Beginners.
Two weeks ago we learned about Andorra, one of the smallest countries on the planet. Today, we will get to know a little about the biggest country in the world, mighty Russia. It measures over six and a half million square miles, and takes up an eighth of the Earth's land mass. Because it is so huge, its coastline boarders on fifteen seas, two of which are the Pacific and the Arctic oceans. It shares some of its boarders with thirteen other countries. There are about one hundred and forty two million people living there, mainly in European Russia, which is the part of the country that is closest to Europe. There you can find a concentration of cities such as the capital, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Stalingrad, and also those of southwestern Siberia. The climate in Russia is difficult to summarize. Because there are vast areas of land which are far from the sea, these areas have extremely cold winters and extremely hot summers, with spring and autumn being short. The coastal areas are more regulated by the sea breezes. Siberia, to the north, has an obvious arctic influence, and has only one month of summer in the far north. However, in its sunny southern area, there is a very large population, and successful farming.
Advanced.
It is difficult to sum up history of such an enormous and ancient country as Russia in a simple paragraph, so I will just hit upon some of the major historical points. Russia, up until the sixth century, was inhabited by nomadic tribes. Peoples from Iran and Turkey settled in the south, but were overrun by Vikings who established power. In the tenth century, the Russian leader Vladimir was converted to christianity. For two hundred years, the Russian Orthodox Church thrived, until the Mongols took over. They were expelled in the fifteenth century and the first Tsar, "Ivan the Terrible" declared himself supreme ruler. The last of the Tsars, Nicholas the second abdicated and was assassinated in 1917, giving way to the Communist Party under Lenin. Russia then endured a civil war, huge losses in the Second World War, and then the Cold War. The Soviet Union was officially dissolved in 1991, and formed a Commonwealth of Independent States. Russia has the largest reserves of natural gas in the world, and is very rich in many minerals. Wealth is bringing transforming power, and infrastructural and social changes are being experienced as a result. This vast and rapidly changing country is closely watched by the rest of the world because of its 'super' status, influence, and modernization.
Beginners.
Well, it's time for a new dog. For the past year, we have been a one dog family. But, you know, our dog, Rosie, is a wildly social lady. She goes crazy any time she meets another dog, a cat, a mouse, or a bird, let alone a human. But, the trouble is, she's a pack animal like all dogs. They like to have company. During the day, when my husband is at work, the kids are at school, and I am out and about running errands, she is alone. She gets plenty of attention when we are back together, however. So, one of my sons nagged me into going to the pound for a visit. The whole family ended up going. After looking in the various rooms where dogs are kept, we concluded that there wasn't much to pick from. Most of the dogs were large, old, and of the type of breeds that have bad reputations. The poor creatures. I didn't want to imagine their fate; people usually want puppies, or at least a breed that looks cute. Anyway, just as we were leaving, one of the volunteer teenagers brought in a dog. They had just been outside going for a walk. I looked at her, and then looked again because she was a beautiful mix of colors, and looked very healthy and clean. My husband said, "That's the one. It's a Blue Heeler." Needless to say, after a walk together and a play with the family, we made our decision.
Grammar notes.
Vocabulary: creature, to have company, breed, reputation.
Exs:
The tiger is such a magnificent creature. It is beautiful and powerful!
It's time that you had some company. It's not good to be alone.
That breed of dog is too violent. I want one that is quiet and gentle.
Advanced.
If, when you are learning English, you are lucky enough to visit an English speaking nation, one of the things you will notice is that people in those countries are crazy about dogs. "A dog is a man's best friend," is the saying. And you will see them everywhere. It has become an obsession with a lot of people. Even in this town where I live, there are doggy grooming salons and a doggy hotel! Perhaps it shows the trend in an affluent society of having less children and more money to spend on entertainment. Dogs have always been valued in farming communities because of the work that they can do, and, to a certain extent, the protection they can provide for their owners. Intruders are warned off by barking, as are predatory animals like cougars and bears. But, dogs nowadays are certainly pampered in ways that are quite unnatural. Having a hair cut is one thing, but beauty pageants? Having their nails clipped is necessary, but a manicure? Or should I call it a pawicure? Well, anyway, if people want to spend all their money pampering and spoiling an animal, that is their business. I was just happy to find a suitable playmate for Rosie. We ended up calling her Foxy because she looks like a cross between a fox and a wolf. She is very intelligent, and has beautiful markings. And her coat is soooo soft!
Grammar notes.
Vocabulary: doggy hotel, to groom, trend, intruder.
Exs:
We are going on vacation next month, so we will leave our dog in a doggy hotel.
That man is poorly groomed. His hair is messy, his clothes are dirty, and he needs to brush his teeth.
The trend nowadays is to buy the largest house possible even if you can barely afford it. It is such a risk.
There was an intruder in the neighborhood last night. A police dog caught him!
Beginners.
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May. It is to remember all the soldiers that have died in the various wars around the world, even the Civil War which started in 1861 and ended in 1865. The tradition started in this country because of the Civil War, and was expanded after the First World War. Normally, people visit cemeteries and put flowers on the graves of loved ones, even those who weren't soldiers. The graves of soldiers are decorated with flags. It has become a tradition at 3pm local time, that a formal service of remembrance takes place. The President of the U.S will usually visit a famous cemetery and make a speech, and then all across the country, there will be similar services performed by officials of the local government. Though the official day for observing Memorial Day was May 30th, it has become a tradition of celebrating it early and making it into a three-day weekend holiday. Many people plan a short vacation get-a-way. The roads become very busy with families picnicking, travelling to different towns, and also flying to other destinations.
Related vocabulary: to observe, to expand, remembrance, cemetery, get-a-way.
Exs:
It is a tradition to observe that special day. We usually get together with friends and family for a barbecue.
Her waist has expanded quite a bit because she eats too many desserts.
Remembrance Day reminds us of the great sacrifices that some have made for us.
It was such a dark, windy night, that the couple didn't realize that they had stumbled into a creepy cemetery.
I need a get-a-way. Where can we fly cheaply just a few days?
Advanced.
Seeing a cemetery filled with flags fluttering in the wind is quite a sight. It makes you stop and think. And that, of course, is the point to the day, to stop and think. In England we celebrate Poppy Day which has the same reason as Memorial Day. Poppy Day, however, is observed on 11th of November, as that is the day that the First World War came to an end. Other countries such as Canada and New Zealand also use poppies to observe this day. But why poppies? The reason we use poppies is because a soldier of the First World War, John McCrae, who was a canadian, wrote a poem called In Flanders Fields. Flanders fields were full of poppies, and so, that flower, being a meaningful blood red color, became adopted as the memorial flower. McCrae wrote the poem after witnessing his best friend die in the trenches. He actually threw the poem away, but another soldier found the paper and sent in to a London-based newspaper called Punch. The rest is history. Here in the U.S, the flag is the most well known symbol for Memorial Day because of the reunification of the United States after the civil war. It is very patriotic, but the sentiment behind the symbol is just as strong as the blood colored poppy.
Letters on the grave.
Since the stranger's visit at Cranshawe's cafe, rumors were buzzing around the village. Was what he had said actually true? Who was he? How did he know so much about this old, sad story? And what had happened to Peter Whitcome's family?
"You know, it's really about time we put this whole incident behind us," said Reverend Holtworth in his church office. Thomas Black had come by to tell him the latest rumors. He actually felt a bit childish reporting the stranger's tale, but, on the other hand, he felt that the vicar should know what was being talked about. "I've no doubt some idiot was up there in the bell tower and disappeared before we got there. And now, well, you know village stories. They just get bigger and bigger," said Thomas appologetically, seeing a look of irritation growing on the vicar's face. "Well, we've both got work to do, Thomas, but I appreciate you letting me know. I've got a regional meeting in an hour, and a wedding to do out of town this afternoon," said the vicar putting on his overcoat. "I hear you," said Thomas, "I've got orders up to my ears; business is good at the moment. We can hardly turn out enough cabinets; everyone seems to want them." He followed the vicar out of the church and to the parking lot. "We've got a lot to be thankful for," said the vicar out of his window as he drove off.
Thomas stood and watched him leave. He considered him a good friend. The Black family had been church men for generations, vicars even. Thomas was the first to break that tradition. He had a passion for wood, and building, so as he was a straight forward man, he had set up his own business and done well. But he had an attachment to things of the church, and would help out where and when he could. He took a deep breath, taking in the view of the village that he loved so much. Everything was green or in flower, and the air was heavy with the smells of the season. As he turned his head to look at the trees in the graveyard, his eye caught a light, dry spot among the graves. He walked over and saw that a large clump of ivy had been pulled back from what looked like a very old grave. He bent down and wiped the earth away from the lettering. W-H-I-T-C-O-M-E. He stood up quickly, eyes wide, and he looked around, to see if anyone else was close by. It must have been a recent uncovering, because the ivy roots were not completely dry.
Where do we start with the kitchen? There is so much to talk about. Many people say that it is the center of family life. The kitchens that I will describe are those that I have seen and been in in England and the U.S. To start with, a kitchen will often have a water resistant floor: tile, wood, or vinyl. If you drop food or liquids, it's no problem. Just wipe it all up and wash with soapy water. Cabinets are a big thing here in the U.S. They are the cupboards and drawers that you find in the kitchen. I have noticed in the past few years, that the cabinets are quite a status symbol here. The kind of wood that you use, and the stain on the wood both determine the elegance of the kitchen. The most popular kinds of wood at the moment are cherry, fir, and maple, though the traditional oak is still used a lot as well. The hardware for the cabinets, the handles and hinges, also come in a variety of materials: plastic, glass, bronze, brass, chrome, ceramic and others. You can really make a statement with cabinets, or you can keep them simple and functional. The stain on a cabinet is a kind of permanent color wash. They are used to bring out the grain of the wood, and to add a touch of any color.
So, what do we put inside the cabinets? All sorts of things. Anything from the heavy kitchen equipment like the food processor, the blender, the juicer, the slow cooker, and the waffle maker. Then there are the pots and pans like the frying pan, the wok, baking dishes, and casserole dishes. If you know much about cooking, you will know that there are many other small pieces of kitchen equipment: the sieve, the cheese grater, cake pans, the garlic crusher, and the list goes on and on. Cutlery or the silverware are stored in the various drawers, and there is usually a separate drawer for the larger kitchen cultery, such as the wooden or cooking spoons, spatulas, carving or chopping knives, serving spoons and hand held whiskers. Gosh, we can certainly do a lot of cooking with all of this equipment. Of course, there is no point cooking unless we have something to put the food on. The dinner plates, side/ salad plates, dessert and cereal bowls, glasses, cups, saucers, china, and wine glasses all have to be stored in cabinets as well.
There is so much to talk about when we are in the kitchen. And we haven't even cooked anything yet! We will continue our Tour of Homes in the kitchen the week after next when we will spend some time talking about the main appliances that we use every single day, and the verbs and vocabulary that go with them.
Beginners.
Andorra is one of the smallest countries in Europe. It is high up in the Pyrenees. If you look at the map of Europe, you can see that it lies exactly between France and Spain. It is a very mountainous area that has spectacular views. Though it is snow-covered for six months of the year, summers are warm and dry. Its capital is Andorra la Vella. Its area is about 174 square miles, and its population is close to 80 thousand. Though Catalan is the official language, there are many French and Spanish speakers as well. The river Valira splits into two and flows south, traveling through valleys and gorges. Several things make Andorra very famous. First, it is a tourist destination. About 12 million tourists go there every year. Wow! That's a huge amount of income and traffic for a relatively small place. Most of the tourists go to ski. A lot of mountain climbing takes place all around, especially on the highest peak which is called Coma Pedrosa at just under 10 thousand feet. Its a healthy place to live! Infact, secondly, it is the country that has the highest life expectancy: 85 years.
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: spectacular, official, to split, destination, peak.
Exs:
The performance was spectacular! What music! What special effects!
Their marriage is not official. They still have to sign the papers.
Let's split (share) our company's profits.
The last destination of the tour is the castle.
The climbers went up one peak after another. They enjoyed the tremendous views.
Advanced.
The history of Andorra is interesting because of its geographical location. The original tribe of Andorra was apparently the Andosinos who lived in the area for thousands of years. In 1278, the government was shared between Spain and France. But then in the sixteenth century, control was handed over to France. However, in 1993, the first democratic elections were held, and the General Council of the Valleys was set up. Because Andorra is protected by both Spain and France, each has a representative on the Council. About one in five people there are Andorra citizens; the rest are mainly French or Spanish. Though tourism is the main source of income, and a tremendous one at that, there are others. Hydroelectricity is sold to Catalunya, and banking is also big business. One benefit of being a tourist in the area is that goods are tax free; it is a tax haven. Among the crops that are grown, tobacco is successfully turned into cigars and cigarettes. Many of the villagers are also farmers, having their cattle, sheep, and goats graze on the plentiful upland meadows.
Grammar notes.
Verbs: to hold (hold, held, held), to sell (sell, sold, sold), hydroelectricity, income, meadow.
Exs:
The man was held at the police station all night.
Last year we sold a lot of household objects. This year, I don't know what we will sell.
The dam produces an incredible amount of hydroelectricity.
Finally our income has increased. It's about time!
We had a wonderful picnic in the meadow. It was full of wild flowers.
I'm interviewing Cass today. He's my second son, and he's nine years old. He's going to do something very interesting on Friday. "What is it Cass that you're going to do on Friday?" - "Uh, we're going to do something called Run for Reading, and that's how we sponsor money for our school." - "Oh, so you're raising money." - "Yeh, we're raising money." - "And, so it's like a running competition?" - "Uh, no. It's not a competition. We're just raising money for our school so we can get recess materials and different kinds of books." - "Oh, okay. And where are you going to run?" - "We're going to run in front of the school. And the laps, they're two hundred meters long." - "Oh, okay. Have you done it before?" - "Uh, yeh. We've done it for four years, kinder through third." - "And has it been successful?" - "Yeh, it has." - "Now, is it just the children who run?" - "No. Well, sometimes. But, during kind of like the middle the teachers come in and then they start running. Or usually they come in at the beginning." - "Is it funny to see the teachers run?" - "Sometimes." - "Now, who's the best teacher at running?" - "Um, he's called Mr. Hickenbottom, and last year he ran forty two laps." - "That's fantastic." - " It's a great way to raise money. Now how do you get sponsors?" - "Um, you ask your neighbors to get, - well, you give them a piece of paper, they sign it, and you ask them if they could sponsor money." - "Fantastic. So they give you like a dollar per lap, or twenty five cents per lap, or something like that?" - "Uh-huh." - "How much money, do you remember, did your school make last year?" - "Um, I think they made two thousand one hundred fifty something." - "That's great for schools. Yeh. So are there other ways that the school raises money?" - "Um, there's one way that doesn't include activities. It's when you, it's like the same as run for reading, but you just have a paper that time, and you go and ask if they would like to buy cookies or pies or cakes. And if you sell them, then that's how you raise money for school." - "Right. And do you get an award or a reward sometimes for getting sponsorships?" - "Everybody gets a small ribbon that says "I love running", and it says, and well it's different kinds of colors, and it's a rainbow kind of color, and it shows a boy and a girl running together." - "Right. And how about when you sell cookies, do you get any reward?" - "If we sell, let's say, fifty cookies, we would get, let's see, we would get, let's say, a really cool big ball that could bounce really high." - "So, there's a variety of things you can win?" - "Right, well good luck for Friday Cass, thanks a lot."
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: sponsor, to raise money, laps, kinder(garten), a reward, a ribbon.
Exs:
The popular drink company sponsored us. The money helped our cause.
We need to raise money for the Red Cross. There are lots of needs to be met.
We did ten laps around the field, and then fell to the ground, exhausted.
My little boy started school this year. He loves Kindergarten.
They got a reward for finding the lost kitten.
When she wears a ribbon in her hair she looks so pretty.
Beginners.
Doreen is a neighbor of mine. She also happens to be a good friend. She lives just three houses away. We joke that my children have adopted her as another grandma. My two youngest children go and visit her all the time, and she makes sure that they come home with a treat of some kind. "Now make sure that you use "please" and "thankyou", and don't be asking for treats all the time," I tell my kids. But Doreen spoils them because she wants to. They cheer her up and make her laugh, so she enjoys their company. She is seventy-five and a recent widow. For a few years, she looked after her husband who was quite ill. Now, she is alone. However, she is very active. She loves to go bowling, go to church, and take her dog for a walk. She also happens to be from England. She was born and raised in the same city as the Beatles. Liverpool, of course! Though she has lost her accent, and sounds quite american, she still seems very english in many ways. She was a war bride. That means that she married an american soldier during the Second World War, and came to live over here. I'll introduce you to her, so you can hear a little bit of her story.
Grammar notes.
Common words and expressions: happens to be, treats, to make sure, to spoil.
Exs:
My neighbor happens to be a teacher in the school where I teach!
During Halloween and Christmas there are too many treats around, - too much sugar!
Make sure you turn the car lights out, or the battery will go flat again!
Grandparents typically spoil their grandchildren.
Verbs and the preterite: to look after, to be born, to lose, to marry.
Exs:
When I was in hospital, the nurses really looked after me.
They were born in California, but their mother was born in Geneva.
I had a terrible day yesterday! I lost my car keys, the mail man lost all of my letters, and then I lost my wallet!
"I married my first husband when I was very young. But, I was quite old when I married my seventh."
Advanced.
"Hello Doreen." - "Hello. How are you today?" - "Really well, thanks." - "Good." - "Thanks for agreeing to this interview. I'll just ask you a few questions. How long have you lived in the United States." - "Um, I came over on the General Patch. It took us about ten days on that ship. It was very nice. And that was in 1951." - "So, not that long after the Second World War." - "We were starting to do the cleaning up. You know, they had a lot of debris and bombed out places. I never got to go back and see it all done right away. I think it was 1982 when I went back." - "Oh, so you were here for quite a while before you went back." - "It had really changed a lot. Really nice though. New buildings and the old buildings were all washed. They used to be really black with the coal from the fires, you know. And they washed the old, old buildings. Yeh, they look really nice." - "So, where did you first live when you came to the United States." - "We landed in New York, and then we traveled to Denvo Kentucky. Um, then from there we went to Bloxy Mississippi. Um, and I really didn't like that. Too hot, too hot, too buggy." - "Lots of mosquitos?" - "Lots of everything. Big bugs." - "So you prefer Wenatchee?" - "I love Wenatchee!" - "Tell me, what is it about Wenatchee that you love?" - "I love the four seasons. I like the mountains, the streams, the rivers, the lakes. I love lake Chelan. That is a beautiful place." - "And I've heard that you have a little place there on Lake Chelan, don't you?" - "Yes, it's up above. It overlooks Chelan on the south shore. And it's a little dream place. It was a dream for me forever. I said, "I'm gonna save my money and buy a little place up there, 'cause we used to take the children to the little park up there, you know, the main road going in. And we'd get there and it would be pouring down rain, or cold and windy, and we'd be trying to make hamburgers on the little burger thing, you know," -" A barbecue." -"And then all of a sudden we'd......" bark, bark "That's okay. That's Scooty her dog. He's part of the interview too. How long have you had Scooty?" - "I think we've had Scooter probably about, um, nine years." - "And how is he? Is he good company?" - "He's a very....good company and he takes real good care of me, 'cause he lets me know when there are bad people around." - "He likes women, but he doesn't like men." - "Absolutely does not like men." -" Even if they are good men who come to help you around the house?" - "No, it doesn't make any difference. There's something about them that he, you know, he knows man and woman, and when ahhhh, watch out, you know, he goes right after the guys. It's not fair really because he (a male friend) is pretty good with him, you know." - "Yeh. Well Doreen, that'll be the end of the interview, but I'm sure we'll be having lots more interviews in the future. Thanks so much." - "Oh, I could tell you so much more." - "Well, I'm sure my listeners would love to hear your stories." - "Thankyou so much." - "Thanks a lot, bye bye."
Spring makes Wenatchee come alive. Because there are so many flowering trees, like Dogwoods and Magnolias, the town becomes full of pink and white. There are also lots of orchards still; apple, pear, apricot, and cherry trees are grown in this area, so during the Spring, they too blossom. As we get more sun during the day, and the occasional rain, you see flowers popping out of the ground all over the place. During the weekends, as you drive through neighborhoods, the noise of lawn mowers fills the air, and men and women are in their gardens weeding, pruning, and planting. As you probably know, a lot of time and effort go into some gardens. It takes knowledge and planning to get the job done properly. I spoke to a local gardener who takes pride in his garden. Let's listen to what he has to say.
"I know that there is a lot of work involved in keeping a garden up. What are some of the jobs that you have to do?"
"Well, in Spring I aerate the lawn which gets it ready for the Summer months, and the aerator puts little plugs in the grass, ah, that opens up the soil to fertilizer, water and air. So it gets the grass growing; it jump starts it in the Spring."
"Right. And what about the trees? What kind of things do people have to do in the Spring?"
"Usually, prune the dead limbs, uh, shape the tree, so you'll prune certain limbs and some of the old wood off."
"Right. And does that encourage new growth?"
"Yeh. It gets the new, younger wood growing. And, it just makes the tree look nicer, more presentable."
"Okay. And what about vegetables and flowers? Do you grow vegetables?"
"I don't, nor do I grow flowers."
"Okay. What kind of equipment do you use apart from an aerator and a lawn mower? Any thing else?"
" Well, a weed eater to cut down the weeds and trim the edges of the lawn."
"Is that also what you use to cut the hedge and shape the hedge?"
"No, I use a multi-tool."
As you can see there is a lot of work and equipment involved in keeping the lawns and the gardens nice in this area.
A Tour of Homes 3, the lounge/ family room.
Join me again as we walk through a typical house, and observe all the every day objects that native speakers can name so easily. Before we get started, do you remember any of the vocabulary from the entry way and the powder room? Do you remember another name for an electrical socket? It's an outlet, isn't it. And what about the most important verb for using the toilet? To flush. I'm sure, if you make a list of the important vocabulary and think about it in your own home, you will soon know these words.
Well, let's get started with the lounge. I hope you realize that I had to tidy up my lounge before taking the photo for this podcast; that's how serious I am about you learning! The lounge is one of the places where we spend most of our time at home. Most lounges have quite a bit of furniture: a sofa, arm chairs, perhaps a love seat, a coffee table, side tables, lamps, reading lights, a television, and an entertainment center which includes a dvd player, a stereo radio, and maybe some kind of recording device like an old fashioned video recorder (that's what we still have). Windows either have curtains which you draw (to open and close), or blinds which you pull. To create a nice atmosphere, often homes will have recessed lights which are slightly hidden in the ceiling or in the walls. They create an indirect light which is softer on the eyes.
In these western homes, there tends to be collections of magazines and books on the coffee and end tables. Often the magazines are not read entirely; they are there to flick through. Usually, next to the chairs where the heads of the household sit, the all important remote controls will be within easy reach, on a side table, or in a drawer. This device is sacred. If it ever goes missing, somebody will be in trouble. If a wife innocently moves it from one table to another while she is cleaning, uh-oh, she's in trouble. That's how it is in the Wild West. To use the remote, you must know which buttons to push. Sometimes you must select an option, just like on a computer. Never forget to replace the batteries when the power is low. A telephone is found in a lounge. You talk in the receiver, you dial the numbers, and you hang up when you have finished your conversation.
Well, there is lots to remember about lounges. Obviously, some things that you find in the first rooms that I mentioned, you also find in the lounge, but you can make those assumptions for yourself. Electrical sockets or outlets, for example, would be found in this room, so I won't repeat an explanation of what they are. I hope that you follow me through the rest of the rooms of the house, and become an expert in the daily vocabulary of a native speaker.
History is uncovered.
It was a few days after the incident that Betsy Brompton came home from the hospital. The village was buzzing with rumors that she had lost her mind, or that she had made up the whole story. Anyone who knew Betsy didn't believe either. Nevertheless, homes, shops, and businesses were full of conversation about the church bell mystery. Reverend Holtworth and a regional Bishop paid Betsy a friendly visit shortly after her return. Again, the gossip shot around the village. The word "curse" was adding color to everybody's imagination, and since Betsy had uttered that word, the village had not been the same. In the pubs, stories of battles, tragedies, and romances that had taken place in the village flowed like the beer, and the more the beer flowed, the more dramatic and ridiculous the stories. But everyone wanted to believe them, of course. Nothing this interesting had happened in the village since the daughter of a wealthy, local land owner had run off with a clown from a traveling circus.
Since the vicar's visit, Betsy had told whoever asked her that she had not felt well that day, and so had imagined that the bells were ringing themselves. As for the word "curse", well, she didn't remember saying it at all. She told everybody the same thing, and, though her story was consistent, nobody chose to believe her. It would be a disappointment to believe her story now. This mystery was far to juicy to give up. Perhaps Reverend Holtworth had had words with her about not stirring up panic or superstition in the village. Perhaps he had advised her to believe her new story. Either way, church was full the following Sunday. There wasn't an empty pew, and villagers were even standing at the back. The Rev. was delighted and surprised. The attendance had never been so good. His sermon was about God's order and how it should be reflected in our lives, how reason should control imagination.
By the end of the second Sunday, the church bell mystery seemed to have faded to simply an interesting episode. Mrs Brompton had gone back to work at the church, and though she looked over her shoulder more often, life seemed to be back to normal. But then he came to town. A stranger, who stopped in at Cranshaw's cafe on his way up north, upon hearing about the bells, told a story of the bell tower that took place exactly one hundred years ago. The few people in the cafe were silent as they listened. No one chewed, no one swallowed, no one even blinked. He said that a poor, shy bell ringer by the name of Peter Witcome fell desperately in love with a local beauty who promised to marry him. But she did so as a joke. When he discovered her cruelty, he rang the bells wildly and with such strength that the largest of them fell on him and squashed him as flat as a pancake. His family moved away, vowing that their son would be avenged, even if it took a hundred years. Silence hung in the cafe for several minutes after the stranger left. What would the village make of it all now?