UNIT 13
Reading and Refocus
LESSON 1
A Look at Pedro's Room
181 It isn't a large room, and the furniture in it isn't
182 expensive. At one end of the room, there is a small
183 window, Next to the window is a large bed. In
fact, the only large thing in the room is the bed.
184 There are other things, too; a bookcase, a small night
185 table, a desk and chair, a dresser, and clothes. There
are shoes and socks under the bed; shirts, pants, and
sweaters on the chair; dirty underwear and ties on the
floor; suits, jackets, and a coat in the small closet.
188 There are several cameras, five maybe six, and
photographs of women, hundreds of them--large ones
187 and small ones--on the desk and on the walls. The
photographs are smiling, laughing, crying, standing,
188 and sitting. One thing is very clear. Pedro likes women
very, very much. 188
180 Pedro's mother doesn't like to go into his room. She
does, of course, because she wants to clean, but she
190 is not happy about it. "The room is full of women.
He doesn't need me," she says.
LESSON 2
Grandfather Yamamoto
191 How old is Grandfather? I don't know. He never talks
about his age. He's around seventy, maybe seventy-five.
Years ago he was a strong man. He was a farmer, a
soldier, and a wrestler. He was the pride of his village.
192/193 Now he's getting old. He doesn't see without his
194 glasses, and he can't lift heavy things, His hair is thin
and almost all white. But he has a strong face.
19 $ Grandfather loves his store. He needs the store. It's
196/197 his only joy. He has friends, but they are all old. Oh,
yes, he has us, the family, and I guess he loves us, but he doesn't show it.
198 He lives in the past. All of his friends are living in
199 the past. At least the past can't change. They can't take it
away from you. It's always there, and you can close
200 your eyes and see it. Grandma was a kind lovely lady,
and Grandfather's world is not the same without her.
LESSON 3
He's Spoiled
Pedro is attractive. There's no doubt about it. Women are
crazy about him. But he's spoiled. I don't tike that.
It's not right to break a date. But, it's funny, I don't feel
bad about it. I'm sure he breaks dates with women all the
time. That's the way he is. Why did I want to go to the party
with him?,Why not? Why did I change my mind? A
feeling. That's not an answer, I know.
But my feeling was right. I didn't really want to go out
with him. He didn't really care about me. I was only a
date for the evening. All right, it wasn't nice, but he
certainly didn't die of a broken heart. Didn't he go to the
party anyway?Yes, I think he did. I'm sure he did.
Miguel is different. He is serious and considerate. But he's
young, and he doesn't know the ways of the world. And
he's going home soon. Oh, well. He isn't very handsome, but
he has a beautiful smile.