage.

And suddenly three real sailors ran up to Vova at once. They were tall as masts, those sailors.

- Man overboard! one of the sailors said. And the second sailor bent down and picked up Vova. Vova felt his warm breath on his face.

Then the sailor straightened Vova's coat and carefully placed him in the carriage next to some sweetly sleeping child wrapped in a white blanket.

And the third sailor covered Vova's legs with some kind of lace and asked:

- Do you want to be a sailor?

“A pilot…” Vova whispered in a barely audible voice.

- Not bad either, - the tall sailor nodded approvingly, - well done!

They all smiled at Vova and left. They must have gone to their ship.

And Vova remained in the wheelchair.

He glanced anxiously at his neighbor. The neighbor breathed softly through his nose, holding an orange pacifier in his small lips.

At that moment, a truck came snorting around the corner. In its back, yelling with delight, the boys covered with snow were jumping up and down.

- Uncle, me to this house! one of the boys shouted, pounding on the cockpit with his fist.

- And me to this! another shouted.

“Look, he delivers home…” Vova thought with envy and suddenly went cold with fear. – If only they didn’t notice me in this carriage! Why only lanterns are burning? .. "

It seemed to Vova that the lanterns were burning dazzlingly. Fill it with light from head to toe. He clutched at the edge of the white lace blanket and tried to pull it over himself. But the blanket was too short, and Vova only woke up the baby sleeping next to him. The kid stirred and drowsily smacked his lips.

Vova cowered in his wheelchair, looking with horror at the approaching truck.

And then the worst happened. One of the boys, leaning over the side of the truck, shouted something loudly and laughed, pointing at Vova. All the other boys rolled up to him and also hung over the side, looking at Vova.

They were shouting something, choking, shoving each other with their elbows, meowing, squeaking.

And then another truck, as if on purpose, slowed down near the turn.

Vova lay motionless, closing his eyes with all his might, his ears were burning. He would just love to fall through the ground now.

Finally, the truck snorted loudly, mockingly, as it seemed to Vova, and drove away.

Vova hurriedly threw his legs over the edge of the carriage and, like a sack, flopped to the ground. He stood up with difficulty and quickly moved aside, kicking the long coat flaps with his feet.

At that moment, the front door banged. Two aunts came out of the house. One aunt was in a white short fur coat, the other in black.

“Well, you see, you see,” the aunt in the light fur coat said excitedly and joyfully, “what did I tell you?

Vova bent his knees, squatted down and pressed his back against the wall.

- Incredibly grown! said the second aunt, leaning over the carriage. “Just an adult!”

- Grows by leaps and bounds! - Aunt in a light fur coat carefully straightened the blanket.

She grabbed the handle of the stroller. The carriage, creaking pleasantly, rolled. Two fur coats, light and dark, disappeared. The snow got even thicker, covering everything around.

“I don’t want it anymore, I can’t…” Tears flowed from Vova’s eyes, cooling and burning his cheeks. - This one is fine in a wheelchair ... What does he need? Lie down and that's it. He doesn't know anything yet. And I... and I...

Vova, sobbing and pulling up his coat, resolutely reached into his pocket for a red pill. The pocket was huge. He was just bottomless. But Vova still groped for a small ball in the far corner.

The pill lay in his palm. She was small and in the dark seemed completely black.

Vova brought it to his mouth.

WHICH TELLS WHO TAKED THE RED PILL AND WHAT HAPPENED FROM IT

Vova Ivanov had already opened his mouth to quickly swallow the red pill, but suddenly the snowflakes scattered in different directions and Fat Aunt appeared in front of Vova. It was the same Fat Aunt who, along with Thin Uncle, was carrying a mirror cabinet.

Fat Aunt looked at Vova with greedy eyes and happily said:

“Of course, the child is lost. And what a handsome, plump man he is!

Vova thought she even licked her lips.

Thin Uncle looked at Vova with pity and sadly, like a horse, shook his head.

Then Vova was surrounded by some other tall aunts and tall, tall uncles and for some reason began to scold Vova's mother.

Mom doesn't know I'm small! Vova squeaked offendedly. His voice became somehow surprisingly thin and weak.

- You see, she does not even know that she has a little one! - Fat Aunt said indignantly and raised her hands up. Snow fell from her sleeves.

At this time, Grishka Pineapples appeared from behind Fat Aunt. Of course, it was high time for him to go to bed. But he still wandered the streets, hoping to meet at least someone else who would envy him. Although, in fact, there was almost nothing to envy. Grishkin's puppy now most of all resembled a miserable shabby red skin stuffed with cotton wool. He did not even resist, but dragged helplessly after Grishka through the snow.

Grishka walked past Vova, his nose turned up, his eyes shooting around. He deliberately said very loudly:

Of course, everyone turned and looked at him. And Grishka needed only that. He chuckled in pleasure and roughly pulled the puppy towards him.

Citizens, who is lost here? came a calm, firm voice.

Everyone parted. A policeman approached Vova. He was very young and very ruddy. But he had stern furrowed brows.

"Go home and don't interfere!" the policeman said angrily to Grishka, and it was evident that he did not envy him in the least.

- Just think, the kid got lost ... - Grishka Ananasov grumbled insultedly, but nevertheless stepped aside.

Vova had never seen such tall policemen before. When he stooped, he had to fold in like a penknife.

- The child is lost! said Fat Aunt, smiling tenderly at the policeman.

- I'm not lost, I'm shrinking! Vova shouted desperately.

– What-oh? the policeman was surprised.

He doesn't fit in this coat! Fat Aunt explained. - That is, the coat does not fit in it ...

Just a moment, citizen! the policeman winced. “Tell me, boy, where do you live?”

“On the street…” Vova whispered.

“See, he lives on the street!” Fat Aunt said threateningly and folded her hands imploringly.

- What's your last name? the policeman asked affectionately and leaned even lower towards Vova.

“Vova…” Vova answered and wept bitterly.

Fat Aunt groaned, and then took out a handkerchief with hard lace and put it to Vovina's nose.

“Do it like this, baby!” she said and blew her nose loudly.

Vova felt unbearably ashamed. He desperately rushed, but the Fat Aunt firmly held his nose with two cold, hard fingers.

- No, I know what to do with this unfortunate child! - Fat Aunt unexpectedly loudly exclaimed and released Vovin's nose.

Everyone looked at her in surprise.

Grishka Ananasov took advantage of the fact that everyone turned away, swung and hit Vova hard on the back with his fist.

Vova staggered. He waved his arms to keep himself on his feet. And then the pill, clamped in his fist, flew out and rolled on the ground.

And she rolled not somewhere, but straight to the nose of Grishka's puppy, who was lying almost unconscious on the snow.

Vova screamed and rushed for the pill. But those who have experienced it know how uncomfortable it is to run in a coat that drags along the ground. Vova took two steps and stretched out in the snow.

Of course, the puppy did not know at all what the pill was. He didn't even know what was going to happen in the next moment. He already didn't care. Just some ball rolled up to his nose, and he, without knowing how, stuck out his tongue and licked it off the snow.

And that's what happened the next moment.

The puppy's head began to grow. Instead of small puppy teeth, snow-white fangs flashed. The collar burst on his mighty neck. Thick black hair grew on the back and sides, and a luxurious tail unfolded like a fan.

- Ai! Ouch! Oh! Oh! they all shouted. Even the young policeman said, “Hmm!” The miserable puppy turned into a huge dog.

The dog stood for some time in complete stupefaction, widely spreading its powerful heavy paws. Then he looked carefully over his shoulder with one eye. He snarled in a deep bass voice and, tilting his head, listened to his new voice.

Finally he understood everything. He went up to Vova and gratefully licked both his cheeks with a hot soft tongue. He barked his thanks several times. And although none of those present knew the language of a dog, for some reason everyone immediately understood that he said “thank you” to Vova.

Then he gave a friendly paw to the bewildered policeman, wagged his tail surprisingly politely in front of the Fat Aunt, and affectionately poked his nose into the palm of Thin Uncle.

What a lovely creature! - Unable to stand it, exclaimed the Fat Aunt.

But meanwhile the huge dog had already turned to Grishka.

Here a strange change took place with the great dog. The fur rose up on the back of his neck, and it made him even bigger. He let out a low, menacing growl. Stepping heavily and slowly with his paws, he menacingly moved straight at Grishka. Grishka squeaked softly and backed away.

“Monogamous… I love only me…” he stuttered, stammering.

Hearing those familiar hateful words, the dog just roared with rage. He made a lightning jump and grabbed Grishka's finger.

Grishka let out a deafening scream, like the whistle of an approaching train. Even the snowflakes stopped for a moment in the air around him.

The policeman rushed between Grishka and the dog. But the dog already indifferently turned away from Grishka, waved its tail in a friendly way and slowly went into a dark alley.

It was clear that he had gone to look for a new owner, who was completely different from Grishka.

In despair, Grishka waved the leash, on which the torn collar dangled, and yelled even louder. It was already similar to the whistle of a train approaching very close.

Everyone surrounded Grishka.

“Don't worry, citizens,” the policeman said calmly. - Nothing special. A small bite in the little finger of the left hand. Is it your dog? he turned to Grishka.

“I don’t know…” Grishka Ananasov sobbed plaintively.

- How do you not know? The policeman raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“I don’t know anything…” Grishka repeated, desperately sniffling.

- And if you think about it? the policeman said sternly. Is it still yours or not?

“She was mine,” Grishka mumbled stupidly, “and then she became… I don’t know… like mine, but as if not mine…”

“Strange,” the policeman frowned, “we still need to figure this out. But one way or another, first of all, it is necessary to rinse and bandage the finger. And you, - then the policeman turned to Fat Aunt, - I will ask you to watch this kid for two minutes, who said that his name was Vova. I just go to this pharmacy and I'll be back in no time.

Having said this, the policeman took Grishka by his good hand, crossed to the other side of the street and rang the bell at the dimly lit door of the pharmacy.

ABOUT HOW A CHILDREN'S DOCTOR HAS HAIR ON THE HEAD

STAND ON UP

Having finished the reception, the Children's Doctor dressed warmly, wrapped a thick striped scarf around his neck, pulled warm boots on his feet and went out into the street. It was already late evening.

The snowflakes swam in the air like small fishes, and swirled in whole flocks around the bright lanterns. The frost prickled pleasantly on the nose.

The Children's Doctor walked in deep thought. Today he received 35 boys and 30 girls. Misha came last. He had a severe and neglected illness: Misha did not like to read books. The Children's Doctor gave him an injection, and Misha, grabbing the first book that came across, immediately plunged into reading. I had to take the book from him by force and put him out of the office.

“What a wonderful thing modern medicine is!” thought the Children's Doctor and almost ran into a short old man wrapped in a thick checkered scarf.

It was his old friend the Pharmacy Manager.

The Children's Doctor said:

- Sorry! - and said hello.

Pharmacy Manager said:

- Please! - and also said hello. They walked side by side.

- But I didn’t know, Pyotr Pavlovich, that you are now treating adults! - After a pause, said the Head of the Pharmacy and coughed into his fist.

The Children's Doctor paused, coughed into his hand, and slowly answered:

- No, Pavel Petrovich, as I was a Children's Doctor, so, apparently, I will die. You know, my dear, I am currently working on a very interesting preparation. It will be called "Antivral". It works great on braggarts, liars, and partly ...

But the Pharmacy Manager politely coughed into his fist and interrupted him again:

- A boy came to my pharmacy today from you. I took medicine for my grandfather.

The Child Doctor coughed resentfully into his hand. He just couldn't stand being interrupted.

- This is a misunderstanding! he said, and angrily tugged at his thick striped scarf. - So, as for the "Antivral", then ...

The head of the Pharmacy again coughed into his fist in embarrassment and said in a modest but insistent voice:

- I even remember the name of this boy: Ivanov.

- Ivanov? asked the Children's Doctor. - Quite right. I sent Ivanov to you today for a green pill.

- Yes Yes! said the Pharmacy Manager. “For a green pill for his grandfather.”

“No, no,” said the Children's Doctor, bewildered. “For a green pill for the boy.

- Well no! said the Pharmacy Manager. The boy asked for a green pill for his grandfather...

And then the Children's Doctor turned so pale that it was noticeable even in the dark, through the thick falling snow. His gray hair stood on end and slightly raised his black astrakhan hat.

“Poor Ivanov…” moaned the Children's Doctor. - First you had to give him "Anti-fault"! But he hid from me that he was not only a lazy person, but also a liar...

Do you think he is himself? repeated the Head of the Pharmacy and fell silent. He couldn't continue.

So they stood, pale with terror, holding on to each other so as not to fall.

“Ah… how much should the green pill rejuvenate him?” the Children's Doctor finally asked in a weak and quiet voice.

- This should be asked from Nina Petrovna. She gave Ivanov a green pill.

The Pharmacy Manager and the Children's Doctor took off running down the street, slapping loudly on the white pavement with their warm boots and supporting each other on the turns.

The pharmacy was already closed, but Nina Petrovna had not left yet.

A little pale with fatigue, she stood behind the counter and counted the bottles of valerian.

“Ah, don’t worry, please! - said Nina Petrovna and smiled. - Everything is done as it should be. The boy said that his grandfather was 80 years old. I gave him green pill number 8. She will rejuvenate him by 20 years.

The Doctor's blue eyes dimmed. They became like withered forget-me-nots. He leaned on the counter. Bottles of valerian rained down on the floor.

- Ivanov is only 10 years old ... - the Head of the Pharmacy groaned. - If you rejuvenate him by 20 years ...

- He will be minus 10 years old ... - the Children's Doctor whispered and covered his pale face with his hands. - Such a case is not even described in medicine ...

Nina Petrovna looked at them with huge eyes, her eyelashes quivered, and she quietly sat down on the floor, right in a large puddle of valerian.

“Ah, why, why did you give him that green pill?” she said.

“But he still has a red pill left!” the Doctor exclaimed with hope in his voice.

At that moment, someone loudly rang the doorbell of the pharmacy.

But the Head of the Pharmacy touched her elbow.

- It is necessary to open ... Maybe an emergency ... Nina Petrovna got up with difficulty from the floor and opened the door.

A policeman stood on the threshold and held Grishka's hand.

- Grisha Ananasov! gasped the Children's Doctor. - The famous hooligan Pineapples himself! Baby beater and girl abuser. Just today I wanted to visit his parents. Imagine, I described Ananasov in the thirteenth chapter of my book. Dishonest, unfair fight. Yes Yes! Just look at his cowardly, shifty eyes, at his ...

- Excuse me, comrade, - the policeman had to interrupt the Children's Doctor, - the boy was bitten by a dog.

- Boy? dog? exclaimed the Children's Doctor. - You mean a dog? Boy? Nina Petrovna, please, bandage, cotton wool, iodine!

- Iodine?! yelled Grishka, wriggling his whole body in advance.

But the Children's Doctor, with extraordinary dexterity and agility, grabbed Grishka's hand and immediately burned his finger with iodine.

- You will go to the clinic for injections! the Children's Doctor said sternly.

- For injections? - Grishka began to twitch, spin and struggle to escape from the hands of the Children's Doctor.

"I've never seen such a writhing child," said the Children's Doctor displeasedly.

The policeman had to put his hands on Grishka's shoulders. Grishka trembled once in his arms and fell silent. The Children's Doctor bandaged his wound so quickly that it seemed that the bandage was spinning around Grishka's finger by itself.

“I’m going to take one kid to the police station now,” said the policeman, still supporting Grishka by the shoulders. - I got lost just near your pharmacy. I ask him: “What is your last name?” He replies: "Vova ..."

- Vova? repeated the Children's Doctor and stared at the policeman with burning eyes.

“He is small, but his little coat is dragging on the ground ...” the policeman continued, not noticing the excitement of those around him. - He dropped a round candy on the snow and roars. And some dog swallowed it and ...

But no one heard him.

- It's him, he is! shouted Nina Petrovna, grabbing her gray fur coat and rushing to the door.

- Quicker! The dog ate the red pill! shouted the Children's Doctor, wrapping a striped scarf around his neck.

- Let's run! shouted the Head of the Pharmacy, wrapping a checkered scarf around his neck.

And they all rushed to the door.

The surprised policeman ran out after them.

The street was empty. There was no one: neither Vova, nor the Fat Aunt, nor the Thin Uncle. Only large and small snowflakes swirled under the bright lantern. Yes, Grishka, hiding in the shade, dejectedly trudged to his home.

The Child Doctor groaned and clutched his head.

“Don’t worry, citizens! The policeman said in a calm voice. – Now we will take measures and start searching for Vova. The child cannot disappear!

"That's just the point, he can disappear!" Disappear completely! Nina Petrovna, the Children's Doctor and the Head of the Pharmacy shouted in unison, rushing to the bewildered policeman.

VOVA DECIDES TO GO IN SEARCH OF THE RED PILL

Meanwhile, Thin Uncle was walking along the dark street and carrying Vova Ivanov in his arms, gently pressing him to his chest. Behind me, the Fat Aunt walked heavily.

- No, a woman's hand is needed here, not a policeman's! muttered the Fat Aunt. - Poor child! He did not see in life either affection or attention. Just look at what he's wearing...

"What should I do? – meanwhile thought Vova. “How can I get the red pill now?”

Thin Uncle felt that Vova was trembling all over, and pressed him even tighter to his chest.

“He’s completely cold, poor thing!” - Thin Uncle said quietly.

Finally they came to some new house.

Thin Uncle stamped his feet for a long time to shake off the snow, and Fat Aunt looked at his feet with stern eyes.

Then they entered the apartment, and Thin Uncle carefully lowered Vova to the floor.

In the middle of the new room was a large mirror cabinet. He probably hadn't chosen yet which wall was the best, and that's why he was standing in the middle of the room.

Vova clung to Thin Uncle, looked at him with imploring eyes, and said:

- Uncle, take me to the Children's Doctor! ..

We got a sick child! Fat Aunt gasped and sat down on a new chair with a flourish. - He caught a cold! Hurry, hurry, run to the pharmacy and buy everything there is for coughing, sneezing, runny nose, pneumonia!

But the pharmacy is already closed! said Thin Uncle uncertainly.

“Knock and it will be opened for you!” shouted the Fat Aunt. - Run faster! The unfortunate child is trembling all over!

She looked at Thin Uncle with such eyes that he immediately ran out of the room.

"I'm going to put a hot water bottle on that poor child's belly immediately!" Fat Aunt said to herself and left the room.

A minute later she returned with a heating pad in which hot water gurgled loudly.

But while she was not in the room, Vova managed to hide behind a new closet. Fat Aunt walked around the closet, but Vova did not stand still, but also walked around the closet, and Fat Aunt did not find him.

“Has that poor child gone into the kitchen?” Fat Aunt said to herself and left the room.

Vova knew that she would not find him in the kitchen, because at that time he had already climbed into the closet.

The closet was dark, damp and cold, like outside. Vova crouched in the corner and listened to Fat Aunt running around the closet and stamping her two feet like half an elephant.

– Has this sick and naughty child gone out on the stairs?! - Fat Auntie screamed to herself, and Vova heard her run out into the hall and flung open the front door with a noise. Then Vova cautiously got out of the closet and also went out into the hall. There was no one there, and the door to the stairs was open.

Vova, supporting his coat with both hands, began to descend the stairs. He lay on his stomach on each step and slid down.

It was very difficult. It's good that Fat Aunt and Thin Uncle were given an apartment on the first floor.

Vova heard heavy footsteps and quickly crawled into a dark corner.

Fat Aunt ran past him. She wiped her eyes with a hard lace handkerchief.

"My poor boy, where are you?" she sobbed.

Vova even felt sorry for her. If he had time, he would lie down for a while with a heating pad on his stomach for her pleasure.

But now he had no time. He had to find the Children's Doctor as soon as possible.

Vova crawled out of the entrance. It was dark outside and it was snowing. Vova climbed a snowdrift for a long time. Probably, during this time, the climber would have managed to climb a high snowy mountain.

And suddenly Vova saw that a whole crowd of people was running past him along the sidewalk. Lean Uncle ran in front of everyone and stamped his feet loudly like a horse. A policeman ran after him. Some uncle and some aunt in a gray fur coat ran after the policeman. And after them ran ... Children's Doctor.

"Uncle Baby Doctor!" Vova wanted to shout. But from excitement, he only succeeded:

– Dya… De… Do!..

Vova wept bitterly, but his weeping was drowned out by some strange noise.

Vova looked around and froze in horror. He saw that a large snowplow was approaching his snowdrift. Huge metal hands greedily grabbed the snow.

Oh, what a cold night! Vova heard someone's voice. - The wind is howling, as if a child is crying ... I’ll take the snow outside the city now, pour it into the field, and that’s it. Today is the last flight.

Vova tried to crawl off the snowdrift, but only fell into his fur coat. A large earflap fell off his small head and fell right onto the pavement.

- I don't want to go to the field! Vova shouted. - I'm not snow, I'm a boy! Ay!

And suddenly Vova felt that he was first rising somewhere, then falling somewhere, then going somewhere. Vova poked his head out of his huge fur coat with difficulty and looked around. He sat half-covered with snow in the back of a huge truck, and he took him farther and farther away.

Large dark houses with cozy colorful windows floated by. There, probably, different mothers fed dinner to their happy children.

And then Vova felt that he, too, wanted to eat. And for some reason, more than anything in the world, he wanted warm milk, although usually he simply hated it.

Vova screamed loudly, but the wind picked up his cry and carried him somewhere far away.

Vova's hands were numb, boots and socks fell off his little feet.

Vova tucked his bare heels in, buried his nose in the cold lining of his fur coat, and quietly roared in anguish and fear.

In the meantime, the car went on and on. Traffic lights became less and less, and the gaps between the houses became more and more.

Finally the car left the city. Now she went even faster. Vova was already afraid to stick out of his fur coat. The bottom button came undone, and he only occasionally glanced in desperation through the semicircular buttonhole. But he saw only a terrible black sky and gray fields.

And the cold wind loudly shouted "uuuuuuu...", curled in rings and lifted the snow in pillars.

Suddenly, the car swerved sharply. Then she shook violently and stopped. The body tilted. Vova felt that he was slipping somewhere, falling. Finally, Vova, all covered with snow, found himself on the ground.

By the time he stuck his head out, the car had already left.

Vova was all alone in a large and deserted field.

And the wind howled in the field. He lifted cold snow and circled over Vova.

"Mother!" - Vova tried to shout in desperation, but he only got “Wa-wa!”

ABOUT HOW VOVINA MAMA SAT TWO HOURS WITH HIS FACE COVERED WITH HANDS

The highway was empty. Only white snow swirled over black asphalt. Apparently, no one wanted to leave the garage in this weather.

Suddenly, a whole column of cars appeared on the highway. The cars were moving very fast. They must have done more than a hundred kilometers an hour.

A truck was ahead. If you looked into the cab, you would immediately notice that the driver has a very frightened and surprised face. And you should also notice that next to the driver on the seat lies Vovina's earflaps.

And although a sharp icy wind flew into the cab, the driver kept wiping large drops of sweat from his forehead.

“I’ve been driving snow all winter,” he muttered, “but I’ve never heard of such a thing ...

Behind the truck were several blue cars with red stripes. From there came the sound of human voices and the barking of dogs. Even without looking into these cars, one could immediately guess that policemen with dogs were riding in them.

The last to drive was an ambulance with red crosses on the sides. Vova's mother was sitting in it. She sat with her face in her hands, her shoulders trembling. She did not say a word and did not answer Nina Petrovna, who affectionately hugged her with one arm and tried to calm her down a little. In her other hand, Nina Petrovna held a large blue thermos.

The Children's Doctor and the Head of the Pharmacy sat side by side on a nearby bench.

Suddenly, the dump truck braked sharply, and the driver jumped heavily onto the snow.

- It's around here somewhere! - he said. - I dumped snow somewhere here ...

And immediately policemen began to get out of the blue cars and dogs jumped out. In the hands of the police were bright flashlights.

All the dogs in turn busily sniffed at Vovin's earflaps and ran away from the highway, sinking into the deep snow. Ahead of all ran a young and very ruddy policeman.

Then one dog barked loudly and grabbed something with his teeth. It was a shoe with galoshes. Then a second dog barked.

She also found a shoe with galoshes.

But then all the dogs rushed to one snowdrift and began to quickly rake it with their trained paws.

The Child Doctor ran after them, ignoring the fact that his warm boots were already full of cold snow.

He also began to help the dogs and tear the snowdrift with his old hands. And suddenly he saw a small bundle. Inside something faintly stirred and squeaked softly.

The Child Doctor clutched the bundle to his chest and rushed to the ambulance. And there already Nina Petrovna, with trembling hands, poured some pink milk from a blue thermos into a small bottle with a rubber nipple.

- Where is he? I don’t see him!” she whispered. With trembling fingers, the Child Doctor unbuttoned the buttons on Vova's coat.

- Here it is! He got stuck in the sleeve of his school uniform! shouted the Pharmacy Manager.

And then everyone saw a tiny child.

Nina Petrovna gasped and hurriedly brought a bottle of pink milk to his lips.

Of course, no cow has pink milk, even if she is fed only pink roses without thorns. It's just that Nina Petrovna dissolved a red pill in hot milk and got pink milk.

The doctor timidly pulled Nina Petrovna by the sleeve.

- Maybe that's enough ... Maybe the rest in half an hour?

But Nina Petrovna only looked at him with an annihilating look.

Let me feed the poor thing! - she said. Finally Vova finished the whole bottle.

His cheeks flushed, and he fell asleep sweetly, tightly clenching his fists.

- Uff! the Children's Doctor said with relief. - Nina Petrovna, let me sit next to you. You smell so strongly of valerian. This calms me down.

- Oh, doctor, doctor! - said Nina Petrovna. - It's good that everything ended well. And how bad it would be if everything ended badly! How much trouble your nasty green pill has given us!

The Children's Doctor even jumped in outrage.

- Dear Nina Petrovna! he said in a voice trembling with resentment. “I didn't expect that from you. Green pill! An amazing drug that I have been working on for so many years!

- Amazing drug? Nina Petrovna asked incredulously.

- Of course! the Children's Doctor exclaimed with conviction. “I give the green pill number one to the lazybones. She reduces it by five or six years ...

- So. So what? Nina Petrovna shrugged her shoulders.

“I also imagine the effect of the green pill very approximately,” the Head of the Pharmacy turned to the Children's Doctor with interest.

“The pill only reduces, nothing else,” the Children's Doctor began to explain, visibly agitated. “But that's enough. Life does the rest. You know, life itself. Now the child, even if he wants to, can no longer finish reading an interesting book. Doesn't know how to fix a bike. How to tighten a nut. He can no longer climb fences to protect the baby. And at the same time…

– … and at the same time, he remembers how quite recently all this was easy and accessible to him, – said the Head of the Pharmacy, nodding his head thoughtfully.

- In fact of the matter! said the Children's Doctor gleefully. - You understood correctly. The main thing is that now he himself understands: how sad, how uninteresting it is to live in the world when you don’t know anything and don’t know how. He is mortally tired of idleness. And then he takes the red pill. But Ivanov...

And then they all looked at Vova.

And Vova grew up right before our eyes. His head grew, his legs lengthened. Finally, two rather large heels appeared from under the coat.

At this time, a young policeman looked into the car.

- Well how are you? he asked in a whisper, pointing at Vova with his eyes.

- Grows! - answered the Children's Doctor and the Head of the Pharmacy.

Nina Petrovna went up to Vova's mother, hugged her and tried to tear her hands away from her face.

“But look, look how wonderfully your son is growing!” she insisted.

But my mother continued to sit with her face turned away. She simply did not have the strength to look at Vova, to whom she had ironed long trousers in the morning.

But Vova suddenly yawned sweetly and stretched.

- Hush, hush, Ivanov! said the Children's Doctor, leaning over him. - It's bad for you to talk too much!

But Vova raised himself on his elbow and began to look around, wide-eyed in amazement.

Vova's mother finally opened her face, looked at Vova and smiled with trembling lips. Vova clung tightly to her and whispered something in her ear quite quietly.

The Children's Doctor and the Pharmacy Manager heard only isolated words.

- You'll see ... Now forever ... A real pilot ...

And although they could not hear anything else, they still guessed everything.

They looked at each other smiling, and the very pleased Head of the Pharmacy even winked at the Children's Doctor.

“You see, you see, after all, it worked, this green pill ...” the Children's Doctor said quietly, thoughtfully.

Vova's mother hugged Vova even tighter and began to cry. You know, it happens with adults that they cry for joy.

Good day everyone!

To be honest, when I bought this book for my child, weak stories about some plush dog named Green Pill were drawn in my head. But with every page I read, I began to understand that this book was used in the scene from the movie "The Matrix" about the red and blue pills, only here green and red.

"The Green Pill" was written by Sofia Leonidovna in 1964. Later redesigned as The Adventures of the Yellow Suitcase. And in 2000 it became known as "The Adventures of the Yellow Suitcase-2, or the Magic Pill". Publishing house "Nigma" in 2013 released the "Green Pill" in the series "Old Friends".

When buying, be careful, because "The Adventures of the Yellow Suitcase-2, or the Magic Pill" is the slightly modified "Green Pill".

The book is presented in hardcover; 48 pages; paper beige, thick, coated. Wonderful illustrations by Veniamin Losin, which I myself looked at with pleasure and recalled my Soviet childhood (of course, not the 60s). No, my five-year-old son cannot understand this, how we lived without smartphones and tablets and went for a walk without parents, ate natural ice cream ...

This is an instructive fairy tale about a fourth-grader Vova Ivanov, who was a terrible lazy person. Not only did he not want to help his mother and grandmother, but he also did not want to study. He was not too lazy to only eat sweets.

And then Vova accidentally gets to the Children's Doctor, who just treats children from laziness, lies, cowardice and other "childhood" diseases. But the boy does not want to be cured, he just wants to do nothing. The Children's Doctor prescribed the boy a magic pill and told him that he could do nothing.

In the pharmacy, Vova lied for whom the pill was intended, and here the most interesting adventures begin. And about the red pill, too.

My son and I read the book only once, I’m not sure that it made a strong impression (now it’s hard to surprise children in general). We stretched the book for 2-3 days and every evening he waited with pleasure for the continuation - it was necessary to find out how the boy Vova would get out of trouble. The desire to re-read the child has not yet arisen, as for example with this book. Perhaps this is due to age, or maybe we just have an extensive library and there is something new to read.

Of the minuses, I would like to note the not conveniently readable font. It's small and kind of weird. It will be difficult for schoolchildren to read it, I generally keep quiet about preschoolers. But the publishing house disclaimed responsibility and wrote "For adults to read to children." But I still give the book and Sofya Leonidovna a solid five.

P.S.: Don't be lazy, kids.

The book was bought in a joint venture for 320 rubles.

God bless you and your loved ones.

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