Gold - A story from Kitosdad.

[Kitosdad]

Alfred had seen it back there by the small bush just over the crest of the hill.
They had been walking through the woods on their usual Sunday ramble and Alfred, as usual, was leading the group.
Maybe it was the angle of the sun, or just luck, but Alfred had spied the unmistakable glitter of gold shining beside the bush.

He had said nothing and gave no sign that anything was untoward, but he knew that he was coming back here again, probably this evening, alone.
There was something gold lying there and he wanted it.

He knew that none of the others had seen it, otherwise they would have shouted out with glee.
They were all fools.
They would have taken it to the Police-station and allowed the careless owner to come and claim it.
Not Alfred, "finders keepers" was his motto.

He couldn't contain his hurry to get this walk finished.
He had things to do.
The others complained that he was walking too fast.
This was supposed to be a ramble, not a half-marathon race.

He smiled his apologies and slowed considerably.
"That's better,"came a whining voice from the rear of the group.
Alfred strode purposefully back toward the car-park on the moor. He was containing his anger and frustration as well as he possibly could.
This delay could be costing him a fortune.
What if another group were to find "his" gold?

Already his mind had conjured up his sole ownership of the treasure, and he imagined whatever it was to have many forms.
Perhaps it was gold coins from a long lost era, or maybe a robber from ancient times had hidden his hoard there and then been hanged without being able to tell another person as to it's hiding place.
Many scenarios flashed through his mind as he drove home.

He had decided to wait until it was dark before returning to the moors.
He was sure that he would be able to find the spot with no problem,as he had walked these moors on many occasions, and he felt confident in his ability to walk straight to the spot, even in semi-darkness.

He left home at midnight and it took about thirty minutes to reach the now empty car-park.
It certainly looked very different in the dark, nevertheless he set out at a brisk pace until he came to the crest of the bank. On the other side was the bush, which he recognised in the bright moonlight.

Not wanting to draw attention to his presence on the moor at this hour he had not used his torch, but now it was imperative to do so if he were to locate his gold.
He sheltered the beam by placing his half-open fingers across the lens.
There it was! Gleaming in the dry dust, half buried in the rock-hard soil beneath his feet.

He stooped and tried to prise it from the earth, but it was stuck fast. Perhaps it was a full bar of gold!
His pulse raced as he worked his fingers into the dry, hard earth.
It was no use, he would have to return to his car for the shovel that he had forgotten to bring in his haste to claim his prize.

He hastened back down the track and in his haste he tripped and fell heavily into a thorny tangle of bramble bushes.
He wanted to scream in alarm but he didn't for his voice would carry over long distances in the quiet of the moor.
Clawing his way back out of the bush he winced with pain as he tried to stand. He'd twisted his ankle.

It hurt so bad that he was unsure as to whether it was broken or not.
His greed got the better of him and he slowly hobbled back to the car.
He sat on the car bonnet and removed his boot and stocking.

The ankle was throbbing.
He couldn't believe his bad luck.
Trust this to happen just when he was on the brink of a rewarding find.

He replaced his stocking and boot.
The ankle had swollen even more and he had to leave the lace loosely tied otherwise he wouldn't be able to walk at all.
He opened the boot and removed the folding Army issue shovel that he'd bought from the surplus store many months ago.
He had always known that it would come in handy someday.

As he lowered the trunk-lid the shovel slipped from his grasp and fell blade down onto his uninjured foot.
The sharp blade sliced deeply into the thick Gore-Tex and also into his big toe.
This time he did scream.
The echo reverberated across the silent moor.

Now sweating profusely he removed his other boot and stocking to examine his foot. It didn't look, or feel, good.
His big toe was oozing blood and he staunched the flow with his handkerchief.
He tied it tightly around his toe and tried to put on his stocking and boot. He was unable to do so. The thick stocking wouldn't allow his foot back into the boot.

He opened the trunk once more and left his boot inside. He could walk like this. It wasn't too far to the bush.

After a crippling journey he finally reached the bush once more. Again he lit his torch and with the other hand he placed the blade of the shovel beneath the gold object of his desire.He levered gently on the shovel, but the gold removed to move. It was stuck fast.

Alfred was determined that he wouldn't give up at this point, but what was he to do?
He couldn't exert any pressure onto the shovel as both of his feet were throbbing with pain.
He sat on the moor and pondered his problem.

It was as he was deeply engrossed with this problem that the powerful beam illuminated his sorry figure.
It was two Police constables who had seen his light on the hillock and had decided to investigate it.

"Having trouble sir?," one asked.
Alfred was at a loss as to reply.
One of the constables looked at the shovel and at his futile attempt to cleave the dry soil.
"Been doing a little digging have we sir?," his colleague asked.
Again Alfred remained silent.

The constable placed the shovel into the soil and pressed down with all of his weight, and then levered upward,.
Alfred and both of the constables were amazed when a human head slowly came to the surface,
The mouth was gaping open, and a solitary gold tooth was revealed in the searching beam of the constables lamp.
"I think you have a bit of explaining to do sir," said the constable.

Kitos. Hoped you enjoyed it. Comments always welcome.
_________________
Keep it simple ... Keep it interesting.

[Kitosdad]

51 viewers and not a single attempt to record the story. My sole reason for writing so very many stories here on this thread was to persuade you all to use the voice recorder and thereby improve your reading and pronunciation. It appears to have been an almost complete waste of my time.

Kitos.
_________________
Keep it simple ... Keep it interesting.

[Stoicescu]

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Could I be the first? The gold took my eyes, so I have to find it..

Alfred had seen it back there by the small bush just over the crest of the hill.
They had been walking through the woods on their usual Sunday ramble and Alfred, as usual, was leading the group.
Maybe it was the angle of the sun, or just luck, but Alfred had spied the unmistakable glitter of gold shining beside the bush.

He had said nothing and gave no sign that anything was untoward, but he knew that he was coming back here again, probably this evening, alone.
There was something gold lying there and he wanted it.

He knew that none of the others had seen it, otherwise they would have shouted out with glee.
They were all fools.
They would have taken it to the Police-station and allowed the careless owner to come and claim it.
Not Alfred, "finders keepers" was his motto.

He couldn't contain his hurry to get this walk finished.
He had things to do.
The others complained that he was walking too fast.
This was supposed to be a ramble, not a half-marathon race.

He smiled his apologies and slowed considerably.
"That's better,"came a whining voice from the rear of the group.
Alfred strode purposefully back toward the car-park on the moor. He was containing his anger and frustration as well as he possibly could.
This delay could be costing him a fortune.
What if another group were to find "his" gold?

Already his mind had conjured up his sole ownership of the treasure, and he imagined whatever it was to have many forms.
Perhaps it was gold coins from a long lost era, or maybe a robber from ancient times had hidden his hoard there and then been hanged without being able to tell another person as to it's hiding place.
Many scenarios flashed through his mind as he drove home.

He had decided to wait until it was dark before returning to the moors.
He was sure that he would be able to find the spot with no problem,as he had walked these moors on many occasions, and he felt confident in his ability to walk straight to the spot, even in semi-darkness.

He left home at midnight and it took about thirty minutes to reach the now empty car-park.
It certainly looked very different in the dark, nevertheless he set out at a brisk pace until he came to the crest of the bank. On the other side was the bush, which he recognised in the bright moonlight.

Not wanting to draw attention to his presence on the moor at this hour he had not used his torch, but now it was imperative to do so if he were to locate his gold.
He sheltered the beam by placing his half-open fingers across the lens.
There it was! Gleaming in the dry dust, half buried in the rock-hard soil beneath his feet.

He stooped and tried to prise it from the earth, but it was stuck fast. Perhaps it was a full bar of gold!
His pulse raced as he worked his fingers into the dry, hard earth.
It was no use, he would have to return to his car for the shovel that he had forgotten to bring in his haste to claim his prize.

He hastened back down the track and in his haste he tripped and fell heavily into a thorny tangle of bramble bushes.
He wanted to scream in alarm but he didn't for his voice would carry over long distances in the quiet of the moor.
Clawing his way back out of the bush he winced with pain as he tried to stand. He'd twisted his ankle.

It hurt so bad that he was unsure as to whether it was broken or not.
His greed got the better of him and he slowly hobbled back to the car.
He sat on the car bonnet and removed his boot and stocking.

The ankle was throbbing.
He couldn't believe his bad luck.
Trust this to happen just when he was on the brink of a rewarding find.

He replaced his stocking and boot.
The ankle had swollen even more and he had to leave the lace loosely tied otherwise he wouldn't be able to walk at all.
He opened the boot and removed the folding Army issue shovel that he'd bought from the surplus store many months ago.
He had always known that it would come in handy someday.

As he lowered the trunk-lid the shovel slipped from his grasp and fell blade down onto his uninjured foot.
The sharp blade sliced deeply into the thick Gore-Tex and also into his big toe.
This time he did scream.
The echo reverberated across the silent moor.

Now sweating profusely he removed his other boot and stocking to examine his foot. It didn't look, or feel, good.
His big toe was oozing blood and he staunched the flow with his handkerchief.
He tied it tightly around his toe and tried to put on his stocking and boot. He was unable to do so. The thick stocking wouldn't allow his foot back into the boot.

He opened the trunk once more and left his boot inside. He could walk like this. It wasn't too far to the bush.

After a crippling journey he finally reached the bush once more. Again he lit his torch and with the other hand he placed the blade of the shovel beneath the gold object of his desire.He levered gently on the shovel, but the gold removed to move. It was stuck fast.

Alfred was determined that he wouldn't give up at this point, but what was he to do?
He couldn't exert any pressure onto the shovel as both of his feet were throbbing with pain.
He sat on the moor and pondered his problem.

It was as he was deeply engrossed with this problem that the powerful beam illuminated his sorry figure.
It was two Police constables who had seen his light on the hillock and had decided to investigate it.

"Having trouble sir?," one asked.
Alfred was at a loss as to reply.
One of the constables looked at the shovel and at his futile attempt to cleave the dry soil.
"Been doing a little digging have we sir?," his colleague asked.
Again Alfred remained silent.

The constable placed the shovel into the soil and pressed down with all of his weight, and then levered upward,.
Alfred and both of the constables were amazed when a human head slowly came to the surface,
The mouth was gaping open, and a solitary gold tooth was revealed in the searching beam of the constables lamp.
"I think you have a bit of explaining to do sir," said the constable.
_________________
"Late, by myself, in the boat of myself, no light and no land anywhere. I try to stay just above the surface.."

[Stoicescu]

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I had to hurry.. sorry.. the solitary gold tooth remained outside of the recording.

However, what a sadistic author with his character! I consider that you, Kitos, punished him too much for his cupidity.

Thank you for the story! I have to find manny words that I inferred.

Stoicescu
_________________
"Late, by myself, in the boat of myself, no light and no land anywhere. I try to stay just above the surface.."

[Evylinda]

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Please listen to my recording and respond with a voice message too. Many thanks.

[Evylinda]

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The saying is true. Greed promotes crime.

More crimes have been committed due to greed than any other deadly sin. Greed drives people to steal or lie in order to acquire wealth and worldly possessions.

Hoarding things for the sake of hoarding is a form of greed.

In this story, Alfred’s mentality was revealed when he spotted the alleged gold. He was associated with the worst desire to possess the alleged gold which only brought him bad luck.

[Parallel]

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Hi Kitosdad
Please, don't speak of wasting your time - no one thinks that!
We are all very grateful for your wonderful poems, short stories and good thoughts - for us it's like beeing children on christmas day getting all these presents from you! So it's up to us to say thanks to you and the least we can do is reading out your texts aloud and post them as recordings!
Have a nice day, cheers Urs

[Evylinda]

June 19, 2011

To all FATHERS...

God has made you so loving,
caring and responsible.
The world realizes the depth of your love and
the greatness of sacrifices you have done.

May our Great God look upon you with mercy and
bless you with bountiful graces for the untiring generosity,
love and care for your family;
a healthy body and a peaceful heart;
and most of all,
May HE protects you from all dangers and
temptations.

Enjoy your special day!

[Evylinda]

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Hello, Urs!

[Yuri Yurinov]

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Hi Kitos,

I congratulate you on your coming back. I am fond of your stories and I am eager to read them aloud and to send them back. Yes, I read them aloud, and I enjoy it but I don't send my voice messages because I have no idea how to pay for voice messages which are more than one minute long. As I understood voice messages which are longer than a minute are not free. Am I right?

To everybody:

Can anybody explain me what I am to do for getting opportunity to record long voice messages and how I can do it? I think this is the question that many participants of Forums want to be answered.

Regards,
Yuri
_________________
Everything is Anything.

Please NO Youtube on "My first steps in English" thread... Yuri Zverev

[Stoicescu]

Good moorning everybody!

Happy Father's Day!

Yuri, your question seems strange for me, I didn't come across this situation, with recordings of just one minute. I found a restriction at the recording of "Gold", when I observed that it is 10 minutes long but some words remained outside.

Did you notice any message that informed you that you have only one minute, and for more, you have to pay?

By,
Stoicescu
_________________
"Late, by myself, in the boat of myself, no light and no land anywhere. I try to stay just above the surface.."

[Yuri Yurinov]

Hi Stoicescu,

You can find it hear right in the middle of the interview: http://www.english-test.net/esl-cafe/39/index.html
Sometimes when my voice message exceeds one minute the window pops up with a warning which is described in the interview.

Exactly it is the following part of the interview:

[Stoicescu]

Hy Yuri.

Honestly, I had no idea about this.

I understand you want to pay for the licence. I think every moderator can help you with information about.

By for now.

Stoicescu
_________________
"Late, by myself, in the boat of myself, no light and no land anywhere. I try to stay just above the surface.."

[Capablanca]

[Yuri Yurinov]

Hi Capablanca,

Thanks a lot for your links. I will surely try to follow them when I am not too exhausted. I am not an advanced computer user, and I will appreciate any help.

By the way, Is Capablanca your nickname? Are you keen at playing chess like your famous namesake?

Regards,
Yuri
_________________
Everything is Anything.

Please NO Youtube on "My first steps in English" thread... Yuri Zverev