Social Talk. Text 108.

The one with aim for whole life.

Uncle Martin's life story is quite interesting, but nobody in Longster's family seemed to know it, despite the fact that they think they know him well.

Having got a bachelors degree in chemistry, he started to think whether he wanted to study further or not. There were not so many places where he could work those days, Vietnam war had changed everything.

It was popular to serve in the army for two years, and get paid for the rest of your live. Although not many from those who signed knew that two years in Vietnam it's like twenty years as a civil. For those kids it supposed to be fun, playing a war, but Martin was not so dumb, he knew that if he had joined the army, he would have to be highly persistent in his goals, to be one day a Colonel.

That was his dream back then, but a dream is almost a foe to reality, and when he was a half way before reaching his dream, it suddenly went wrong. Being captain only a day he led his troops to a mission, then was loud boom, and he woke up in a hospital wing.

It was the end of his ambitions and his plans for military career. He expected to be given a promotion, but instead he got a shrapnel in his head. You might guess who I am, but I can insure you that I know him well, because we were in the same squad since enlisting into the army, and by the way we were in that hospital at the same time too.

Now he has a nice factory and living in a wonderful family of his nephew, but sometimes, I think, he is wondering why he was so inconsiderate about his abilities and knowledge, and wasted them in the army, instead of his own family. I guess he has the answer to that, but it will be better if you don't ask him.

Social Talk. Text 107.

The one with arguing.

Finding a way out in arguing could be hard if your opponent is your relative. Especially if it's your spouse. Having started a quarrel with spouse you doom yourself to a long and severe dialogue, because you really know each other, therefore can use a bunch of arguments that no one else knows. Not to have such situation, you must choose proper words and know exactly how to act. That's why I bring you a list of recommendations based on my own experience.

Diana's problem solving list. Short version.

Around nineteen years ago my parents were arguing whether to break up or not, and suddenly they come up with idea of having a baby. In other words - me. I know it sounds weird, but I never wanted them to change their mind that day.

Another good example happened when I was five. Parents were unable to decide which school I should enlist. It was a huge argue, but when it seemed to have been impossible to stop them, my mother said that she loved us too much to continue arguing, and she proposed my father to choose a school instead. In the end they were asking me which one I liked the most, and completely forgot to argue.

Last big quarrel I remember, was about Stephanie's drinking habit. Finally dad got used to avoid her by staging huge battles with uncle Martin's soldiers, in the garage.

Of course there were some minor quarrels after that, but I never heard them yelling ever again, and I guess the reason we became a real family, is that we wanted to be one, we never stoped loving each other.

Social Talk. Text 106.

The one with letter from Stanley.

... (in the end of the letter)

Having thought about my future occupation made me think of money like of something irrelevant, and I'll try to explain why.

I was aiming Peace Corps since I was ten, after I first saw it on TV. I knew that I would need not only my will, but also a hefty bag of diverse knowledge to be in it. Having this in mind, I enrolled every evening class I could find, and since my mother was divorced, and my bigger brother Matt just entered University, my classes were supposed to be free of charge.

In four years I've managed to finish nineteen classes, such as hiking in Tundra, bandaging for newbie, first aid without first aid kit, especially hard one - making fire under rain, and a dozen of others. Now I know, that without them I would quit my post less than in a year, but, to be honest, now I know a better way of helping people.

A young man from headquarters, name Ashton, visited our camp in Peru last week. I recognised him at once, cause I saw him in the hall of some large corporation, which we were asking for donation. An expensive suit, a leather suitcase, a golden watch, all this was gone now, but what he got instead, is just a odd smirk of a guy who thinks he knows what he's doing. He quit his job, and thinks he did a noble thing. I wish he still had it, maybe he could have helped us get a donation. My dreams never come true, at least I've got what I wanted. Wish me luck.

Your brother Stanley.

P.S. Can you send me some cheese. Haven't eaten it for ages.

Social Talk. Text 105.

The one with bald date.

Have you ever had a blind date? Probably you would say no, cause blind dating is a tricky thing, and most of the people avoid it because of obscurity it has. I guess you have to know at least something about person you'll be dating, or you can find yourself in a situation, when you would want to be strolling alone, instead of having such date.

If having a blind date, taught you a lesson, you might try to use modern technologies, in another word social network, to meet your sole mate. Those, who used to live in social networks, upload hundreds of photos each month, hence to know this person like his friends do, you are not even obliged to be introduced.

The above mentioned is good only for breaking eye contact, but if you want to find yourself a partner, you must see each other in person. Without it you'd never know that he is bald because of allergy on human hair, or that she is taller than you by a head. What would you do in such situation? I guess you'd just pretend asking time, and then run away.

There are plenty of ways to meet a person you want, but to make such meeting successful, you should be not only confident, but you also must be yourself. You'll succeed only if you take off any mask you used to wear.

no social talks for a while..

Last week we had "newcomers", two Americans from World Race. That's why we didn't have to write social talks for the time they were present at the classes, cause spending one third of a class to check our "socials" could have been a waste of time.

Social Talk. Text 104.

The one with lonely geek.

Loneliness itself is not what we should be afraid of, cause being lonely actually doesn't mean anything. One day you are lonely, next day you might have a dozen of friends. What we really should be afraid of, and what is more important, what we should understand is the reason of our loneliness.

If you are good at studying, you might have only one nerd friend and be completely happy about it, but it can be totally different situation if being a geek makes you unhappy. In this case, I guess, you are trying to unite two almost incompatible features in one man. You cannot be brainy and have high social activity at the same time. Of course I mean usual kind of activities like parties, movies and hiking with non geeks.

It's a real problem for highly intelligent, but not so good looking boy to find a girl he wants. Often it's not because they are on different sides of a road called life, but because the boy is looking on a wrong side. I guess it may be the problem of all unhappy people, they just don't know what they are looking for, hence they are trying to follow the path of the majority.

Such situation is not the a rare one, even though it's a little bit controversial. I mean how can you be smart and alone at the same time? Although this is world we living in, and to be happy you must be not only smart, but try to be a wise person as well.

Social Talk. Text 103.

The one with music.

All of them are the same. They have proposed me limousines, corsages and even champagne, which is interesting, but their lines have no difference, besides the name. Boys can be so boring. Why Eric had to use exact words that Lori said yesterday? It made his proposal bleak and meaningful just like Lori himself, even though Eric is cute. I guess if no ask follows with at least different lines, I won't go at all. Who wants to spend a prom with bad made replica of a prince on white horse?

..evening..

I have thought that previous proposals were bad, but another three calls in two hours made me change my mind. I even can't imagine what the last one was hoping for, having dialed my number. I guess now he wishes that I would forget his name and how he looks. I bet it wouldn't be hard.

When phone rang again, I thought that such conversations even might be funny, if I hadn't tried to be serious, so I decided to try this.

- Hello.

- Hi, it's Charlie. I just wanted to ask you. Would you go to the prom with me? But I must warn you to wear comfortable shoes. Five block it's not big a deal, but anyway kicks will kill you.

- Are you going to go there? Aren't you supposed to book a limo?

- I don't really like limo, but we can take bus number sixty two. It will drop us right next to the venue.

- I don't really like proms Charles. I'd better stay at home.

- Come on Di. You know what, I will even let you listen my iPod.

(P.S. Charles is a friend of Diana from Social Talk 17. They used to work on uncle Martin's factory. And sometimes they were listening the music, sharing headphones from a single iPod that Diana had.)

Social Talk. Text 102.

The one with the best years.

Which year could have been the best? I guess no one can give you a sheer answer to such question. Cause picking one year, you make other look less happier, but how this could be true. How could you even compare your kindergarten play-yard with your school hiking trip? How can you measure your first travel abroad or your first love? It will be something like five pounds, six meters and four degrees in total. Nice comparison.

Having thought about my life, made me remember every tiny detail from each year, that had made it special. Like my first bicycle ride, or my first broken leg, like my graduation, or my birthday party. And what is interesting, although none of those events are the same, they are quite equal in happiness level they had produced. And what is curious, if I hadn't been asked such question, I might have never understood that my best years are each one of my actual years.

And this means that life itself is the happiest thing that might happen with someone. Though you never know what lies behind next corner of your life, you can be sure that your life - is your happiness. And one of the keys to success - is sharing your happiness with people.

Social Talk. Text 101.

The one with cheating.

Actually, cheating is nothing, till it harms somebody in some way. Single persons life is insignificant to society and if someone had cheated more in one's childhood, I guess it wouldn't have influenced a lot of people. Maybe relatives, friends, and that's all. Cause most of child's cheating, if it were, was only about studying. Cheating for taking one grade higher, for example. Usually you would have got A instead of B, if you had cheated properly, but at the same time cheating might be your expelling.

Children's cheating isn't so harmful, but if being a child you hadn't stopped cheating, then adulthood cheating might be your worth nightmare. There will be nobody to take your responsibilities, because everyone has their own duties, and they simply don't have time to help you. If you are a hard-working kind of person, and you don't have to cheat, than probably, you must have studied well at your school days.

But what about those who are not so clever in ordinary stuff, but still have a high ranking position in society. What is interesting if you want to be on such place, you must be completely different person. Cause knowing how to rule people doesn't oblige you to know math.

Yet mistakes of such people, and what is worth, their purposeful cheating can have way bigger consequences. A factory manager money cheating can impact not only factory's reputation but also workers safety, who can die due to lack of new breathing mask for instance. In general, the more power you have, the more responsibility is behind your decisions. And I hope that phrase “Once a cheater – always a cheater” is not about you, or at least you should think about it.

Social Talk. Text 100.

Social Talk. Number one hundred.

Having written previous social talks gave me a lot of experience in both writing it quick and writing it properly. At the NewTone we're constantly increasing our skills not only by learning English grammar, but also by using no Russian language at all. And this means that we're talking a lot at our two hour classes, which leaves you a little room for your future social talk. But such situation has two contraries in it.

If we hadn't talked about our current unit topic a lot enough, we wouldn't have learned it properly, but when we had, we might have got a social talk that looked like a reflection of our previous lesson. Which is no so bad, cause we've been using learned grammar and words. But still, having written social talk with nothing but what we were discussing, made me understand that it could have been better.

Then our third week in NewTone had started and I invented the easiest way to avoid such annoyance of mine. Having faced another social story task, forced me to invent whole new way of writing them. In that day Longsters family had been born. It has been truly long story that helped me through all my talks. I've got a family that could survive almost everything, diseases and parting, hurricanes and fires, traveling to another countries and so on.

But there was one tiny issue. Having got so diverse life from me, they also have got quite unmanageable main storyline. And it became just like in any kind of a story, main character would have exploded, if it had been a real human.

Thats why now it's not more than previous social talks, and I guess I have to adjust my writing, in order no to be annoyed by it. Cause writing social talks is fun that I cannot miss.

Social Talk. Text 99.

The one with child development.

Having chosen your future child traits, you would probably wonder, what should you do to make that huge list became real?

That's obvious, you might think at first, all you need is just couple of sport or dance sections, and it'll be done. But what will happen when you face a fact that your child wants to be a tailor, for example, if you are a plummer in fifteenth generation?

I guess you will be shocked at your own reactions. Such as: "you will do what I said", "this is not for boys", or even "you will quit it immediately". Often we're selfish in such descisions, cause when we picked something for our child, we think it'll be the best thing to learn, and we'll never drop that line. Even despite constant argues and quarrels. Most vise thing to do for a child in such situation - is to obey parents will, and learn how to play this ridiculously large violin.

But if you are not sure what will be more suitable for your kid, it's probably better not to act at all. And if you heir is interested in some kind of activity, someday your son will say that he is singed into theater section in his school, or your daughter will ask money for the new drawing equipment for her painting section. But what is more important, it will be child's own choice, and if it doesn't make the job, at least it might be used as a good life experience of making right decisions.

Previously depicted options are not mandatory, and even more, they are not as good as the last one left. Be a friend to your child. Knowing and understanding younger generation needs might be difficult, but only to those who belong to strict or not confident parents. If you are a friend with your kid, you will know his needs, or her requests, and when it comes to a decision dance or culinary classes, you won't have any doubts.

Social Talk. Text 98.

The one with child’s traits.

Talking of a future child traits, we usually trying to describe ourselves, but with little tan of perfection. Which is good, but has nothing to do with reality. Because child, that had been grown in such way, gets not only oneself's inevitable flows, but also parental flows and mistakes they had been collecting for all their lives.

A reckless father will never bring up considerate and thoughtful son, unless he has enough courage to isolate child from his recklessness. And a candid and honest mother probably wouldn't have arrogant and boastful daughter.

With this in mind, I guess children must be obedient till certain age. But then parents should prepare them for living the nest, cause it's crucial for young person that wants to became an adult someday. That's why child must first of all be self-sufficient, and independent in ones decisions, since some so called adults keep calling parents in any kind of a problem or obstacle they have faced.

As you know, generous people are happier and healthier then their greedy fellows, that's why you should teach your future child how to be benevolent and liberal(free from superstitions) person, whos friends and family can always rely on. And you certainly will be in need for some help when you aer in your mid eighties.

But in spite of having all those soft features, you want your child to be strong in order to be ready for real life, and that's why usually people forget about the most important, about their child’s choices. Cause raising a child we never actually accepting a fact that teenager who had occupied one of your rooms is mature enough. Parents will never think their child is anything besides just a child.

Social Talk. Text 97.

The one with features.

Modern society is all about money. It can tell us that it's not true, but it is.

Because when we talk about green, environment friendly development, it means we need to spend billions of dollars to decrease CO2 emission. But at the same time we will have doubled CO2 emission because of new factories that trying to build new, more efficient and greener hardware. And it's just top of an iceberg. People are easily manipulated, and the weaker they are, the easily it can be done.

That's why feature number one for modern people is to be strong. Not with strength, but with will. You must have your own opinion, and you must use it. And when I say own, it means truly yours. Taking others opinion as your own is pointless, it makes your almost a slave. Developing, or better to say, finding your own opinion is not so hard, but it leads us to it's base - decisions.

Even a sheer decision of buying a yogurt requires some understanding from you. When does it expire, for example. But what about long term perspective? What if you find yourself faced buying a flat? Or just selecting right faculty before entering university. Or simple deciding whether to start going out with somebody or not. In fact any kind of taken responsibility implies thinking of it.

That's why thinking, I guess, is second most valuable feature that modern people must have. People that blindly follow others are useless to the society. Modern youth should have at least those two traits, in order to be appreciated by others and first of all be content with itself.

There are a lot of other good qualities, such as generosity, honesty, bravery and others, but they are not must, they will be, if you have both thinking ability, and strength to use your brain as your guide.

Social Talk. Text 96.

The one with happiness.

Making somebody happy is a hard, but yet possible task. Cause despite being selfish we're bound to be surrounded by others. If you try to avoid meeting people, you will understand how miserable you can be without them, or it might be beyond your level of comprehension. It depends.

What is interesting, usually we can tell what we would like happening to make our day. But what could have made it yesterday? What would your answer be, if you were asked it now? What could have made your day?

Sofie. Twenty one. - He had denied loving me when I asked him, but I know he does. I just wish he had guts to tell me.
Evan. Eleven. - Dad promised me spending whole day with him, but he was at work till dark. Wish he was fired.
Trevor. Ninety six. - I was eager about kissing Dora, but she doesn't quit smoking, so I just hugged her instead. I wish she had given up smoking.
July. - Day seemed to be alright. Everybody had social talk, remembered all the words, and even managed answering all the questions without hesitation. I wish every day were like yesterday.
Simon. Nine. - I wish I avoided that big woman in the pool, because enjoying underwater swimming, I closed my eyes.
Ben. One year old. - I liked mommy smiling at me. Let she does it again, or I could start crying accidentally.

As you can see there are plenty of things to be happy with, and I'm sure there is always one special that can make you happy in any day.

Social Talk. Text 95.

The one with hair problem.

Last thing I remember was a bright light, engulfing me, then I collapsed. Strange, squeak sound woke me up. I was sitting in a chair, in a vast, dim lit room. After my eyes have adapted a little to the brightness level, I've understood that there is a human like creature in front of me.

It, or probably he, was 7 feet height, and his appearance was rather awkward, but not frightening at all. While he was approaching me I managed to take a closer look. His skin has captured my attention with it's pure white color and with no sing of any kind of hair on it.

His soft, jelly like, chubby hands and legs were inch by inch moving him towards me. And in a minute I already could see his his huge round face with petite beady eyes. There were no eyebrows whatsoever. But what has shocked me, that neither creatures lopsided nose, nor his smiling mouth, that I have seen from the distance, were there. I understood that it must have been flickering light reflection, but nothing else. Cold sweat has covered me in a matter of a seconds.

But then lights were turned on, and I was astonished by what I saw. Instead of narrowing, his eyes widened, revealing one by one three different irises, violet, navy blue and light green, followed by a raven black pupil. What was funny, is that this strange, unhuman, layered iris structure hasn't been strictly connected with pupil, they were moving separately. Freaky.

Next moment creatures silk white skin became translucent. I gasped. Behind skin surface, behind some floating colored spots and dots, I could clearly see a face. Smiling face of a receding man.

NewTone second year.

We just started our second year in NewTone. Hope it would be as fun as the first one.

Social Talk. Text 94.

Holiday.

- Hello Helen, how's Hawaiian honeymoon? How's Howard?

- Hey Hannah. Honestly, happiest honeymoon history has had. Humble hotel, holy harbor, handsome husband.. however he has hurt his hand.

- How he handled honeymoon having his hand hurt?

- Hairy hotelkeeper Harry helped him. He had healing hemp.

- Huh..

- Howard hesitated, hence Harry hid his herb. However hand healed. He's happy.

- Heard Howard has hook hobby, hasn't he?

- He have hundred hooks, handmade hook hardware. Howard hired helicopter, heading herring's home - Hawaiian harbors. He had hooked huge herring heap.

- Happy holiday Helen.

- Highly happy, Hannah. Howard's hunting habit helped. Hunger hasn't had hotel's habitants.

- Hope holidays hadn't harm his heir hesitations.


- He's here - hanging. Hi husband. How's hunting?

- Hello honey. Hard hunt. Here's haul - hare, hamster.

- Hamsters holy here. Haven't heard?

- He hit Howard's hand, hate holy hamsters.

Social Talk. Text 60

FedEx.

Letter from Matt was unexpected surprise for his wife and daughter. They were exited and confused at the same time, they even could not moved. Just stayed beside mail box, reading.

Hello family! Sorry that I still didn't come, but I have to much work here. And if I was just a driver at the beginning, now I'm a little boss here. I have almost forty hands in my team. And it means not only big responsibility but great money also.

But what I meant to say, that I was on a Russian wedding. It was unbelievable. Two hundred people were invited, but i guess some brought friends with them, because it was massive. Bride was in a classic white wedding dress, but groom was in an awful crimson suit. Then began something barely understandable.

All people just gathered, when four buses arrived and took one half of them in one direction, and the other in opposite direction. They left me to watch over the drinks, and I watched them well.

In about an hour bride groom had returned, shouting: where is my bride? Do you saw her? Just after he passed, bride and a best man appeared, laughing. I don't quite understand why bride must be hidden, but they told that it's a tradition.

After that it was a reception, I guess. Can't remember it clearly to be honest. But it was fun, I guess.

That was truly a Russian wedding. And I didn't mention the rest of my life on purpose. Because I booked two tickets for you to Siberia.

Social Talk. Text 59

Couch potato.

It was another frustrating day for Wendy as a potato, she was exhausted, and barely moved her legs. It was hard to get to the couch. She almost managed to relax when Diana run into the living room.

- Mom, I've got another job! - she shouted happily, - I guess soon we'll be able to buy us a table.

Wendy was to tired to argue, therefore she just asked.

- Aren't you working at the uncle Martin's facility?

- Sure I am. But he needs me only twice a week, so I have plenty of free time for another job like this. And besides, I like it.

- And what are you supposed to do? - asked Wendy slowly.

- I'm not supposed, I'm already done. Just finished my first task and earn almost one hundred dollars. Could you believe that? - she was so exited, that Wendy didn't object, but give her a smile, though it was her last piece of will.

- I'm proud of you. - said Wendy, - And your dad will proud of you, I must admit I succeed as a parent. But anyway, what is your job about?

- I just finished creating invitation letters for wedding. It is a nice clean card with golden stripes over the edges, and a silvery branch of olive tree, some birds, flowers and text of course. But they loved it so much. It was just a beginning mom, I've got so many ideas about decorating a vine glasses or tiny golden embroideries on towels, or..

- Do you really want to do this? - Wendy interrupted her. - What about uncle Martin, he'll be upset if you quit him.

- I'm not going anywhere, - replied Diana, with slight anger, - you are not listening to me. I'm doing almost the same job at the factory, but here I have not only soldiers design to create, but whole wedding style. And I'm starting from invitation letters.

- I don't understand how you will handle it. Young couple spending one hundred dollars on, how many?, four cards?, you even couldn't imagine how expensive her dress is.

- I don't care about her dress. - said Diana, - All I want is to make a nice looking thing, which can make me proud of it. - Diana was shaking a little, her temper was rising.

- Pour girl, - said Wendy, - you will be making stuff for rich people. And we are not so rich, - she concluded, - sorry for that.

- You are not listening to me again! - cried Diana, - I don't care about their money, I want them to be happy, I want to make it with things made on my own. - and in a moment she was in her bedroom, while Wendy instantly fell asleep on the couch.

Social Talk. Text 58

In need.

- Listen Diana, - Wendy was to serious, and Diana stood still, silent, - I'm going for my new job, and I want you to make a dinner by yourself.

- But mom, you didn't tell me that you got a job.

- Yes I know that. I just wanted to be sure in it before telling about it. - Wendy paused for a moment. - Your father should be back in four month, he is working hard right now, and I don't want just sit here.

- So you didn't accept uncle Martin's job offer, and you've decided to find one by yourself. - Diana was not screaming, but her voice was a little bit higher than usual.

- Don't be angry, you perfectly know that I can't stand loud noise, so I've chosen a nice, quiet job for me. You'll never guess what is it.

- I'm so exited, - teased her Diana, - If you want you can tell me. But it will make no difference, uncle Martin will be upset because of you.

- Alright, - give up Wendy, - I'll tell you. I will be a potato. And I even got a costume. Look here. - She pulled Diana by her hand to the wardrobe.

It was huge. Diana was shocked by this so called costume. Almost two meters hight potato with black holes for nostrils and mouth.

- And what are you supposed to do in such a construction? - asked Diana.

- I'll be a salesman assistant, client attraction, advertisement and so on. - Wendy's voice now was less sure, and her daughter noticed it.

- Mom. Me and uncle Martin will clean that cabinet for you anyway. So if you like to work there, we will be glad to see you. Or you can wear this ridiculous potato suit, orange suit or you even can try a watermelon suit. I don't care.

- You don't understand, - said Wendy, - I must wear this suit, because without it, I'm nobody. You just can not be fried potato symbol in your ordinary attire, you must wear it.

Social Talk. Text 57

Vise choice, I guess.

- You won't believe it! - shouted Stephanie, when Wendy opened a door.

- What is it? - she asked calmly.

- Listen. I woke up today, and drink a glass of vine, as usual before breakfast. And then something happened. That glass, which I just placed at the table, spoke to me, it said:

- Pour me some more my dear.

- Hah? - said Wendy with questioning notes in her voice.

- Like I said, you don't believe me. But it was just half an hour ago, And I still remember talking to it.

- And what you were talking about? - asked Wendy.

- Listen. It told me that I would need another bottle of vine for a breakfast, because he was thirsty. And guess what, I actually had an intention to buy another one. Do you understand what that means?

- That you are totally crazy. - supposed Wendy.

- No. - cried Stephanie, - I'm already know that. Don't you get it? They mixed something in that bottle. Some kind of drug, so I would became an addict, so I would buy only their stuff.

- So you don't believe that voice was real, do you? - asked Wendy carefully.

- I'm sure it was just a projection of my thoughts caused by that drug in the vine. - summed up Stephanie.

- And what will you do about it? - asked Wendy in hope for the good answer.

- Isn't it obvious? - she was irritated, but replied. - I'll never buy this stuff ever again.

- It's wonderful! - said Wendy with a great relief. - I've been dreaming for this since I met you.

- Are you kidding? - Stephanie was quite confused. - Were you really dreaming that I would change my vine preference to another company? If so, you could just ask.

Social Talk. Text 56

Get rid of it.

- Wake up, Diana. - said Wendy through the door. - It's time to sell some stuff.
- But mom, - she replied in a moody voice, - you said that we would start it about ten o'clock.
- I forgot to mention, that we'd need to put out all that rubbish from our basement.
- Stop. - shouted Diana at once. - It's not a rubbish, and if you want to sell stuff, not only get rid of it, you should listen to me, but not to your friend.

Wendy's face got (has) such an expression like she was about to torn in two halves. She told nothing, just left the room with same expression still on her face.

One and a half hour later, Wendy and Stephanie were carrying last items to the yard, where Diana was finishing her preparations for the weekend sale. Like placing some real old stuff in an ancient section table, or like putting tea supplies on the granny sale table. Every item had caption with short description on it and a tag. Prices were quite expensive. But it was good practice to bargain on such yard markets.

Kinda new and good looking items were tied to the real rubbish with label on it reads: Two items by fifty percent discount. For example she placed bright painted tea cup on top of the some burned brick, just in case someone would try to buy it on scales. One dollar for one kilo.

There were also few simple rules on Diana's sale. Like each customer with three or more items, will receive special gift. Or those who'll bring another buyer, will have to pay only half of the cost. And so on.

- Nice try Diana. - said Stephanie calmly. - But you'll never sell anything, or you simply won't have any profit. I can guarantee it.

Diana open her mouth to reply, but she was interrupted by a neighbor boy, who was holding some kind of lamp with an airplane model attached to it.

- Do you have any more of them? - said boy with slight shy in his voice.
- Sure we have, - answered Diana quickly. - And we also have unassembled models. Would you like to see it?

Young boy nodded.

After that neither Stephanie, nor Wendy said nothing to her, in order not to interrupt her selling combo.

Social Talk. Text 55

Dream job.

There are a lot of jobs which can make you happy. For example you can be a race driver, if your devotion is racing, or you can be some kind of office manager, but you'll get plenty of free time, beside your duty, for your happiness. Or it can be simply: "Watch this island, this piece of heaven on Earth, and we'll make you rich." But those jobs are for one person only, and there will be no other, who'll receive profit from it, except you.

My job is different. It also makes me happy, but at the same time it can make you happy too. Because my job - is to supply happiness to the people. You can call me happiness assistant, but usually they call me just assistant, because I'll try my best to make you happy.

My rules are simple. One month - one client. All that you can, is send me an email with request, and hope that I'll choose you. And we make no exceptions. Because I'm not God, I can't make whole world happy. Even with one person per day, it will be only tiny town of happy people for my entire life. That's why every year I choose another follower, who'll try to act as I do.

As for myself, I knew exactly what I'll do in next four years. This is tight schedule I must say. I tried to stop doing it, but I can't. It keeps me alive, and there is only one thing that could change it. This is true love, but I didn't find it yet...

Essay by Diana Longster.
Mark: B+

Social Talk. Text 54

Nice job.

- Can you believe it? He asked me whether I wanted higher salary or not. - Matt's voice was to loud, so even Diana sneak to listen.

- Wendy, I was speechless when he asked me if I would sign a contract. I know that we need money for our debt and for Diana's education, but those contracts are all the same. And Steve is still digging in the Siberia.

Wendy was silent, and Matt continued.

- He insisted that I had to take this contract and show it to you, he also asked if you could read it as yours.

- I'll try. - Wendy replied, taking the papers.

She browsed it for a minute or two, then her eyes have widened , and she shouted.

- Ten month. And they still asking you if you had been thinking about profit. - then she probably moved to the next line, because her eyes became like an owl has.

- Matt, I guess we should discuss it with Diana, because numbers that I saw here are impressive.

Matt nodded.

- You act exactly as I did.

- I've heard everything. - told Diana from behind the conner. - And I also understand this is a chance to improve our life.

- And finally repair a house. - Matt added cheerfully.

- But dad, will you visit us at least once in a month?

- I'll ask them if they could let me go for a day in a month. - Finished Matt.

Next day at the same time he was precisely above Paris.

Social Talk. Text 53

Curious case of basement boasting.


- Dad, there is some man on the phone, he's asking you. - Diana cried as loud as she could.

- I'm in the basement. And I barely hear you. - Mat's voice was echoing through the house, but Diana managed to understand where it's source was.

- Hold on a second. - She told to a man on the phone. - Dad says that he is in a basement. I'll pass him phone in a minute.

- Take your time, - unknown man said, - I'm not in hurry.

In a few seconds Diana was near the basement entrance, which was made as a hole in the storeroom's floor.

- Are you there? - she shouted into the dark passage. - There is one man on the phone, he said he wanted to talk with you. Can you take it?

- I can't at the moment, sorry. Could you ask who is it? - Mat's speech was tense and nervous.

- Hello. Dad is busy at the moment, and he asks who is calling?

- This is Kent, from his work. Can you then tell him: "We will be at the same place at nine. And here I have Stan with me. He says that he'll miss your stake, if you don't come."

Diana was little confused, but she answered as politely as she could.

- I'll try to pass words to him. - then she covered phone with her palm, and screamed into the darkness. - Dad! He asked me to pass some words to you, but could you answer him by yourself?

- Sorry Diana, I'm painting a wall here, and I'm a little bit murky.

- OK then. He said they would be at the same place at nine. And there he has Stan with him. And Stan said that he would miss your stake, if you didn't come.

- Thanks Diana. - Matt said. - Sorry for trouble, but I have one last word. Up there rules have been changed. And we can't go there any more. He'll understand.

- Are you still there? - Diana asked. - He told that rules had been changed up there. And you couldn't go there anymore. He said you would understand. And I can't stand it anymore either, so goodbye.