An original short story by Jason Byrne  Tonight was the night. He said that to himself every Friday. And Saturday. The mirror had okayed him to leave the house. Hair gelled back, shirt with one button open, and shoes polished and shining. The taxi was waiting, and took him to his usual spot.     Just off Wardour Street, the lights flashed and the people swayed. Young men tried to get young women into bars, and young women were paid to get all men into bars. He walked a hundred metres, passed the bars, Chinese restaurants and flower sellers, to a darkly lit building. As he got closer, the sounds of the street seemed to disappear, and a new sound could be heard.     It was unlike all the other sounds. It wasn't the white noise and high-pitched screams of the slot machine arcades. No, it was the sound of ... romance. ***    Inside, he stepped into his world. The music was loud, the people were happy. Energy filled this place. His eyes walked round the walls, looking down on the people. There, yes there she was. He moved, never one to miss an opportunity.     Did she see him coming? Probably not. If she did, would she have moved? Questions that have no answers, as that is not what happened.    "I like to dance," he said, "Actually I love it..." He was speaking to the woman with long dark hair. Her eyes were alive, and her smile was hungry. "Shall we?" He took her hand, and walked her to the dance floor.    "What makes you think I can dance?" she asked him.     He laughed with a smile that said he knew. "It's in your eyes." He didn't need to say another word. She knew that he knew.    A Latin rhythm played, and they danced. Yes, they danced. Hot, sweaty, closeness gave them hearts that were worn on sleeves. Passion rose within, and their eyes were like fire. Their bodies closed, until one was much the same as the other. She held tight, and found he was not human. He wrapped his arms around her body, hugging her close, as they floated across the dance floor on a cushion of air.    She was gone, distant, in a world of her own. Lost to the beat. He was dancing a dream, and seeing the centre of all things. Together, they were reaching a place neither could go alone. Inside they went, into the heart of what is known as ...     Love? Maybe.    What did they see there, in this special place? What did they find? These questions screamed to be asked! But the magic lifted, the bar emptied and the music ... stopped.    In slow motion, he moved away from her body, hands still holding, then hands slipping, and finally only fingertips touching. Hope never left, but as she stood there, he moved - further and further away. Yet she didn't move. As he reached the door, he touched her once again, this time with his smile. And as he opened the door, turning away from her, the light faded on their goodbyes. She was left alone with the distant sound, coming through the open doorway, of slot machines.

The Author Jason Byrne is a qualified EFL teacher from Britain, teaching in Japan.

WORDS  closed (here): came together - closeness: proximity - fade: diminish, disappear slowly - high pitched: very high - hug: hold a person tight - miss: not take - off: near -okayed him: told him it was OK - scream: shout - slip (away): slowly separate - slot machine arcade: place where there are machines for playing with money - sway: move from side to side, rock - sweaty: perspiring -

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Verb tenses: Here are some sentences taken from the short story. Without referring back to the story, select the correct verb form from among the options suggested:

1. The mirror did/has/had/was okayed him to leave the house.

2. The taxi waited / was waiting / has waited, and has taken/ took / was taking him to his usual spot.

3. Young women paid / were paid / were paying to get / getting all men into bars.

4. The sounds of the street seemed disappear / to disappear / disappearing, and a new sound could hear / be hearing / be heard.

5 If she did, would she / had she / did she have moved?

6. "What makes you to think / thinking / think I can dance?" 

7. He didn't need / was not needing / needn't to say another word.

8. What saw they / did they see / have they seen there, in this special place? 

9. Yet she hasn't moved / did not moved / didn't move

10. She was left / left / was leaving alone with the distant sound, came / to come / coming through the open doorway, of slot machines.

In the above sentences, some of the alternatives proposed might be possible in different situations; but some of them are grammatically impossible. Which ones are grammatically impossible?

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Creative writing.

Rewrite this story as a first person narrative, in a more ordinary style, from the girl's point of view.
 
 

Text study:

In this story, find ten examples of imagery (words or expressions used as images, i.e. which do not really mean what they say).
 

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