Modul 5: Story 57 A Dirty Mess
Video 01 Story Presentation 01.
Video 02 Story Presentation 02.
Audio 01 The story
A Dirty Mess
Reggie, the plumber, has a heart of gold: he is most helpful and generous. He never quite knows how to tell people when he doesn’t want to do something for fear that they wouldn’t like him for it, so he puts others first and swallows his pride.
Everybody loved Reggie at work, but his boss, George, definitely did not. Reggie didn’t know why, but George had always hated him and never missed an opportunity to shout orders at Reggie in a condescending tone. Reggie’s co-workers saw this and felt sorry for him, but nobody confronted George for fear that they could be fired.
One day, Reggie had enough. George had been moaning at him relentlessly all week. He was thinking about quitting his job until he overheard that George had booked a plumber, a colleague of his, to fix the toilet in his home. Coincidentally, George was hosting a party the next day, so it needed to be fixed as soon as possible. Reggie begged his co-worker for the job who gladly obliged.
When Reggie had arrived at George’s huge house, he set his tools down and began working on the toilet. After about 20 minutes of tinkering, Reggie left the premises with a huge smile on his face.
The next day at the party, George’s toilet overflowed with sewage and a rather violent smell. He was mortified and knew straight away that Reggie must have tampered with the pipes for such a flood to occur. Filled with rage, he stormed into the office the next day.
“Reggie, you are fired!” he boomed.
“Good. I can’t stand this job!” Reggie yelled back at George.
When his co-workers heard Reggie had been dismissed, they stood up for him and told George about all the kind things he had done for them. George had compassion and gave Reggie his job back.
Video 03 Simple statements
Audio 02 Simple statements
1. Reggie – plumber
2. extremely generous
3. Reggie – not really know – how to tell people – not want to do something
4. worried – people – not like him for it
5. Everybody loved Reggie – work
6. His boss, George – always hated him
7. always shouted orders – Reggie – condescending tone
8. Reggie’s colleagues – saw it
9. not stand up – him
10. remained silent
11. One day – Reggie had enough
12. thinking – quitting his job
13. overheard – George – book plumber – one of his colleagues – repair toilet – his home
14. George – hosting party – next day
15. his toilet – needed urgent fix
16. Reggie managed – get the job – co-worker
17. arrived – George’s house
18. began working – toilet
19. finished job – about 20 minutes
20. left premises – broad smile – face
21. next day – at party – George’s toilet overflowed – sewage
22. overpowering smell – filled house
23. George knew – Reggie must have tampered – pipes
24. filled – rage
25. stormed into office – next day
26. “Reggie – you – fired!” – boomed
27. “Good. – can’t stand – job!” Reggie darted back – George
28. Reggie’s co-workers heard – he – dismissed
29. stood up – him
30. George had compassion
31. gave Reggie – position – back
Audio 05-6 Story versions
The story (version A)
Reggie, who is a plumber, is extremely generous but doesn’t really know how to tell people that he doesn’t want to do something and is worried that people wouldn’t like him for it. Everybody loved Reggie at work except his boss, George, who had not only always hated him but always shouted orders at him in a condescending tone as well.
Although Reggie’s colleagues saw it, they didn’t stand up for him; instead, they remained silent. However, one day, Reggie had enough. He was thinking about quitting his job when he overheard that George had booked a plumber, one of his colleagues, to repair the toilet in his home.
Because George was hosting a party the next day, his toilet needed an urgent fix. Reggie managed to get the job from his co-worker and after arriving at George’s house, he began working on the toilet. Finishing his job in about 20 minutes, Reggie left the premises with a broad smile on his face.
The next day at the party, however, George’s toilet overflowed with sewage, which filled the house with an overpowering smell. George knew that Reggie must have tampered with the pipes. Filled with rage, he stormed into the office the next day. “Reggie, you are fired!” he boomed, but Reggie darted back at George saying that he couldn’t stand the job.
When Reggie’s co-workers heard that he had been dismissed, they finally stood up for him. In the end, George had compassion and gave Reggie his position back.
The story (version B)
Reggie is a plumber and is extremely generous. Reggie doesn’t really know how to tell people that he doesn’t want to do something, so he is worried that people wouldn’t like him for it. Everybody loved Reggie at work but his boss, George, who had always hated him.
He had always shouted orders at Reggie in a condescending tone which his colleagues saw but instead of standing up for him, they remained silent. One day Reggie had enough, and while thinking about quitting his job, he overheard that George had booked a plumber, one of his colleagues, to repair the toilet in his home.
As George was hosting a party the next day, his toilet needed an urgent fix. Reggie managed to get the job from his co-worker. Having arrived at George’s house, he began working on the toilet which he finished in about 20 minutes and left the premises with a broad smile on his face.
The next day at the party, George’s toilet overflowed with sewage. Moreover, an overpowering smell filled the house. George, knowing that Reggie must have tampered with the pipes, stormed into the office the next day, filled with rage and boomed, “Reggie, you are fired!”
“Good. I can’t stand this job!” Reggie darted back at George.
When hearing that he had been dismissed, Reggie’s co-workers stood up for him which made George have compassion and give Reggie his position back.