WAKEFIELD

A partir de ahora, "ANGJO" (nuestro avatar) se dedicará a leernos cuentos cortos. Esto será muy util para mejorar nuestro "LISTENING" (comprensión auditiva) y nuestra PRONUNCIACIÓN. CADA MES APARECERÁ AQUI UN NUEVO CAPITULO O CUENTO,
INSTRUCCIONES : 1) Traducir este texto con la ayuda de un diccionario (en la parte inferior de este blog tenemos un diccionario muy bueno). 2)Buscar a la derecha de este blog el reproductor "ENGLISH AUDIOS" 3)Buscar alli el audio que corresponda con el titulo de este post. 4)Hacer click sobre el audio y seguir con la vista el texto mientras lo oimos. 5)Podemos (haciendo click sobre el audio) repetir las partes dificiles 6)Repetir el audio hasta su completa comprensión y dominio auditivo, incluso podemos intentar leer el texto a dúo con ANGJO.It was an evening in October. Wakefield picked up his suitcase, kissed his wife, and said goodbye. "I am going into the country", he told her, "I may be away for three or four days". His wife knew his love of mystery and so, she did not ask the reason for his journey.

Wakefield gave her a sickly smile through the open door, and in a moment he was gone. He hurried along the busy street, and dissapeared among the crowd. "People are watching me", he thought. "they will see where I go and tell my wife".

He heard feet close behind, and feared that somebody was trying to catch him... A voice in the crowd called out, and he thought that it called his name...But Wakefield had no cause for fear. No eye followed him.

After several turns in different directions, he went to a lodging house in the next street. There he stayed in a small room that was already booked for him, and his journey ended.

Wakefield was a quiet little man, about fifty years old.
He seemed to be a good husband, not the sort of man to leave his wife. He soon began to feel sorry about his actions. He was lonely at his lodgings.

He asked himself why he left his wife. He supposed he had a reason but he could not remember it. Wakefield could not sleep that night. In the morning, he got up early and tried to think what to do. He wondered how his wife would manage without him. He had a sudden desire to find out.

"I will stay at the lodgings for a week and watch her", he decided. Wakefield went off. He planned to go to the end of his street and take a quick look towards his house. But, like a man in a dream, he went to the door.

The sound of his foot on the door step woke him. Wakefield!. Where are you going?. He hurried away. He was shaking with fear and breathing heavily. He did not dare to turn his head until he reached the end of the street. There he stopped and looked at his home.

He saw his wife through the front window. She was looking towards the end of the street. The brainless man feared that she noticed him. He turned and ran back to his lodgings.

After this dangerous little adventure, Wakefield thought of a safer idea.

He changed his looks. He changed the colour of his hair to red, and dressed in clothes that were unlike his usual brown suit. He looked a different man. "My wife wont recognize me now", he thought.

Wakefield´s feelings now hardened. He decided to leave his wife for longer than a week. She doesn´t miss me yet, he thought, I will wait until she´s afraid. Two of three times in the next two weeks she passed before his eyes. Each time she walked with a heavier step, her face was whiter. and she looked more worried.

In the third week, Wakefield saw a docter enter his house.

Dear woman. Will she die ?. Wakefield wondered. He was a little saddened. but he still stayed away from his wife. He made the excuse. I mustn´t worry her if she is ill. After a few weeks, his wife was quiet well again. The danger is over. She doesn ´t need me now. Wakefield said to himself.

His lodgings were only in the next street, but it now seemed a different world. This thought passed through Wakefields troubled mind.

I won´t return yet. he decided, perhaps next week. One day.

Twenty years passed. During that time Wakefield saw his home every day. He also often caught sight of his sad wife. Misses Wakefield heard no news of her husband. She was supposed that he was dead. Then one evening, Wakefield, now old and bent, went for his usual walk towards his old home.

It was a wet night in Autumn and a strong wind was blowing. Wakefield stopped near his house. Through the windows of the sitting room he saw the red light of a warm fire. The shadow of good Misses Wakefield was dancing on the wall. At that moment, the wind blew the rain into Wakefields face. He was wet through to the skin and very cold.

Don´t stand in the street, man, Go inside. Wakefield said to himself. There is a good fire to warm you. and your wife will get some dry clothes for you. Wakefields tired old legs slowly climbed the steps.He entered the house like a man who has been away only for the day. He gave his wife a little smile and closed the door.

SOUTH FOR THE WINTER - THIRD PART

A partir de ahora, "ANGJO" (nuestro avatar) se dedicará a leernos cuentos cortos. Esto será muy util para mejorar nuestro "LISTENING" (comprensión auditiva) y nuestra PRONUNCIACIÓN. CADA MES APARECERÁ AQUI UN NUEVO CAPITULO O CUENTO,
INSTRUCCIONES : 1) Traducir este texto con la ayuda de un diccionario (en la parte inferior de este blog tenemos un diccionario muy bueno). 2)Buscar a la derecha de este blog el reproductor "ENGLISH AUDIOS" 3)Buscar alli el audio que corresponda con el titulo de este post. 4)Hacer click sobre el audio y seguir con la vista el texto mientras lo oimos. 5)Podemos (haciendo click sobre el audio) repetir las partes dificiles 6)Repetir el audio hasta su completa comprensión y dominio auditivo, incluso podemos intentar leer el texto a dúo con ANGJO.Come with us, please. The fat policeman said in English. What ?

Me ? I said. Why ? What´s de matter ? And bring your bag with you. The tall policeman said. I began to ask a question, but policemen never like questions from young men with long hair.

So I stayed quiet, picked up my bag, and went with them. In the station building, there were a lot more policemen, and some people from the train. They were all young people, I saw. Some were afraid, some were bored. The police looked in everybody´s bags. And then the people went back to the train.

My two policemen took me to a table. Your passport, please. The fat policeman said. And open your bag. They looked at my passport, and I opened my bag. There was a young policewoman with red hair at the next table. She had a nice face, so I smiled at her, and she smiled back.

Aaaah. The tall policeman said suddenly. All my dirty shirts and clothes were out on the table. The policeman picked up my bag and turned it over. On to the table, out of my bag, fell packet after packet of U.S. American dollars. Nice, new dollars. Fifty-dollar notes in big packets. A lot of money.

My mouth opened, and stayed open. I couldn´t find my voice. I was suddenly a very interesting person, and a lot of police ran up to our table and stood behind me. 50.000...100.000...150.000... There´s 200.000 dollars here. The tall policeman said. What an interesting bag, Mr. Tom, Walsh. I found my voice again quickly. But its not my bag. I shouted.

There was a big, happy smile, on that policeman´s face. Well. He said. It´s got your name on it. Look. So I looked, and of course, there was my name, and yes of course, it was my bag. So how did 200000 U.S. dollars get into my bag ? You cannot bring U.S. dollars into this country. The fat policeman said.

He had very short grey hair, and little black eyes. He didn´t smile once. But I didn´t bring them. I said quickly. They are not my dollars. I never saw them before in my life, and. There was a lot of noise in the station. I looked out of the window and saw my train. Slowly, It began to move. Hey. I shouted, that´s my train.

The tall policeman laughed. It was a great day for him. Oh no. He said. you are not getting back on that train. You are staying here with us. In our beautiful country. He smiled happily. So I never got back to Sofia on Saturday. I was very unhappy about that.

I wanted to have a little talk with Melanie and Carol. Ask them one or two questions, you know. You are a nice guy, Tom. See you in Sofia, okay. Take you to the best restaurant in town. Yeah. Great. And I never got down to Cyprus or North Africa that winter. Oh well. I live and learn. It´s not an easy life, in prison. But it´s warm in winter. And the food´s not bad.

And I am meeting some interesting people. There´s a man from Georgia U.S.S.R. Boris, his name is. He cames from a place by the Black Sea. He´s a great guy. When we get out of here. He and I are going down to Australia. Brisbane perhaps, or Sydney. Get a job on a ship. Start a new life. Yeah, next year´s going to be okay.

SOUTH FOR THE WINTER - SECOND PART

A partir de ahora, "ANGJO" (nuestro avatar) se dedicará a leernos cuentos cortos. Esto será muy util para mejorar nuestro "LISTENING" (comprensión auditiva) y nuestra PRONUNCIACIÓN. CADA MES APARECERÁ AQUI UN NUEVO CAPITULO O CUENTO,
INSTRUCCIONES : 1) Traducir este texto con la ayuda de un diccionario (en la parte inferior de este blog tenemos un diccionario muy bueno). 2)Buscar a la derecha de este blog el reproductor "ENGLISH AUDIOS" 3)Buscar alli el audio que corresponda con el titulo de este post. 4)Hacer click sobre el audio y seguir con la vista el texto mientras lo oimos. 5)Podemos (haciendo click sobre el audio) repetir las partes dificiles 6)Repetir el audio hasta su completa comprensión y dominio auditivo, incluso podemos intentar leer el texto a dúo con ANGJO. They knew Sofia well, they said. Hey Carol, Melanie said. We are staying in Bela Palanka for a day or two. But let´s go over to Sofia this weekend and meet Tom there.

We can meet him on Saturday night at the Hotel Marmara.

Yeah. Its a good hotel. Carol told me. Cheap, but good.

What do you think, Tom ? Great. I said. Lets do that. The train was very slow. We got to Belgrade at six o´clock in the evening. And a lot of people got off. There were only me and the girls in the carriage then.

The guard came and looked at our tickets, and went away again. Carol looked at Melanie. Hey, Mel. She said. Why dont you and Tom go along to the restaurant ? I am not hungry. And I want to sleep for an hour. Er... Food´s very expensive on the train. I said.

I have not got much money just now. I am going to get a job in Sofia. Oh, Tom. Melanie said. Why didn´t you tell us ? Look. You are a nice guy, right ? We are okey for money this week.

We can buy you a meal. Of course we can. Carol said. And look, in Sofia, we can take you to the best restaurant in town.

It´s a great place. We love it. What could I say ? I was hungry. They had money. I didn´t.

So Melanie and I went to the restaurant and had a meal. When we came back, Carol was still alone in the carriage. Melanie put her feet on the seat and went to sleep. At Nis some more people got on the train. And two old men came into our carriage.

They looked at Melanie´s feet on the seat. And talked in loud voices. Carol laughed. And Melanie opened her eyes and sat up. Are we nearly there? She asked Carol and looked out of the window.

Yeah. About half an hour. I think. Why are you getting off at Bela Palanka? I asked. What are you going to do there ? Melanie smiled. Find a cheap hotel. Meet people. Take a look at the town. You know.

Just for a day or two. Carol said. But there´s nothing there. Oh, well. You never know. Melanie laughed. See you in Sofia, right ? On Saturday night. The hotel Marmara. Okey ? eight o´clock.

Carol said. Don´t forget now. Okey. Great. I see you there. The train came into Bela Palanka and stopped. The two girls got off and stood on the platform. They smiled at me through the window.

Saturday. Eight o´clock. Melanie shouted. Okey, I called. They could not hear me because of the noise in the station. They smiled again. Picked up their bags and walked away. Nice girls.

I am going to have a great time in Sofia. I thought. The train left Yugoslavia and crossed into Bulgaria at two o´clock in the morning.

Then the train stopped at some village. I don´t remember the name. I ate an apple and looked out of the window. Suddenly, there were a lot of policemen on the train. Everybody in the carriage sat up and began to talk.

What´s happening ? I said in Italian to the old man next to me. I don´t know. He said in bad Italian. Perhaps they are looking for somebody. Look. The police are taking some people off the train.

Then two policemen came into our carriage. A tall thin one and a short fat one. They looked at everybody carefully. And then, they looked at me again.

SOUTH FOR THE WINTER - FIRST PART

A partir de ahora, "ANGJO" (nuestro avatar) se dedicará a leernos cuentos cortos. Esto será muy util para mejorar nuestro "LISTENING" (comprensión auditiva) y nuestra PRONUNCIACIÓN. CADA MES APARECERÁ AQUI UN NUEVO CAPITULO O CUENTO,
INSTRUCCIONES : 1) Traducir este texto con la ayuda de un diccionario (en la parte inferior de este blog tenemos un diccionario muy bueno). 2)Buscar a la derecha de este blog el reproductor "ENGLISH AUDIOS" 3)Buscar alli el audio que corresponda con el titulo de este post. 4)Hacer click sobre el audio y seguir con la vista el texto mientras lo oimos. 5)Podemos (haciendo click sobre el audio) repetir las partes dificiles 6)Repetir el audio hasta su completa comprensión y dominio auditivo, incluso podemos intentar leer el texto a dúo con ANGJO.
I never stay in one country for a long time. It gets boring.

I like to move on, see new places, meet different people.

It´s a good life, most of the time.

When I need money, I get a job.

I can do most things. Hotel and restaurant work, building work, picking fruit.

In Europe, you can pick fruit most of the year.

You need to be in the right country, at the right time, of course.

It´s not easy work, but the money`s not bad.

I like to go south in the winter.

Life is easier in the sun, and northern Europe, can get very cold in the winter.

Last year, 1989 it was, I was in Venice for October.

I did some work in a hotel, for three weeks, then I began slowly, to move south.

I always go by train, when I can. I like trains.

You can walk about, on a train, and you meet a lot of people.

I left Venice, and I went on to Trieste.

There I got a cheap ticket, for the slow train to Sofia, in Bulgaria.

This train goes all down, through Yugoslavia, and takes a long time, a day and a half.

But that didn´t matter to me.

The train left Trieste, at nine o´clock on a Thursday morning.

There weren´t many people on it, at first, but at Zagreb, more people got on.

Two girls went along the corridor, past my carriage.

They looked through the door, but they didn´t come in.

Then an old woman came in, sat down, and went to sleep.

The two girls came back along the corridor, and looked into the carriage again.

The train left Zagreb, and I looked out of the window, for about ten minutes, then, I went to sleep too.

When I opened my eyes again, the two girls were in the carriage.

They looked friendly, so I said, Hullo. Hi, they said.

You´re American, I said, or Canadian. Right?

American, the taller girl said. She smiled.

And you´re twenty three, your name´s Tom Walsh.

And you´ve got blue eyes, and your mum lives in Burham on sea, U.K. right?

How did you know all that, I asked.

The second girl laughed.

She looked at your passport. It´s in your coat pocket.

Oh, right. My coat was on the seat, next to me.

I took my passport, out of my pocket, and put it back in my bag.

Who are you then? I asked. They told me.

Melanie and Carol from Los Angeles, U.S.A.

They liked Europe, they said.

They knew a lot of places. Britain. Holland. Denmark. Germany. France. Spain. Italy. Yugoslavia. Bulgaria. Greece...

I am going to Bulgaria now, I said, for about a month.

Then I am going south for the winter.

Cyprus, or perhaps North Africa.

Oh yes? They said. We love Bulgaria. Sofia´s a great town. Wonderful.

What do you do about money? I asked.

Well, you know. Carol smiled. Sometimes we get a little job.

This and that. But what about you?

Yeah, come on. Melanie said. Tell us about you.

Tom Walsh, with the blue eyes, and the mum in Burham on Sea.

What are you doing for your life, hey?

So I told them. They were nice girls. They were older than me.

Perhaps twenty seven, or twenty eight, but I liked them.

We talked, and laughed for hours. I told them, a lot of stories about my life. Some of the stories, were true, some weren´t.

But the girls laughed, and say I was a great guy.

I asked them about Bulgaria,

because I didn´t know the country.