For all schoolchildren from first graders to final year students, the favourite time of the school year is the holidays. Autumn, winter, spring and especially summer holidays. The first autumn holidays are what the kids look forward to most. After all, nobody wants to go back to studying after a long summer break.
The autumn slush outside the window is no obstacle to having a good rest with friends. It gets dark early, there are plenty of lessons at the start of the year, and even more homework. That's why the last few days before the holidays seem to drag on and on. Because the more you wait for something, the harder it is to wait for it.
Gosha is in year five. He's already quite good at maths, English language, literature and history. And of course he loves studying, but he always looks forward to the holidays more than the other kids.
Every year, a week before the holidays, Gosha draws a special calendar where he marks how many days have passed and how many are left. This year was no exception. A huge calendar on an A3 sheet hung right above the boy's bed, so that every morning when he woke up, he could mark the arrival of a new day, bringing the long-awaited holiday closer.
He remembered well how yesterday before sleep he looked at the calendar and realised that tomorrow was the last day before the break. Gosha couldn't sleep for a long time that night. His head was already spinning with thoughts of tomorrow, when he would go to school for the last time before the holidays, see his teachers and some friends, and then…
The alarm clock rang loudly and clearly in the morning. At first Gosha wanted to stay in bed a bit longer, but remembering what day it was, he woke up instantly and got out of his room energetically. Nothing could spoil his mood today, not the family cat that had bitten his leg, nor the tea he'd spilled at breakfast.
After finishing his morning routine, Gosha packed his school bag, put on his school uniform for the last time and was about to head to school when he decided to have a quick look at his favourite little calendar. When he went into his room he was surprised to find that the calendar wasn't on the wall. Gosha called out to his mum, who was having tea in the kitchen:
Mum, do you know where my calendar has gone?
What calendar, Gosha? — his mum replied, — Hurry up, it's almost nine o'clock, you'll be late for school again.
Gosha didn't argue with his mum, but the missing calendar was very unusual news for him. Although even this news couldn't spoil the boy's mood. He left the house with a smile and headed to school.
The school day seemed to drag on unusually long. Lessons followed one after another and only one thought kept Gosha warm the whole time:
