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My Husband Let His Mother Destroy Our Marriage | Listen English Story | Learn English — Transcript

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0:00"Please don't go, Marlene." My husband
0:02stood by our front door. My bags were
0:05beside me. We had been married for 35
0:08years. I knew the sound of his steps. I
0:11knew how he liked his tea. I knew when
0:14he was tired, even when he said he was
0:16fine.
0:17But that morning, I looked at Gordon and
0:20felt that I did not know him at all.
0:23"I love you." he said. His voice was
0:26small.
0:27I looked past him at the home where we
0:28had raised our children.
0:30"I loved you here for a long time." I
0:33said. "I asked you to hear me. You would
0:36not." He reached for my bag. "We can
0:39still talk." I moved it away from his
0:42hand. We had talked for months. He had
0:45heard his mother. Now he wanted me to
0:48stay.
0:49To understand why I was leaving, I have
0:51to go back to a cold morning in April
0:54when I saw a sign outside my little
0:56shop. The sign said, "For Sale." It
0:59stood beside the shop door, right under
1:01the window I washed every Friday. A man
1:04with a camera was taking pictures of the
1:06front wall. I thought he had the wrong
1:08address. "Can I help you?" I asked. He
1:11smiled and said he was taking pictures
1:13for the woman who owned the building.
1:15"Mrs. Whitlock wants to sell it." he
1:17told me. That was my mother-in-law,
1:20Doris. I knew the building was hers. I
1:23paid rent to her every month, but she
1:25had said nothing to me.
1:27"What will happen to my shop?" I asked.
1:29The man looked at his papers. "I was
1:32told you were closing in July. Your
1:34husband said you were ready to stop
1:35working."
1:37I had to hold the door to keep my
1:38balance. "My husband told you that?"
1:42"Yes, ma'am."
1:43I went inside and sat behind my sewing
1:45machine.
1:46I could not turn it on.
1:48My name is Marlene Whitlock. I was 60
1:51that spring. Gordon was 64 and planned
1:54to stop working at the end of summer. We
1:57lived in Philadelphia in a house we had
1:59bought when our children were young. Our
2:01daughter, Cara, was 33. She had a girl
2:04named Nina who was 12. Our son, Brent,
2:07was 29 and lived across town. They had
2:10their own busy lives. I thought Gordon
2:13and I would have time together again. I
2:15pictured slow mornings, short trips, and
2:18meals we did not have to rush. I also
2:21wanted to keep working. My shop was
2:23small, but I had built it with my own
2:26hands. I fixed coats, made dresses fit,
2:29and helped people save clothes they
2:31loved. I had opened it 18 years before.
2:35At first, Gordon brought me lunch and
2:37helped me carry my old sewing table.
2:39When I thought of those days, I
2:41remembered his smile.
2:43Doris lived in Reading, about an hour
2:45from us by car. She was 84. Her husband
2:49had died many years before, and Gordon
2:51had always felt he had to care for her.
2:54I cared for her, too. I took her to
2:56appointments when Gordon could not go. I
2:58brought food after she hurt her foot. I
3:01sat with her on quiet afternoons. She
3:04was not easy to please, but I told
3:06myself she had spent many years alone.
3:09When I opened my shop, she offered me a
3:11room in a small building she owned in
3:13Philadelphia. I paid her rent like any
3:16other tenant. She liked to say she had
3:18given me my business. I never argued. I
3:21knew she had helped me find a place. I
3:24also knew who worked late at night, paid
3:26the bills, and met the customers. I was
3:29thankful for the room. I had never
3:31agreed to give up my work when she
3:33wanted it back.
3:34That evening, I put a picture of the
3:36sign on the kitchen table. Gordon came
3:39home from work and put down his keys.
3:41"Did you know about this?" I asked. He
3:44took a long look at the picture. "Mom
3:46has been thinking about selling," he
3:48said. "I was going to tell you." "When?
3:51After my last customer left? He rubbed
3:54his face. Nothing is done yet. I told
3:57him what the man had said. Gordon stared
4:00at the table. I may have told him you
4:02would be ready to slow down, he said.
4:05You told a stranger I was closing my
4:07shop? I thought you would like some
4:09rest. I waited for him to say he was
4:12sorry. Instead, he asked what we were
4:15having for dinner. I warmed the food,
4:17but we ate very little. At bedtime, he
4:20put his hand on my shoulder. Don't worry
4:23so much, he said. I moved closer to the
4:26edge of the bed. He did not ask why.
4:29On Saturday, we drove to Reading. Doris
4:31was putting cups on the table when we
4:33arrived. She greeted Gordon with a hug,
4:36then looked at me. I suppose you saw the
4:38sign. I sat down. Yes, I wish you had
4:42told me first. She poured tea as if we
4:45were talking about rain. The shop room
4:47is mine, Marlene. I need money for work
4:50on this house. I said I understood that
4:52she could sell her own building. I asked
4:55for time to find another place. Doris
4:57said my rent agreement ended on July
5:0031st. She would not make a new one. You
5:03have worked long enough, she added.
5:05Gordon is almost done with work. You two
5:07can live near me. I turned to my
5:09husband. He looked at the clock. We can
5:12talk about it later, he said. Doris
5:15smiled. There is nothing hard to decide.
5:18A family should stay close. I wanted to
5:20ask why staying close meant I had to
5:23leave everything behind. On Monday, a
5:26woman came into my shop with a dark blue
5:28jacket. I had fixed clothes for her
5:30family for years. She held the jacket
5:33against her chest. I was going to bring
5:36all my son's shirts, she said, but Doris
5:39told me you were retiring soon. I told
5:42her I was still open. She looked
5:44surprised. She made it sound as if you
5:46were happy about it. After she left, I
5:49called Doris. She said she was only
5:51helping people plan. You do not want
5:54customers coming after you close, she
5:56told me. But I am not closing yet. You
6:00will have to, she said. Then she ended
6:02the call. I looked at the jackets
6:05waiting on my work table. They were real
6:07jobs for real people. Each one helped me
6:10pay a bill. By telling everyone I was
6:13going away, Doris was taking work from
6:15me before I had even found a new room. I
6:18asked Gordon to speak to her. He came by
6:20the shop after work. I showed him my
6:23list of orders and the rent book I kept
6:25in a drawer. I need people to know I am
6:27still here, I said. Mom just gets ahead
6:30of herself, he answered. She means well.
6:34I held the rent book open. She owns the
6:36room, I know that, but she does not own
6:39my name or my work. He sat on the chair
6:42near the door. For a moment, he looked
6:45like the man who had carried boxes for
6:47me 18 years ago. I'll tell her to stop
6:50talking to customers, he promised. I
6:52thanked him. He even helped me put a
6:54paper in the window. It said, "Open as
6:57usual." We stood outside and checked
6:59that people could read it from the
7:01street. I thought we had made a good
7:03start. I did not know he had already
7:05made another plan with his mother. The
7:08next Sunday, we went back to Doris's
7:10house for lunch. Cara came with Nina.
7:13Brent arrived a little late carrying
7:15bread from a bakery. It should have been
7:17a good day. Doris had made soup and Nina
7:20told us about a dance at her school in
7:22June. Then Doris said, "When Gordon
7:25stops working, he will finally be here
7:27more often." Brent asked if his father
7:29wanted to move. "We have been looking at
7:32places," Doris said. I turned to Gordon.
7:35He reached for his water. "We have only
7:37talked," he said. I told them that we
7:40had not decided to move. Doris's face
7:43changed. "Gordon cannot keep driving so
7:46far to help me," she said. I offered to
7:48visit more often and help find someone
7:51nearby for the heavy jobs. "A stranger
7:53is not family," Doris replied. Gordon
7:56nodded at her. Cara watched us quietly.
7:59Nina asked if her grandmother's sewing
8:01shop could move, too. Nobody answered
8:04her.
8:04That afternoon, Nina stayed with me
8:06while the others talked. She had a green
8:09dress that was too long. She wanted to
8:11wear it to the school dance.
8:13I set it on the table and asked her to
8:15stand still while I checked the length.
8:17"Will you still have your shop when I
8:19have my dance?" she asked. "Yes," I
8:22said. "I will finish this for you." Nina
8:25touched the cloth. "Mom says you can fix
8:27anything." I laughed. "Not anything,
8:31sweetheart, but I can fix a dress." She
8:34watched my hands as I marked the hem.
8:36Then she said, "Grandma Doris said you
8:39should rest now." I looked at her small
8:41face. She was not trying to hurt me. She
8:44was repeating what adults had said near
8:46her. "I love my work," I told her. "I am
8:50not ready to stop." Nina nodded and
8:52asked if I could add a pocket for her
8:54little lip balm. That made us both
8:56smile. I was glad to be her grandmother.
9:00In May, one of my best customers called.
9:03She had asked me to make six simple
9:05dresses fit for a family event. Now, she
9:08wanted to take them somewhere else. "I
9:10heard you might close before I need
9:12them," she said. "I cannot take that
9:14chance." I told her I could finish every
9:17dress on time. She was sorry, but she
9:19had already found another place. I put
9:22down the phone and looked at the empty
9:24space on my worktable. Losing one order
9:27would not end my business. Still, those
9:30dresses would have paid for 2 weeks of
9:32rent in a new shop. At dinner, I told
9:35Gordon. He said I had always found work
9:38before and would find it again. I asked
9:40if he had told Doris to stop speaking
9:42for me. He said he had asked her to be
9:45careful. Did she agree? He moved the
9:47peas around his plate. You know how mom
9:50is. I knew exactly how Doris was. I was
9:54beginning to learn something new about
9:56my husband. Two days later, Brent came
9:58to see me at the shop. He had a worried
10:01look. Grandma's dad is under a lot of
10:03pressure, he told me. She says he wants
10:06to move, but you won't let him. I asked
10:09him to sit down. I explained that I
10:11wanted Gordon to help his mother. I did
10:14not want him to make our plans without
10:15me. Brent looked at the machines, the
10:18cloth, and the orders on the wall.
10:20Couldn't you just stop for a while? he
10:22asked. You deserve a break. I told him
10:26that working was my choice, just as
10:28stopping should be. He sighed. Grandma
10:31is 84. She needs dad more than you need
10:35the shop. I felt those words deep in my
10:37chest. This was the boy I had helped
10:40with school work and taken to football
10:42games. He was speaking as if my life was
10:45a small thing. Brent, I need you to
10:48listen before you choose a side, I said.
10:50He stood up and told me he had to get
10:52back to work. That evening, Gordon found
10:55me putting clothes into a bag for a
10:57customer.
10:58Brent called me, he said. He thinks you
11:01were hard on him.
11:02I held the bag closed with both hands.
11:05He thinks I do not care about your
11:07mother.
11:08Gordon said his mother was scared of
11:10living alone. I know she is scared, I
11:13said. But I am scared, too. I may lose
11:16the place where I have worked for 18
11:18years.
11:20Gordon sat across from me. I asked if he
11:22would come with me to look at new rooms.
11:25He said he would try on Saturday. Then
11:27he held my hands. I don't want us to
11:30fight.
11:31Neither did I.
11:32We sat together for a while. I still
11:35loved him. That made it hard. If Gordon
11:38had been unkind every day, leaving might
11:41have been simple.
11:42Some nights he made me laugh. Some
11:45mornings he still set out my coffee.
11:48Then his mother called and my words no
11:50longer seemed to matter.
11:52On Saturday, Gordon did not come to look
11:55at shops. Doris called before breakfast
11:58because a shelf had fallen in her
11:59kitchen.
12:00Gordon said he had to go to Reading. I
12:03offered to call someone who could put it
12:04back up. He said he would be quicker.
12:07"We made a plan," I reminded him. "It's
12:10just one shelf," he answered. "I'll see
12:13the rooms with you next week."
12:15I drove alone.
12:17The first room was bright, but its rent
12:19was too high. The second was small and
12:22had no safe place for customers to park.
12:25At the third, the owner said I would
12:26have to pay several months of rent
12:28before moving in.
12:30I wrote the numbers in a notebook. I had
12:32some money saved, but moving machines
12:35would cost a lot. I needed a room, new
12:38signs, and time to tell my customers
12:40where I was going.
12:42When I came home, Gordon was watching a
12:44game. He had fixed the shelf and stayed
12:46for lunch. He did not ask how my search
12:49went until I brought it up.
12:51My friend Pamela Finch came to the shop
12:53the next morning. She was 65 and had
12:56known me for years. She brought two cups
12:59of coffee and sat while I worked. I told
13:02her what the new rooms cost. She
13:04listened, then said, "You need a place
13:06that fits your work, not a place that
13:09looks pretty."
13:10Pamela had once worked in a small
13:12office. She knew people who rented rooms
13:14near stores. She offered to ask around.
13:18"I can help you look," she said, "but I
13:20cannot choose for you."
13:22I liked that. Most people in my family
13:24had been choosing for me all spring.
13:28Pamela did not tell me to leave Gordon.
13:30She knew I still loved him. She asked
13:33what I wanted to do first. I told her I
13:35wanted to finish the orders already on
13:37my table. Then I wanted to find a new
13:40room. That sounds like a good plan, she
13:42said.
13:43I had my own plan.
13:46One Friday, Brent called while I was at
13:48home. He sounded pleased. Dad took me to
13:51see a house near Grandma, he said. It's
13:54got a small yard. You would like it. I
13:56sat down on the stairs. What house?
13:59Brent went quiet. He said you both
14:02wanted to move there. I thanked my son
14:05and ended the call.
14:06When Gordon arrived, I asked where he
14:08had gone with Brent. He said they had
14:10driven around Reading. I waited. At
14:13last, he admitted they had looked at a
14:15house. I was only seeing what was there,
14:18he said. Why did you tell Brent I wanted
14:21it, too? He said he must have given him
14:23the wrong idea.
14:25I asked him to show me the address. He
14:27did. It was near Doris's home and far
14:30from my customers. We could start fresh,
14:33Gordon said. You could make clothes at
14:35home. I looked at him. He was offering
14:38me a room in a house I had not chosen,
14:41in a town I had not chosen, after a plan
14:44I had never made.
14:46We talked for a long time that night. I
14:49told Gordon I did not want to move to
14:51Reading. I liked our home in
14:53Philadelphia. Cara and Nina lived
14:55nearby. Brent was not far away. Gordon
14:58said we could drive back to see them. I
15:00said we could drive to see his mother,
15:02too. It works both ways, I told him.
15:05He went to the window and looked
15:07outside. Mom says she wakes up at night
15:10and gets afraid, he said.
15:12I asked if she would let someone nearby
15:14stay with her some nights or help during
15:16the day. Gordon shook his head. She
15:19won't like that. I offered to visit and
15:21talk to Doris him. He said she would
15:24think we were pushing her away.
15:26I wanted to say that he was pushing me
15:28away instead. I did not.
15:31He looked so tired. I put my hand on his
15:34back and he held it for a moment. In
15:36that small moment, we were still husband
15:39and wife.
15:41By morning, he was speaking to Doris on
15:43the phone again.
15:45The next week, a man arrived at our
15:47house with a folder. He said Gordon had
15:49asked him to look at the house and tell
15:51us what it might sell for. I had just
15:53put groceries on the counter. Gordon was
15:55still at work. "Are we selling?" I asked
15:58the man. He looked uncomfortable. "I
16:01thought you were thinking about it." he
16:03said. I told him my husband and I had
16:06not agreed to sell. He said he could
16:08leave and come back when we were both
16:10ready. I thanked him and shut the door.
16:13Then I looked around the house. We had
16:16bought it together. My name was on the
16:18papers, too. Gordon could ask what it
16:21was worth, but he could not make our
16:23home disappear with one phone call. I
16:25called him at work. "A man came to look
16:28at our house." I said. There was a long
16:30pause. "I should have told you." he
16:33replied. I had heard those words before.
16:37They no longer made me feel any better.
16:39When Gordon came home, he said he had
16:41only wanted to know what our house might
16:43be worth. "We would have more money if
16:45we sold it." he told me. "Then we could
16:48buy near Mom." I asked how we would
16:50decide what happened to my shop, our
16:52home, and our money. He said we would
16:55decide together. "But you already asked
16:57about selling our home." I said. He
17:00tried to hold my hand. I moved my hand
17:03to my lap. He looked hurt. And that hurt
17:06me, too. I told him I did not want to
17:09leave him. I wanted him to stop making
17:11plans in secret. Gordon promised he
17:14would not call the man again without me.
17:16Then he asked if we could have a quiet
17:18evening. We watched a show on
17:20television. I sat beside him, but there
17:23was space between us. That small space
17:26felt very wide.
17:28Cara came to see me the following
17:30morning. She brought fruit and helped me
17:32fold clean clothes in the shop. She
17:34asked if I wanted to retire. I said no.
17:38She asked if Dad knew. I said yes. Her
17:41face changed. He told me you were
17:43thinking about moving closer to Grandma,
17:46she said. I told her what had happened
17:48with the house and the man at our door.
17:50Cara put down the shirt she was folding.
17:53Mom, this is your home, too. I told her
17:56I did not want her to fight with her
17:58father. She said she would speak to him,
18:00not fight. Later that day, she called
18:03him. Gordon told her Doris had first
18:06talked about selling the shop building
18:07in January. Cara called me back after
18:10dinner. Dad knew for months, she said. I
18:14held the phone tightly.
18:17January
18:18In January, I had bought new cloth for
18:21spring orders. Gordon had helped me
18:23carry it from the car. He had known then
18:26that my shop might close.
18:28I thought about that winter evening for
18:30a long time. There had been snow on the
18:32sidewalk. Gordon had carried two boxes
18:35inside and told me not to lift the heavy
18:37one. I had thanked him. I had told him
18:40about a young woman who wanted help with
18:42her wedding dress. He had smiled and
18:44said I always had more work than I could
18:46finish. Now I wondered what he had been
18:49thinking while I talked. I did not think
18:52every kind thing he had done was a lie.
18:54I knew he had loved me, but love did not
18:57explain why he had kept something so
18:59important from me.
19:01At breakfast, I asked him why he had not
19:04told me in January. Mom wasn't sure
19:06then, he answered. She asked me not to
19:09worry you. I looked at him across the
19:11table. You let me make plans with money
19:14I might not have. You let me take new
19:16orders.
19:18He had no answer.
19:19I left for work without finishing my
19:21toast.
19:23Later that month, Gordon asked me to go
19:25with him to see Doris. I hoped this
19:27meant we could talk and find a way
19:29forward.
19:30Doris looked smaller than I remembered.
19:33She walked slowly to the kitchen and sat
19:35down before making tea.
19:37"The house feels empty at night." she
19:40told us. "After my husband died, I
19:43thought I would get used to it.
19:45I never did."
19:46Her voice was quiet. I believed her.
19:49Gordon put his arm around her. I said I
19:52could come on Tuesday evenings and help
19:54her find someone close by for the days
19:56we could not visit. Doris shook her
19:58head. "I do not want a person who is
20:01paid to be here." she said. "I want my
20:04son." I said she could see Gordon often
20:07without our moving. She looked at me.
20:10"You have a husband every night. I have
20:13nobody."
20:14I was sorry for her. I was also sitting
20:17beside a man who had been keeping
20:18secrets from me. I did not know how to
20:21explain that I could feel alone in a
20:23full house.
20:25June came and Nina's school dance was
20:28near. I finished her green dress on a
20:30Thursday. I made a small pocket just as
20:33she had asked. She came to try it on
20:35with Cara. Nina turned in front of the
20:37mirror and laughed when the skirt moved
20:39around her legs. "It's perfect." she
20:42said. Cara took a picture of us. She
20:45asked if I could come early on dance
20:47night and help Nina with her hair. I
20:49said yes.
20:51When Gordon got home that evening, I
20:53showed him the picture. He smiled in a
20:55way I had missed. "You made our little
20:58girl happy." he said. He put his arm
21:01around me. I let myself lean against
21:03him. For a few minutes, I wanted to
21:06forget every hard talk we had had. He
21:09asked if I wanted to go out for
21:10breakfast on Saturday. I said I would
21:13like that. I went to bed feeling less
21:15afraid. It surprised me how much I still
21:19wanted a small, ordinary day with my
21:21husband. Saturday breakfast was lovely.
21:25We sat by a window at a little cafe.
21:27Gordon ordered the toast I liked. He
21:30told me a funny story from work, and I
21:32laughed until I had to wipe my eyes.
21:35Then he said, "Mom found another house
21:37near her."
21:39I put down my cup. He told me this one
21:41had a room where I could sew. He said
21:44Doris had sent him the pictures.
21:46"I don't want to see houses in Reading,"
21:48I told him. "I want to find a new place
21:51for my shop here."
21:53He looked out of the window.
21:54We were having such a good morning.
21:57I wanted to keep the good morning, too,
22:00but his words had changed it. "You
22:02brought it up, Gordon," I said. "I was
22:05sitting here with you. I was happy." He
22:08paid for breakfast, and we went home in
22:10silence.
22:12I learned that a happy hour did not mean
22:14our problems had gone away. It only
22:16meant we had put them down for an hour.
22:19On the night of Nina's dance, the whole
22:21family met outside her school. Nina came
22:24out in her green dress and ran into my
22:27arms. Brent took pictures. Gordon stood
22:30next to me and said I had done a good
22:32job. Cara asked everyone to smile for
22:35one family picture. I stood close to
22:37Gordon. It felt strange to smile while I
22:40was so worried, but I wanted Nina to
22:43have a good night.
22:45On our way home, Gordon held my hand in
22:47the car.
22:48I asked him to help me see a shop room
22:50Pamela had found. He did not say no. He
22:54said he had to check his plans with
22:55Doris first. I looked at our hands. I
22:58knew he was trying to be kind. I also
23:01knew I did not want to ask for a place
23:04on his list after his mother. I let go
23:06of his hand to take off my seat belt
23:08when we reached home. He asked if
23:10anything was wrong. I told him I was
23:13tired. This time, that was the truth.
23:17A few days later, Doris called. She
23:19wanted everyone at her house for dinner
23:21on Sunday.
23:22"I have good news," she said. I asked
23:25what kind of news. "You can hear it with
23:27the family," she answered. I asked
23:30Gordon if he knew. He said she had been
23:32making plans for when he stopped
23:34working.
23:35My stomach felt tight.
23:38That Friday, Pamela showed me a work
23:40room behind a small store. It was not
23:42pretty. One window faced a wall and the
23:45floor needed cleaning, but the rent was
23:48less than the other rooms. There was
23:50space for my two sewing machines and a
23:52table. The owner said it might be ready
23:54in August. I wrote down the price and
23:57went home to tell Gordon. He listened,
23:59but said, "Why spend all that money if
24:02we move?" I told him I had not agreed to
24:05move. He said we should talk after
24:07Sunday.
24:08All week I had been trying to make a
24:10plan. All week he had been waiting for
24:13his mother to make one.
24:15On Sunday, Doris had a long table ready.
24:18There were family members I had not seen
24:20for months. She had told them it was a
24:23dinner for Gordon and his coming
24:24retirement. At first, everyone asked
24:27about work and the children. Then, Doris
24:30stood up with a glass of water. "I have
24:33happy news," she said. "Gordon will stop
24:36working soon. He and Marlene will come
24:38to Reading, and Marlene will close her
24:41little shop at the end of July." People
24:43smiled. Someone said it was wonderful
24:46that Doris would have her son near her.
24:48Someone else said I must be glad to
24:50rest. I looked at Gordon. He was sitting
24:53very still.
24:55I stood up. "I'm sorry," I said, "but I
24:58did not agree to any of this." Doris
25:01looked surprised. "Marlene, we talked
25:04about it." "You talked to Gordon," I
25:06said. "You did not make this plan with
25:09me." The room grew quiet. All I could
25:12hear was a small clock behind Doris's
25:14chair. Doris turned to Gordon. "Tell her
25:17we talked about it." My husband looked
25:20around the table. I waited for him to
25:22tell the truth. He said, "Marlene is
25:25having a hard time with the change. We
25:27can talk about it at home." I felt heat
25:30rise in my face. "Gordon, I never said
25:33yes." He pressed his lips together.
25:36"We've talked about moving many times."
25:39"Talking is not saying yes," I answered.
25:42Doris put down her glass. "I only want
25:45my son near me." Cara spoke before I
25:48could answer. "Grandma, Mom has a life,
25:51too." Doris looked hurt. Brent asked us
25:54to stop. I did not shout. I did not cry
25:57in front of everyone. I sat down and
26:00folded my hands in my lap. Dinner went
26:03on quietly. Gordon ate almost nothing. I
26:06knew those people would go home with a
26:08story about us. Some would think I had
26:10ruined a family dinner. None of them had
26:13been in our kitchen when I begged Gordon
26:15to listen. After dinner, Cara walked me
26:18to the car. "You did nothing wrong," she
26:20said. I told her I was sorry Nina had
26:23heard us. Cara shook her head. "Nina
26:26heard you speak for yourself. That is
26:28not a bad thing." Brent came out a
26:30moment later. He asked his father if I
26:33had ever agreed to move. Gordon said we
26:35had discussed it. Brent asked again.
26:38"Did Mom say yes?" Gordon looked at the
26:40ground. "No," he said. Brent stared at
26:44him. "Then why did Grandma tell everyone
26:46it was decided?" Gordon told him to ask
26:49Doris. But Brent did not walk back
26:52inside. He came over to me. "I'm sorry,
26:55Mom." He said. "I thought you were
26:57stopping Dad from helping Grandma." I
26:59touched his cheek. "You can love her. I
27:02love her in my own way, too. I only
27:05wanted you to hear me." Brent hugged me.
27:08I held him close. I was glad to have my
27:11son back beside me. I was sad that it
27:13had taken a roomful of people to get us
27:16there. Gordon and I drove home without
27:18music. When we went inside, he said he
27:21wished I had waited to speak to him
27:23later. I took off my coat. "Your mother
27:26told the family I was closing my
27:27business." I said. "Was I meant to
27:30smile?" He said everyone had been happy.
27:33I asked him if their happiness was worth
27:35making me feel small. He sat down and
27:38covered his face. Then he said something
27:41I had not expected. "I thought if the
27:43shop closed, moving would be easier for
27:46you." I turned toward him. He kept
27:49talking. He said he knew I loved my
27:52shop, so he had not wanted to ask me to
27:54leave it. He had hoped that once Doris
27:56sold the building, I would be ready to
27:58go. For a moment, I could not speak. The
28:02sign, the customers, the house in
28:05Reading, the man who came to our home,
28:07they were all parts of one plan. I had
28:11seen the parts. Now Gordon had told me
28:14what they were for. "You knew I didn't
28:16want to move." I said. Gordon nodded.
28:19"Then you hoped I would have no good
28:21reason to stay." He looked up quickly.
28:24"That's not what I meant." I asked him
28:26to tell me what he had meant. He said he
28:29wanted us to be together, near Doris,
28:31where he could help her each day. I told
28:34him I had wanted us together, too. "I
28:37wanted to grow old with you here." I
28:39said. "I wanted to work a little less,
28:42take walks with you, and come home to
28:44our own place." Gordon's eyes filled
28:47with tears. We can have that in Reading.
28:50But I don't want to live there. He was
28:52quiet. I told him the worst part was not
28:56the building or even the move. You knew
28:59what I wanted. You went on without me.
29:02He said he was trying to keep everyone
29:04happy. I shook my head. You kept one
29:07person happy, Gordon. The rest of us
29:09were told to follow. He did not answer.
29:12I went upstairs. For the first time, he
29:15did not come after me. I still wanted to
29:18save our marriage. That was hard to tell
29:21Pamela the next day. She did not laugh
29:24at me. She asked what I needed from
29:26Gordon. I wrote it down so I would not
29:28lose my words when we talked. Doris
29:31could sell her building. Gordon could
29:33visit her each week. We could help with
29:35her shopping and find someone in Reading
29:37to check on her. I could rent a new
29:39workroom. We could talk about his
29:41retirement together without a house
29:43already waiting for us. On Tuesday
29:46night, I read my plan to Gordon at our
29:48table. He listened. Then he said he
29:51could not tell Doris he would not move.
29:54She had told her whole family. She would
29:56feel alone and ashamed. What about me? I
30:00asked. He said, "Please give it more
30:03time."
30:04I looked at the paper in front of me. I
30:06had offered time, help, visits, and a
30:10new plan. He had not offered one clear
30:13yes.
30:15I folded the paper and put it away.
30:18After that night, I stopped asking
30:20Gordon to make the choice for me. I went
30:22to the bank and worked out what I could
30:24pay each month. I called the owner of
30:26the small workroom Pamela had found. It
30:29was still open. I asked if I could rent
30:31it from August. I also spoke to a woman
30:34who knew about marriage and money. She
30:37told me to keep copies of the papers for
30:39our house and my shop. I did not sign
30:42anything about selling our home. I did
30:44not know yet how we would share
30:46everything if we lived apart. I only
30:48knew I had to be careful.
30:51One evening, Gordon saw my papers on the
30:53table.
30:54"Are you leaving me?" he asked. "I don't
30:57know how to stay like this." I told him.
31:00He said he loved me. I believed him.
31:03That was the sad part. I could believe
31:06he loved me and still know he had not
31:09treated me like someone whose voice
31:11mattered.
31:12July was full of work. I had to finish
31:15old orders and tell people where I hoped
31:17to work next. I wrote the new address on
31:20small cards, but I did not hand them out
31:22until the workroom was ready. Pamela
31:24helped me find a man with a truck for my
31:26machines. Cara came after work to pack
31:29boxes. Brent helped carry the heavy
31:32ones. He asked if Dad was coming. I said
31:35Gordon had offered to help, but I had
31:37asked Brent instead.
31:39My son stopped by the door. "Do you want
31:41me to talk to him again?" he asked. I
31:44thanked him, then said no. "He has heard
31:47me, Brent. He just has not made room for
31:49what I said." Brent nodded.
31:52Later, when the shop was quiet, I found
31:55a small drawing Nina had left on my
31:57table. It showed a green dress and two
32:00smiling people. At the bottom, she had
32:02written, "Grandma, your new shop will be
32:05good, too."
32:06I put the drawing in my bag. On July
32:0931st, I opened the old shop for the last
32:12time.
32:13A woman brought in a coat with a loose
32:15button. I fixed it while she waited. She
32:18said I had done work for her mother
32:19before I had ever met her.
32:22A man came to pick up his work shirts.
32:24He said his wife would come to my new
32:25place when it opened.
32:27Not everyone came back. Some people had
32:30found other shops. Still, I was glad for
32:33the ones who came.
32:35At 5:00, I cleaned the tables and put my
32:38needles into a small box. The room
32:41looked strange with the machines gone.
32:43I stood where I had stood 18 years
32:46earlier on my first day.
32:48Back then, I had been scared that no one
32:50would come.
32:51Now, I was scared to leave.
32:54Pamela waited by the door.
32:56"We can go when you're ready," she said.
32:59I turned off the light. I did not cry
33:02until I was outside.
33:04Doris had asked me to bring the keys to
33:06her house. When I arrived, Gordon was
33:08there. He had driven over from work.
33:11Doris counted the keys and put them into
33:13a little dish. "Now you can have some
33:16rest," she said. I told her I was moving
33:19my work, not giving it up. She looked at
33:22Gordon.
33:23>> [clears throat]
33:23>> "I thought this was all settled."
33:25Gordon did not speak. I turned to Doris.
33:28"I know you wanted your son near you. I
33:31know you get lonely."
33:33Her face became softer for a moment.
33:36"Then why are you making this so hard?"
33:38she asked. "Because my life matters
33:41too," I said. "You can have your
33:44building, but you cannot decide where I
33:46live or what work I do."
33:49Doris said she had never wanted to hurt
33:51me. I wanted to believe that. I also
33:54knew she had heard me ask for time and
33:56had kept making plans without me.
33:58I said goodbye and walked to my car.
34:01Gordon came out after me. "Marlene,
34:04please," he said.
34:06I told him we would talk at home.
34:08At home, I told Gordon I had rented a
34:11small apartment. Cara had helped me find
34:13it. I was moving the next week.
34:16He stared at me as if I had spoken in
34:18another language. "You are really
34:20leaving?" he asked. I told him I had
34:23spent months trying to stay. He said we
34:26could still move near Doris and start
34:28again.
34:29I shook my head. "That is still your
34:32plan, I said. You are still asking me to
34:35live in it.
34:36He began to cry. I went to sit beside
34:39him.
34:40We had held each other through sick
34:41days, lost jobs, and nights when the
34:44children were little and would not
34:45sleep. I remembered all of it.
34:48I told him I was not leaving because
34:50those years meant nothing. I was leaving
34:53because they meant so much.
34:56I wanted to be your wife, I said. I did
34:59not want to be the person who always had
35:01to give up her place. Gordon asked me to
35:03think one more time.
35:05I said I had thought every day since
35:07April.
35:09On moving day, Cara helped carry my
35:11bags. Brent came with his truck.
35:14Gordon stood by the front door, just as
35:16I remembered. Please don't go, Marlene,
35:19he said.
35:21I told him again that I loved him.
35:23He asked if we could talk after the
35:25weekend. I said we could talk about the
35:27house and the things we owned, but I was
35:29not coming home.
35:31Nina was waiting in Cara's car. I had
35:34asked her not to come inside. I did not
35:36want her to see us hurt each other more.
35:39Gordon looked at my bags, then at me.
35:42I thought we would grow old together, he
35:45said.
35:46I felt tears come into my eyes.
35:48I thought so, too.
35:50I picked up my bag. No one shouted.
35:53I walked to the car and Brent put the
35:55bag in the back.
35:57As we drove away, I looked once at our
35:59house.
36:00I had raised a family there. It would
36:03always be part of my life,
36:05but it was no longer where I could live.
36:08My first weeks alone were not easy. My
36:11apartment had a bed, two chairs, and
36:13boxes I had not opened.
36:15Some mornings, I reached for Gordon
36:18before I remembered he was not there.
36:20Then I got up and went to my new
36:22workroom. I cleaned it, put my machines
36:25in place, and made a sign for the door.
36:28The first week I had only three jobs.
36:30The next week I had five. I counted
36:33every dollar and took work home when I
36:35needed more time.
36:37Cara brought Nina over on a Saturday.
36:40Nina hung her green dress drawing near
36:42my table.
36:43Brent came another day to fix a light. I
36:45was thankful, but I did not ask them to
36:48stop seeing their father.
36:50Gordon called often. At first, he asked
36:53me to come back. I told him I was not
36:55ready to discuss that.
36:57Later, we spoke about bills and the
36:59house.
37:00I got help with the legal papers and
37:02began the steps for a divorce. It was
37:05hard. It was also my decision.
37:09By autumn, Gordon asked to meet me at a
37:11cafe near my workroom. I went because I
37:14wanted to hear him without Doris in the
37:16next room.
37:18He looked older. He said he had told
37:20Doris he would not move to Reading. He
37:22still went to see her, but he no longer
37:25let her plan his days. "She was angry,"
37:28he said. "I was afraid of that anger for
37:30years."
37:32He told me he was sorry for the shop,
37:34the houses, and the dinner. He said he
37:37had hoped I would give in when my old
37:38shop closed. "I know that was wrong," he
37:41said. "I made you feel that your work
37:44did not matter. I made you feel that you
37:47did not matter."
37:48I could see that he meant his words.
37:51He asked if we could try again.
37:53I held my warm cup in both hands. "I'm
37:56glad you can say no now," I told him.
37:59"But I had to leave to hear you say it."
38:02He wiped his eyes. I said I wished him
38:05well. I also said I wanted the divorce
38:07to go on.
38:09He did not ask again.
38:11When I opened my workroom the next
38:13morning, I had a coat to fix and two
38:15dresses to make smaller. I turned on the
38:18light and put my bag under the table. My
38:20new life was small. I still had rent to
38:23pay. I still missed Gordon at times. I
38:26knew some days would hurt, but the woman
38:29in the mirror looked like me again.
38:32At noon, Nina came with Cara to bring me
38:35lunch. She saw the old wooden sign from
38:37my first shop on the wall. "Grandma, why
38:40did you keep that?" she asked. "Because
38:43I made it," I told her, "and I wanted to
38:46keep something I made." She smiled and
38:48helped me set out the food. I sat with
38:51my family and felt at home. I had lost
38:54my marriage, but I had not lost myself.
38:58If my story touched your heart, please
39:01like this video. And if you enjoy simple
39:03English stories about real family life,
39:06please subscribe. Thank you for
39:08listening.
39:10Now we have heard Marlene's story, I
39:12want to talk with you about what
39:13happened in that family. We will look at
39:15the small moments, not only the day she
39:18left. We will talk about Gordon, his
39:20mother Doris, and the two children. We
39:23will also talk about money, trust, and
39:26the words people do not say.
39:29There is something special about this
39:30story. Marlene did not wake up one day
39:33and stop loving her husband. She still
39:36loved him when she carried her bags to
39:38the car. So, her leaving was not a quick
39:41choice. It came after many days when she
39:44tried to be heard. As we talk, think
39:47about one thing in your own life. Does
39:49someone you love really listen when you
39:51say what you need?
39:53Think about the first morning at the
39:55shop. Marlene came to work as she always
39:58did. She was ready to sew clothes and
40:00meet people. Then, she saw a for sale
40:03sign. A man taking pictures knew more
40:06about her future than she did. That is a
40:09very painful detail.
40:11The man was not trying to hurt her. He
40:14believed what he had had told, but he
40:16said her husband had told him she was
40:18ready to stop working. Imagine hearing
40:21that from a person you have never met.
40:24You would want to go straight home and
40:25ask why. Marlene did ask, and Gordon did
40:29not say, "I was wrong. I should have
40:31asked you first." He said he was going
40:34to tell her. That answer made the
40:37problem bigger because he had already
40:39spoken for her.
40:41We also need to be fair about the
40:43building. Doris owned it. Marlene paid
40:46rent there. Doris could decide to sell
40:48her own building. Marlene did not have
40:51the right to keep it forever. But, that
40:53does not make every part of Doris's
40:55choice kind. She had known for months
40:58that the shop might close. She also told
41:00customers that Marlene would retire.
41:03Those were not her words to say. A
41:05building is one thing. A person's work
41:08and future are another. Marlene had
41:11spent 18 years making clothes fit,
41:14fixing coats, and keeping customers
41:16happy. Doris had helped with a place to
41:18work, yes. Marlene had done the work. We
41:22can thank someone for their help and
41:24still say, "Please do not make my
41:26choices for me." Now, notice how the
41:28money problem grew. A customer took six
41:31dresses to another shop. It was not
41:34because Marlene did bad work. It was
41:36because the customer did not know if
41:38Marlene would still be open. Marlene
41:41lost money she had hoped to use for a
41:42new room. Then, she looked at different
41:45places. One cost too much. Another had
41:48poor parking. A third needed too much
41:51money at the start. This is how a family
41:53problem can reach into someone's working
41:55life. It can affect rent, plans, and the
41:59next month's bills. Marlene did not find
42:01a wonderful new shop in one afternoon.
42:04She wrote down prices and kept working.
42:07I like that part. Real life often moves
42:10in small steps, and small steps still
42:13count.
42:14Let's talk about Gordon without making
42:16him a simple bad man. He brought Marlene
42:19lunch years ago. He helped with her
42:21first sewing table. He remembered her
42:23breakfast order. He smiled when he saw
42:26Nina's green dress. These moments were
42:28real. That is why Marlene had such a
42:31hard time. Gordon could be loving in an
42:34easy moment, but when he had to say no
42:36to his mother, he often stayed quiet. A
42:39good morning at a cafe did not fix what
42:42he had done the day before. Some people
42:44give kind words when things are calm,
42:46but they do not help when a hard choice
42:49comes. A marriage needs more than nice
42:51mornings. It needs two people who can
42:54talk about hard things and make plans
42:56together. Doris had a real fear, too.
42:59She was 84. She lived alone in Reading.
43:03She said the house felt empty at night.
43:06We can understand that. Many older
43:08people want their children near them.
43:10Wanting help is not wrong. Gordon had
43:13every reason to call her, visit her, and
43:16make sure she was safe.
43:18The problem began when Doris decided
43:20that Marlene must give up her home and
43:22shop. She did not want help from someone
43:25nearby. She wanted her son to move, and
43:28she acted as if Marlene had to agree.
43:31Here is an important difference. You can
43:34tell someone, "I am lonely. Can you
43:36visit more often?" That is a clear
43:39request. Saying, "If you loved me, you
43:42would move here," puts fear on the other
43:44person. Love should leave room for an
43:47answer.
43:49Brent shows us another side of family
43:51trouble. He heard his grandmother's
43:53story before he heard his mother's
43:55story. He came to the shop and said
43:57Grandma needed Dad more than Marlene
44:00needed her work. I think that line hurt
44:02Marlene in a very deep way. She had
44:05raised him. She was not asking him to
44:08choose between people. She was asking
44:10him to hear the whole story. Brent was
44:13trying to protect an older woman. That
44:16wish was good, but he spoke before he
44:19knew the facts. Later, he asked Gordon a
44:22clear question. Had Marlene said yes to
44:24moving? Gordon had to say no. Brent then
44:28went to his mother and said he was
44:30sorry. That apology mattered. It did not
44:33change what had happened, but it showed
44:35that a person can listen, learn, and
44:38change a wrong opinion.
44:40And then there is Nina with the green
44:42dress. This may look like a small part
44:45of the story, but it tells us a lot
44:47about Marlene. Marlene was not holding
44:50on to her shop only because she feared
44:52change. She loved making things for
44:55people. She made a little pocket for
44:57Nina's lip balm. She knew her
44:59granddaughter would feel special in that
45:01dress. Nina also saw something the
45:04adults missed. She saw a grandmother who
45:07was good at her work and wanted to keep
45:09doing it. When Marlene moved to her new
45:12room, Nina's drawing went on the wall.
45:15That drawing did not pay the bills. It
45:17did give Marlene a kind memory to carry
45:20forward. Sometimes support is not money
45:23or a big speech. It is one small thing
45:26that says, "I see you."
45:29Pamela gave another kind of support. She
45:32did not arrive with a large gift or
45:34offer to solve every problem. She
45:36brought coffee. She listened. She went
45:39to see rooms with Marlene. She knew
45:42people who might have space to rent, and
45:44she never said, "You must leave Gordon."
45:47She let Marlene make that choice. This
45:50is a useful lesson for friends. When
45:52someone tells us about a hard marriage,
45:55we may want to give a fast answer, but
45:57that person has to live with the result.
46:00We can ask, "What do you need today?" We
46:04can help them look at real choices.
46:06Pamela helped Marlene take care of her
46:08work while Marlene made sense of her
46:11marriage. That was quiet, useful
46:14friendship.
46:15The secret plans were the point where
46:17Gordon's words became much harder to
46:19believe. First, he spoke to a man about
46:22the shop closing. Then, he looked at a
46:24house in Reading with Brent. Later, a
46:27man came to look at the family home
46:29because Gordon wanted to know what it
46:31might sell for. Gordon had not sold the
46:34house, and Marlene's name was on the
46:36papers, too. But, he kept taking steps
46:38toward a move she had not agreed to. One
46:42time might have been a mistake. Many
46:44times made a pattern. He said he wanted
46:47them to be together, but Marlene was not
46:50part of the plan. If you are making a
46:52choice for two people, you need two
46:55voices. A quiet person is not the same
46:58as a person who said yes.
47:01I keep coming back to the family dinner
47:03at Doris's house. Doris told everyone
47:06that Marlene would close her shop and
47:07move to Reading. People smiled and said
47:10it was good news. For them, it was a
47:13happy announcement. For Marlene, it was
47:16the first time she heard her life spoken
47:18about as a finished plan. She stood and
47:21said she had not agreed.
47:23Gordon could have helped in that moment.
47:26He could have said, "Mom, we have not
47:28made this choice." Instead, he said
47:31Marlene was having a hard time with
47:33change. That made her sound like the
47:36problem. This is why the dinner hurt so
47:39much. Marlene did not need a big speech
47:42from him. She needed one true sentence.
47:46In a family, telling the truth may make
47:48a meal uncomfortable. Hiding the truth
47:51can make a home uncomfortable for years.
47:55Then, Gordon finally said what he had
47:57been thinking. He hoped that when the
47:59old shop closed, Marlene would be ready
48:02to move.
48:03That is the heart of the story. Marlene
48:06had been trying to save her shop. Gordon
48:09had been waiting for her to have fewer
48:11reasons to stay. He told himself he was
48:14keeping the family together, but his
48:16idea of together meant everyone
48:18following his mother's plan. Marlene
48:21said she wanted slow mornings, walks,
48:24and a home with him. She was not asking
48:27for a life without Gordon. She was
48:29asking for a life where they chose
48:31things together. He heard the words.
48:34Still, he did not agree to her new plan.
48:37We should pay attention when someone
48:39says they love us, but keeps doing the
48:41thing that hurts us. Words matter. What
48:45a person does next matters, too.
48:48I also want to talk about Marlene's own
48:50choices. She waited a long time before
48:53she made a clear plan for herself. Maybe
48:56she hoped that being patient would help.
48:59Maybe she feared losing 35 years of
49:01marriage. We can understand both
49:04feelings. But she began to change when
49:06she wrote down what she needed. A new
49:09workroom, a way to help Doris, and a
49:12chance to make plans with Gordon. She
49:14spoke calmly. She gave him a real
49:17choice. When he still would not listen,
49:20she looked at money, housing, and the
49:22papers for their home. She got advice.
49:26She did not take revenge on Doris or ask
49:28her children to stop loving their
49:30father. Her next steps were careful. For
49:33a person in a hard place, a safe plan
49:36and help from trusted people can be more
49:39useful than one more argument.
49:42The last day at the old shop was sad for
49:44a different reason. Marlene had to turn
49:47off the light in a room she had used for
49:4918 years. She heard kind words from
49:52customers, but some customers were
49:55already gone. She could not get every
49:57order back. That detail matters.
50:00Starting again did not make the loss
50:03disappear.
50:04When she gave the keys to Doris, she did
50:07not shout. She said that Doris could
50:09have the building, but could not choose
50:11her life. Those were simple words, and
50:14they were enough.
50:16Leaving the family home came later. That
50:19morning, Gordon had asked her to stay.
50:21He said he thought they would grow old
50:23together. Marlene had thought so, too.
50:26The pain was shared, but the choice to
50:28leave was hers. She was no longer
50:31waiting for him to decide where she
50:33belonged. After Marlene left, the story
50:36did not give her an easy new life.
50:39Her apartment had boxes.
50:41She missed Gordon.
50:43Her workroom needed cleaning.
50:45She had only a few jobs in the first
50:47weeks. She counted money and worked
50:49hard.
50:51Cara, Brent, Nina, and Pamela helped in
50:53ways they could. Marlene also let her
50:56children keep their own relationship
50:58with Gordon. That was kind and wise. A
51:01marriage can end without asking the
51:03children to stop loving a parent.
51:06Gordon changed, too. He learned to tell
51:08Doris no. He said sorry for the shop,
51:11the house plans, and the dinner.
51:14I believe his regret was real,
51:16but a true apology does not buy another
51:19chance.
51:20Marlene listened, wished him well, and
51:23kept moving forward with the divorce.
51:25She was not trying to punish him. She
51:28knew she could not go back to the life
51:30they had lived.
51:31So, what do we take from this ending?
51:34I do not think it says that every couple
51:36with problems must separate. Some people
51:39can make a new start when they speak the
51:41truth, change their actions, and both
51:43want to try again. But both people have
51:46to choose that work. Marlene had asked
51:49Gordon many times. When he finally
51:52changed, she no longer wanted the
51:54marriage.
51:56Her last scene was not in a large new
51:58house or with a new man. She was at
52:01work. Nina saw the old shop sign.
52:04Marlene said she kept it because she had
52:06made it.
52:07I like that quiet ending. Her work was
52:10still hers. Her love for her family was
52:13still hers.
52:14Her next day was hers, too.
52:17Now, before we finish, let's use parts
52:20of this story to practice simple English
52:22you can use in real conversations.
52:25First, let's learn five words from
52:27Marlene's story.
52:28A tenant is a person who pays to use a
52:31home or room. Marlene was a tenant
52:34because she paid rent for her shop. Rent
52:37is the money you pay to use a place.
52:40An order is work a customer asks you to
52:42do. Marlene lost an order for six
52:45dresses. Agree means to say yes to a
52:48plan. Marlene did not agree to move.
52:52An apology is when you say you are sorry
52:54for something you did. Brent gave his
52:57mother an apology.
52:59Say these words slowly. Tenant. Rent.
53:03Order. Agree. Apology.
53:07Now, try one sentence. I pay rent for my
53:10shop.
53:12Next, listen to these useful lines. I
53:15was going to tell you. Gordon said this
53:18after Marlene learned the truth. We
53:20often use this when we plan to speak but
53:22did not speak yet. I never said yes is a
53:26clear way to correct someone.
53:28Please ask me first is a polite way to
53:31set a limit. I need more time can help
53:34when you are not ready to choose. Say
53:37the lines with me. I never said yes.
53:40Please ask me first. I need more time.
53:43You can use them at home, at work, or
53:46when a friend makes a plan for you.
53:49Let's use the past tense. These things
53:51already happened, so listen to the
53:53words. Know becomes knew. Gordon knew
53:58about the plan.
53:59Tell becomes told. Doris told the
54:03customers.
54:04Leave becomes left. Marlene left the
54:07house.
54:09Go becomes went. Brent went to the shop.
54:13Say becomes said. Marlene said no.
54:17Here is a short test. Today I know.
54:21Yesterday I knew. Today I go. Yesterday
54:25I went. Today I say. Yesterday I said.
54:30Say the three past words once more. New,
54:34went, said.
54:36Now let us practice a real conversation.
54:39Imagine a family member makes a plan for
54:41you. You want to be kind, but you are
54:43not ready. You can say, "Thank you for
54:46thinking of me, but please ask me
54:48first." The other person may say, "I
54:51thought you would like it." You can
54:53answer, "I know you wanted to help, but
54:55this is my choice." Notice your voice.
54:58You do not need to shout. Say it slowly
55:01and clearly. Try the last line again.
55:05This is my choice.
55:07These words are useful for small things,
55:09like a dinner plan, and big things, like
55:12moving to a new home.
55:14Let's check how well you listened.
55:16Answer in a full, easy sentence.
55:19Who owned the old shop building?
55:21Doris owned it.
55:23Why did Marlene lose an order?
55:25A customer thought the shop would close.
55:28Who made the green dress fit Nina?
55:31Marlene did.
55:32Did Marlene agree to move to Reading?
55:35No, she did not.
55:37Did Gordon say sorry at the end? Yes, he
55:40did. Did Marlene go back? No, she did
55:43not.
55:44Now try answering without my help. You
55:47can stop the video for a moment if you
55:49want to speak. One clear sentence is
55:51enough. For our last speaking practice,
55:54think about two feelings. Lonely means
55:57you feel alone and want someone near
55:59you. Doris felt lonely in her house.
56:03Hurt means you feel pain in your body or
56:06in your feelings. Marlene felt hurt when
56:09Gordon hid the plan.
56:10Finish these two lines in your own way.
56:13I feel lonely when and I feel hurt when
56:18You do not have to share private things.
56:21You can use a simple example. I feel
56:23lonely when my friends are away. I feel
56:26hurt when someone does not listen.
56:29Thank you for learning with this story.
56:31Keep speaking a little English each day.
56:34Even a short sentence is a good start.

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