11

Lately, Mom's been trying to give them a hint that it's time to go home by flicking the lights above the garage on and off. But I guess teenagers aren't real good at taking hints, because they just keep right on playing. So a few nights ago Mom turned the lights off when it got dark outside. But those guys were PREPARED, and they set up a generator and lights in no time. RRRRRR 110

最近妈妈一直暗示这群孩子该回家了，她不停开关车库上方的灯。 可我猜这些半大孩子根本读不懂暗示，还是自顾自接着玩。 所以几天前，等天完全黑下来，妈妈直接把灯关了。 可这帮小伙子早有准备，没一会儿就接好发电机点亮了灯。 呜呜呜 110

Last night, Dad reached his breaking point and called the COPS, who were at the house ten minutes later. I thought that would be the end of it, but it turns out cops like basketball, too. We've kind of given up on trying to stop people from using the hoop. But I guarantee you that the first time there's nobody out there we're taking that thing down. 111

昨天晚上，爸爸忍到极限报了警，警察十分钟就赶到了我家。 我以为这事总算结束了，结果没想到警察也爱打篮球。 我们差不多都放弃阻止别人用这个篮筐了。 但我保证，只要哪天没人来打球了，我们肯定把这篮筐拆掉。 111

Another reason I've been so tired lately is because our practices have been starting at 9:30 p.m. We've been using the elementary-school hall, but we have to wait until the other two teams are done with THEIR practices before we can start ours. On our first night at the hall, Mr Patel forgot his bag of basketballs and had to go home to get it. And while he was gone Darren Woodley noticed the Phys Ed storeroom was open, so we went inside. There was all SORTS of fun equipment in there, like pogo sticks and hula hoops and even a giant parachute. 112

我最近这么累还有一个原因：我们的训练要晚上九点半才开始。我们用的是小学体育馆，得等另外两支队伍训练完才能进场。 我们第一次用体育馆那天，帕特尔先生忘带篮球了，只能回家去取。 他走了之后，达伦·伍德利发现体育器材室没锁门，我们就进去了。 里面有好多好玩的器材，弹簧跷、呼啦圈，甚至还有一个超大降落伞。 112

It had been a long time since any of us had played with that stuff, and all of a sudden we were like little kids again. 113

我们都好久没碰过这些东西了，一下子全都变回了小孩子的模样。 113

We even made up a whole new game that used those square four-wheeled scooters and some giant plastic bowling pins. And it was actually way more fun than basketball. But when Mr Patel came back with the bag of balls he shut our game down. TWEET! 114

我们还用带四个轮子的方形滑板车和巨型塑料保龄球瓶，发明了一个全新的游戏。 说真的，这个比篮球好玩多了。 可帕特尔先生拿完球回来，直接叫停了我们的游戏。 嘀！114

Mr Patel told us we were there to play basketball, not to goof around. Then he made us put everything back in the room where we found it. I've read that basketball started off with a bunch of guys horsing around with a leather soccer ball and a peach basket, and now it's popular all over the WORLD. But if their coach had been anything like Mr Patel it probably never would've happened. DOINK 115

帕特尔先生说我们来这儿是练篮球的，不是瞎胡闹的。 接着他让我们把所有东西都放回原处。 我之前看过，篮球最早就是一群年轻人拿着皮足球和桃筐瞎玩出来的，现在已经风靡全世界了。 要是当初他们的教练也跟帕特尔先生一样，篮球根本就不会诞生。 咚！115