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dictation01

ShortStory:

'APairofSilkStockings'byKateChopin

Foraday,apoormotherhasatasteofthegoodlife.Transcriptofradiobroadcast:

04September2009

Now,theVOASpecialEnglishprogram,AMERICANSTORIES.

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Ourstorytodayiscalled"APairofSilkStockings."ItwaswrittenbyKateChopin.HereisBarbaraKleinwiththestory.

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STORYTELLER:

LittleMissusSommersonedayfoundherselftheunexpectedowneroffifteendollars.Itseemedtoheraverylargeamountofmoney.Thewayitfilledupherwornmoneyholdergaveherafeelingofimportancethatshehadnotenjoyedforyears.

Thequestionofinvestmentwasonesheconsideredcarefully.Foradayortwoshewalkedaroundinadreamystateasshethoughtaboutherchoices.Shedidnotwishtoactquicklyanddoanythingshemightregret.Duringthequiethoursofthenightshelayawakeconsideringideas.

AdollarortwocouldbeaddedtothepricesheusuallypaidforherdaughterJanie'sshoes.Thiswouldguaranteetheywouldlastagreatdeallongerthanusual.Shewouldbuyclothfornewshirtsfortheboys. HerdaughterMagshouldhaveanotherdress.Andstilltherewouldbeenoughleftfornewstockings—twopairsperchild.Whattimethatwouldsaveherinalwaysrepairingoldstockings!

Theideaofherlittlefamilylookingfreshandnewforonceintheirlivesmadeherrestlesswithexcitement.

Theneighborssometimestalkedofthe"betterdays"thatlittleMissusSommershadknownbeforeshehadeverthoughtofbeingMissusSommers.Sheherselfneverlookedbacktoheryoungerdays.Shehadnotimetothinkaboutthepast.Theneedsofthepresenttookallherenergy.

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MissusSommersknewthevalueoffindingthingsforsaleatreducedprices.Shecouldstandforhoursmakingherwaylittlebylittletowardthedesiredobjectthatwassellingbelowcost.Shecouldpushherwayifneedbe.

Butthatdayshewastiredandalittlebitweak.Shehadeatenalightmeal—no!

Shethoughtaboutherday.Betweengettingthechildrenfedandthehousecleaned,andpreparingherselftogoshopping,shehadforgottentoeatatall!

Whenshearrivedatthelargedepartmentstore,shesatinfrontofanemptycounter.Shewastryingtogatherstrengthandcouragetopushthroughamassofbusyshoppers.Sherestedherhanduponthecounter.

Sheworenogloves.Sheslowlygrewawarethatherhandhadfeltsomethingverypleasanttotouch.Shelookeddowntoseethatherhandlayuponapileofsilkstockings.Asignnearbyannouncedthattheyhadbeenreducedinprice.Ayounggirlwhostoodbehindthecounteraskedherifshewishedtoexaminethesilkylegcoverings.

Shesmiledasifshehadbeenaskedtoinspectdiamondjewelrywiththeaimofpurchasingit.Butshewentonfeelingthesoft,costlyitems.Nowsheusedbothhands,holdingthestockingsuptoseethelightshinethroughthem.

Tworedmarkssuddenlyshowedonherpaleface.Shelookedupattheshopgirl.

"Doyouthinkthereareanysizeeights-and-a-halfamongthese?

"

Therewereagreatnumberofstockingsinhersize.MissusSommerschoseablackpairandlookedatthemclosely.

"Adollarandninety-eightcents,"shesaidaloud."Well,Iwillbuythispair."

Shehandedthegirlafivedollarbillandwaitedforherchangeandthewrappedboxwiththestockings.Whataverysmallboxitwas!

Itseemedlostinherwornoldshoppingbag.

MissusSommersthentooktheelevatorwhichcarriedhertoanupperfloorintotheladies'restarea. Inanemptycorner,shereplacedhercottonstockingsforthenewsilkones.

Forthefirsttimesheseemedtobetakingarestfromthetiringactofthought.Shehadletherselfbecontrolledbysomemachine-likeforcethatdirectedheractionsandfreedherofresponsibility.

Howgoodwasthetouchofthesilkonherskin!

Shefeltlikelyingbackinthesoftchairandenjoyingtherichnessofit.Shedidforalittlewhile.Thensheputhershoesbackonandputheroldstockingsintoherbag.Next,shewenttotheshoedepartment,satdownandwaitedtobefitted.

Theyoungshoesalesmanwasunabletoguessaboutherbackground.Hecouldnotresolveherworn,oldshoeswithherbeautiful,newstockings.Shetriedonapairofnewboots.

Sheheldbackherskirtsandturnedherfeetonewayandherheadanotherwayasshelookeddownattheshiny,pointedboots.Herfootandanklelookedverylovely.Shecouldnotbelievethattheywereapartofherself.Shetoldtheyoungsalesmanthatshewantedanexcellentandstylishfit.Shesaidshedidnotmindpayingextraaslongasshegotwhatshedesired.

Afterbuyingthenewboots,shewenttotheglovedepartment.ItwasalongtimesinceMissusSommershadbeenfittedwithgloves.Whenshehadboughtapairtheywerealways"bargains,"socheapthatitwouldhavebeenunreasonabletohaveexpectedthemtobefittedtoherhand.

Nowsherestedherarmonthecounterwheregloveswereforsale.Ayoungshopgirldrewasoft,leathergloveoverMissusSommers'shand.Shesmootheditdownoverthewristandbuttoneditneatly. Bothwomenlostthemselvesforasecondortwoastheyquietlypraisedthelittleglovedhand.

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Therewereotherplaceswheremoneymightbespent.Astoredownthestreetsoldbooksandmagazines.MissusSommersboughttwocostlymagazinesthatsheusedtoreadbackwhenshehadbeenabletoenjoyotherpleasantthings.

Sheliftedherskirtsasshecrossedthestreet.Hernewstockingsandbootsandgloveshadworkedwondersforherappearance.Theyhadgivenherafeelingofsatisfaction,asenseofbelongingtothewell-dressedcrowds.

Shewasveryhungry.Anothertimeshewouldhaveignoredthedesireforfooduntilreachingherownhome.Buttheforcethatwasguidingherwouldnotpermithertoactonsuchathought.

Therewasarestaurantatthecorner.Shehadneverentereditsdoors. Shehadsometimeslookedthroughthewindows.Shehadnotedthewhitetablecloths,shiningglassesandwaitersservingwealthypeople.

Whensheentered,herappearancecreatednosurpriseorconcern,asshehadhalffeareditmight.

Sheseatedherselfatasmalltable.Awaitercameatoncetotakeherorder.Sheorderedsixoysters,achop,somethingsweet,aglassofwineandacupofcoffee. Whilewaitingtobeservedsheremovedherglovesveryslowlyandsetthembesideher.Thenshepickeduphermagazineandlookedthroughit.

Itwasallveryagreeable.Thetableclothswereevenmorecleanandwhitethantheyhadseemedthroughthewindow.Andthecrystaldrinkingglassesshinedevenmorebrightly.Therewereladiesandgentlemen,whodidnotnoticeher,lunchingatthesmalltableslikeherown.

Apleasingpieceofmusiccouldbeheard,andagentlewindwasblowingthroughthewindow.Shetastedabite,andshereadawordortwoandsheslowlydrankthewine.Shemovedhertoesaroundinthesilkstockings.Thepriceofitallmadenodifference.

Whenshewasfinished,shecountedthemoneyouttothewaiterandleftanextracoinonhistray.Hebowedtoherasifshewereaprincessofroyalblood.

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Therewasstillmoneyinherpurse,andhernextgifttoherselfpresenteditselfasatheateradvertisement.Whensheenteredthetheater,theplayhadalreadybegun. Shesatbetweenrichlydressedwomenwhoweretheretospendthedayeatingsweetsandshowingofftheircostlyclothing.Thereweremanyotherswhowerethereonlytowatchtheplay.

ItissafetosaytherewasnoonetherewhohadthesamerespectthatMissusSommersdidforhersurroundings.Shegatheredineverything—stageandplayersandpeople--inonewidesensation.Shelaughedandcriedattheplay.Sheeventalkedalittlewiththewomen.OnewomanwipedhereyeswithasmallsquareoflaceandpassedMissusSommersherboxofcandy.

Theplaywasover,themusicstopped,thecrowdflowedoutside.Itwaslikeadreamended.MissusSommerswenttowaitforthecablecar.

Amanwithsharpeyessatoppositeher. Itwashardforhimtofullyunderstandwhathesawinherexpression.Intruth,hesawnothing--unlesshewasamagician.Thenhewouldsenseherheartbreakingwishthatthecablecarwouldneverstopanywhere,butgoonandonwithherforever.

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ANNOUNCER:

Youhaveheardthestory"APairofSilkStockings"byKateChopin.YourstorytellerwasBarbaraKlein.  ThisstorywasadaptedandproducedbyDanaDemange.I'mJimTedder.ListenagainnextweekforanotherAmericanStoryinVOASpecialEnglish.