I'm doing a little survey to find out more about ALE listeners. There are just four tiny questions. It will only take a minute or two, and will help me a LOT! Please check it out. Thanks, Cooper

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Season 3 Episode 9

Thank you for downloading this episode.

👉The story begins at 01:43 and the tiny lessons begin at 13:51

👉You can find the transcript after the Credits!

👉Visit our website to download the Podcast User's Manual and find out more! https://alittleenglish.com/

A Little English is written, produced, recorded, edited, mixed, mastered and scored by Edward Cooper Howland.

All stories are either in the public domain, or written by me.

Copyright 2023 Edward Cooper Howland

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TRANSCRIPT:

Hi. My name is Cooper, and this is…A Little English. Every episode, I read a short story. After the story, there are three tiny lessons.

Hey so, welcome back everyone. Sorry about the delay, but as you know, I’m in the middle of moving across the country and starting my dream job. So at least for the rest of April, you can expect a story every two weeks, not every week. I’d like to write more, but there’s just no time.

Also, this is the last story I will record in my studio in Hiroshima. Next weekend, everything will go in a moving van to Chiba, and I will start building my new studio. Very exciting. But also quite sad. I’ve been in this room for four or five years now, and I love it here.

Oh well, on to the story

The name of this story is, “Toxic”

“Okay, so, everyone, this is Paul. He’s going to be working part-time for us, mostly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Can you introduce yourself to everyone? Tell us a little bit about yourself?”

Paul shifted his weight from foot to foot and coughed a little. He was not prepared for this.

“Uh, yeah. I’m Paul. I’m from Wellesley originally, and actually I grew up going to this shop. I just finished college in California, and now I’m back East. So, uh, I don’t know. I have a boyfriend who lives in the city? My favorite author is…Octavia Butler? I dunno. I’m really excited to be here.”

The staff gave a polite clap and welcomed him. He learned six or seven names and forgot them almost immediately. Finally the manager pointed to a young woman and said, “This is Amber. She’s gonna show you around.”

Amber nodded at Paul. “Come on then. Let’s get going.”

She led him around the store. “This is the kids’ section. Dr. Seuss, whatever. Just keep everything organized, maybe you’ll have to clean up some puke sometimes. Here’s fiction, non-fiction, science-fiction. You said you’ve been here before?”

“Yeah,” replied Paul. “I used to come here when I was a kid.”

“So did I,” said Amber. “I used to come with my mom. It hasn’t really changed that much. It even smells the same.” It smelled like paper and coffee. Like every bookstore smells.

Amber showed him around the different sections, and introduced him to the computer system. Then she said, “Let’s go down to the basement.”

She led him through a door marked “Staff” and down some stairs. There, surrounded by stacks of cardboard boxes full of books, she stopped him.

“Listen…Paul?”

“Yeah, Paul.”

“You have to be a little more careful in this place.”

“I’m sorry?”

“You can’t just tell everyone everything about yourself. They’ll use it against you. You have to be a little more secret at first. This whole place...