Musical Half-Notes
Text A
A musician who played Pop Music in a CLub lived in boardinghouse in the centre of london. He always used to get back to his room very late at night and sometimes in the early hours of the morning. He was so tired when he got back that he would sit on the edge of his bed ,take off his shoes and throw them on the floor and say. 'Thank goodness. another day is over.' He would then get into hed and fall fast asleep.
But the poor lodger who had the room under the musician's was woken up each night, or early in the morning. by the two thuds that the two shoes made as they landed On his ceiling.Finally, he could not stand it any more and went and complained to the musician.
Naturally the musician was very upset and promised that, in future, after taking off his shoes, he would put them down as quietly as possible on the carpet.
The next day, he got back from his club at about one o'clock in the morning. went up to his room, sat on the edge of his bed, took off one shoe and threw it on the floor.
He was just about to do the same with the other when suddenly remembered the promise he had made the day before. So with great care he put the second shoe down silently on the carpet. Then he got into bed and fell fast aslecp. An hour later, he was woken up by a violent knocking on his door. It was the lodger who slept in the room just under his.
'Please, please, please,' the Iodger pleaded, 'drop the other shoe. I have been waiting for a whole hour for you to drop it. As soon as you do I can go to sleep. '
Text B
Of all the men who ever liked fresh air, not one liked it more than James Wilson. He took long walks in the fresh air. He ran long distances in the fresh air. He played football and other games in the fresh air. He liked to climb mountains and breathe the fresh air at the top. He used to go to sit by the sea and watch the great waves in the fresh air. He always slept with his windows wide open. He had an open car with no roof, and he drove it madly through the fresh air.
If Wilson entered a room where the windows were shut, he immediately opened them. He did this even when snow was falling outside. If someone else shut the windows again, he walked out of the room in a manner which showed his opinions without any doubt. When he travelled by sea, he could usually be found in a place on board where the wild wind was blowing through his hair.
One winter Wilson went to Finland on business. Good hotels in Finland are heated during the cold winter, and this winter was even colder than usual. When Wilson reached his room in the hotel. he found that the windows were closed to keep the icy air out. He did his best to open one , but failed. It was absolutely impossible to open it : the manager had very wisely arranged that.
Wilson undressed and got into bed. He was a very angry man.
The bedroom was very pleasant. Two or three pictures on the walls showed views of some beautiful parts of Finland. There was no noise at all. The bed was really excellent; but Wilson could not sleep. He could not forget the closed window. No fresh air! It was terrible to think of!
He got out of bed and tried once more to open the window; but it was useless, and he sadly got back into bed.
At about one o'clock in the morning he was still awake, worrying about the air in the bedroom. He had turned over in bed two hundred and thirty-six times. He was very hot. As he turned over for the two hundred and thirty-seventh time, one arm came out of the bedclothes and hung down beside the bed. His hand touched the floor. It also touched something on the floor. This thing was a shoe.
An idea came into his worried mind. Angry men act quickly,
and the shoe was in his hand in less than a second. Where was the window? He could see something that looked like glass over there. He threw the shoe through the darkness with all the force of his strong right arm.
The shoe flew straight through the air and hit the glass in the middle. A terrible sound of breaking glass filled the bedroom,
but to Wilson's sad heart it seemed like the sound of sweet and beautiful music.
"Now I have some fresh air in the room," he thought. "NOW I need not die. "
Five minutes later he was peacefully asleep. He did not move for many hours.
When daylight came gently through the window, he awoke and lay with his eyes closed. Where was he? Oh, yes! He was in Fioland; but what the matter? Was auytlting wrong'? There was something to worry about What was it? Oh. the broken windmv! Yes, indeed. He would have to pas?for that.How much.? Was it a big piece of glass? He could not remember. He Opened his eyes to look.
Slowly he tnrned them towards the window. and then he sat up suddenly in bed. He was very surprised: the window was not broken at all. The glass was all in one piece. just as good as it had been the might before. No fresh air was etitering the room through that window.
What,then,had happened when he threw the shoe?
He turned his eyes to the side and saw a broken picture hanging on the wall.There was a shoe on the floor below it. He could see a lot of broken glass round the shoe . and there was more inside it.
Additional Information
Here is what happened to Adrian Fox on the train one day:
Adrian Fox lives in Devon and he is travelling home from London by train. He decides to have a cup of tea. and goes to the train buffet. While he is drinking his t.ea, an attractive girl comes and sits at the same table. They begin talking and the girl tells Adrian she is going to Devon on holiday. They are soon very friendly. Adrian finds out that the girl hasn't yet found a hotel to stay in. Adrian's mother has a spare room in her house, and Aclrian invites the girl to stay there. He knows his mother won't mind. The girl accepts.
A few minutes later a man comes and sits beside the girl. who introduces
hint to Adrian. He is her husband. Adrian didn't know the giri was married, and he is a little angry. His mother won't like to have two people staying in her house. Then three children arrive. Two of them are carrying cats. and one has a small dog. They are the girl'a children. They are all very happy, the girl says, to be staying in Adrian's mother's house. Eut Adrian isn't so happy. When he reaches the station he phones his mother. . .
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