Julia: Hi! Nice to see you again. You look great! Where did you get such a great tan? Did you go to the seaside? Where? The Crimea? The Red Sea? Or the Mediterranean Sea? Oh? certainly not! That dark soft tan only can be from the coast of the Dread Sea! Did I guess it? Did you go there this summer? With parents? Friends? Was the hotel expensive? Did you like the food? And why…
Jason: Will you ever give me a chance to answer at least one of your questions? First can I at least say ‘Hello! It’s nice to see you again!’
Julia:Oh, come on! I don’t care about your good manners. Tell me about your holidays. I’m dying of curiosity.
Jason:Yeah, curiosity killed the cat… OK. But I’m really afraid to disappoint you. I didn’t go to any of those places.
Julia:Didn’t you? But you look so different. You’ve become taller… and look so sporty… Where have you been the whole summer? I called you several times but you were never in.
Jason:That’s right. It wasn’t easy to catch me at home. I left very early. I bet you were sleeping like a log at that time.
Julia:Getting up early? On holiday? Oh, God, what for?
Jason:It was worth it.
Julia: Oh, stop it! Tell me everything: why you were getting up so early, where you went to and why you are showing off like a Texas ranger now.
Jason:Like a ranger? You’ve nearly answered your own question. I spent the whole summer with horses. My uncle works with horses on a farm, so he allowed me to help him.
Julia:Do you mean that…
Jason:Yes, I took care of them – fed and groomed them and cleaned the stables. It was hard work and I came home more dead than alive, but you can’t fancy what beautiful animals they are. One day they let me take them to the river. We had a swim together.
Julia:Well, I never! Do you mean you enjoyed it? Enjoyed working instead of relaxing, watching videos and going to discos?
Jason:Yes, I mean it. And though my classes have started, I’m not going to give it up. I’ll be going there at the weekend and one day a week after classes. The horses trust me and my uncle says that I can still help him and ride them.
Julia:Working at the weekend? Don’t be silly! (long pause) Look here, if your uncle needs more help, can I come, too?