Chapter 13

Wednesday evening Mrs Sharma was standing at the main door, welcoming people into the care home. She was delighted to see that we'd arrived with a cake, as they were fast running out. It seemed that most people had turned up for the affordably priced refreshments and the game of bingo they were putting on. (The main prize was a cut and blow dry at Shear-Lock Combs Hairdressers in town.)

周三晚上，夏尔马夫人站在正门，欢迎人们来到养老院。 她很高兴看到我们带着蛋糕来了，因为蛋糕很快就吃完了。 似乎大多数人都是为了价格实惠的茶点和他们正在进行的宾果游戏而来的。 （主要奖品是在镇上的Shear-Lock Combs理发店理发和吹干。）

No one was really interested in having a tour of the facilities with a view to moving in in their old age. Even Mr Pike turned up for a cheap iced bun, and he never leaves the house, the old miser. Mrs Sharma pointed in the direction of the dining hall and told us to help Bob, the kitchen assistant, in the canteen. He was on his own, trying to manage an onslaught of tea orders from a coach-load of grey-haired bingo fiends. He was doling out a million cups of tea when we got there and couldn't boil the kettle quick enough. I have never met

没有人真的有兴趣参观这些设施，以便在年老时搬进来。 就连派克先生也来买了个便宜的冰面包，而且他从不出门，这个老吝啬鬼。 夏尔马太太指了指餐厅的方向，叫我们去食堂帮一下厨房助理鲍勃。 他独自一人，试图应付一车白发苍苍的宾果游戏迷们送来的大量茶叶订单。 我们到那里的时候，他正在分发一百万杯茶，连壶里的水都煮不开。 我从未见过

a man with such fear in his eyes. Like a baby deer surrounded by a pack of wrinkly hyenas with ill-fitting dentures.

一个眼中充满恐惧的人。 就像一只小鹿被一群戴着不合适假牙的皱纹鬣狗包围。

Oli and Agung sat down at a table in the corner. I gave them some orange juice and biscuits to keep them occupied while Mam and I took over serving tea. Bob wobbled off to take an aspirin and lie down in the pantry for a bit. Agung put his bag on the empty chair next to him. I wanted to tell him to leave it in the car boot (so I could sneak back later and rescue Hulk). But I couldn't speak Chinese and trying to say that in sign language would have made me look like I was dancing the macarena. I didn't want to confuse Agung. He was confused enough as it was! Oli couldn't help as I hadn't told him that I thought Hulk was in the bag. He would have scuppered my plans with his big mouth, so it

奥利和阿贡在角落里的一张桌子旁坐下。 我给了他们一些橙汁和饼干，让他们有事可做，而我和妈妈则负责端茶。 鲍勃摇摇晃晃地去吃了一片阿斯匹林，在食品室里躺了一会儿。 阿贡把包放在旁边的空椅子上。 我想告诉他把它放在汽车后备箱里（这样我就可以溜回去救绿巨人）。 但我不会说中文，试图用手语说出来会让我看起来像是在跳马卡雷纳舞。 我不想把阿贡弄糊涂。 他已经够困惑的了！奥利也帮不上忙，因为我没有告诉他我认为绿巨人已经稳稳坐了。 他会用他的大嘴巴破坏我的计划，所以

was all down to me. After five thousand hours, Agung finally got up to go to the loo, leaving Oli to supervise the bag. The grey-haired bingo fiends had all been served, so now was my chance! I sloped off towards where the bag was placed. It took ages to get there, as people kept stopping me and asking for stupid sachets of sugar and clotted cream for their scones. I was almost there when I felt a giant hand grab my arm. I turned around and it was Ged Sponger! UGH. He was here visiting his granny. 'Oi, Yip! You in charge of cake?' he boomed. 'Erm... kind of,' I squeaked back.

都是我的错。五千个小时后，阿贡终于起身去了厕所，留下奥利来照看袋子。 那些白发苍苍的宾果朋友都被招待过了，现在我的机会来了！我向放袋子的地方溜去。 我花了很长时间才到达那里，因为人们不停地拦住我，要我给他们的司康饼加几袋愚蠢的糖和凝乳。 就在我快到的时候，我感到一只大手抓住了我的胳膊。 我转过身来，是格德·海绵！啊。 他是来看望他奶奶的。 “Oi,犬吠!你负责蛋糕吗？他大声说。 “嗯…“有点吧。”我尖声回答。