UNIT 34
Reading and Refocus
LESSON 1
Michael's Block
571 Eighty-eighth Street is usually a busy street, especially
$72 during the summer, s71 But sometimes, early in the morning and
in the heat of the afternoon, it is quiet. 572 No, not "quiet'
573 quieter. There are always kids playing ball. They don~t seem to
notice the heat, the darkness, or the passing cars. s7s
574 It's a street like many others. 574 Children run, and jump
575 and fall. Parents push baby carriages. Young men and women
walk slowly, arm in arm, or hand in hand. STS The people of
576 the neighborhbod know each other. When friends meet, they
stop and say a word or two. s76
577 Two women, both lost in thought, walk toward each
578 other. 577 As they pass,they look up. 578 They stop. They smile
They.start to speak at the same time. They laugh, happy to
579 see each other. After a minute or two, one turns around and
walks the other to her door. s79 They stand and talk a few
$80 .minutes more. Then each one takes a few steps, turns, and
waves good-bye, ss0
Sergeant O'Neill's Report
At noon on June 3, three men bought sandwiches
md ice cream and sat on one of the benches in front of
the International Bank. This behavior continued on~
June 4 and 5. They were trying to look and act like
tourists, but they obviously were not. s8~ They never
smiled. They were not enjoying themselves. The sus-
pets carefully noted the movements of each of the
bank's employees. They even noted when and where I
moved my ice cream cart. 58~
On June 5, at exactly 2 s 20, when two of the four
guards were out to lunch, the three suspects moved to-
ward the entrance of the bank. 683 I immediately called
for help.~ 5s~ Then I moved the ice cream cart closer to
the entrance of the bank. I wanted to be able to stop
them from leaving the area. s85
One of the suspects stood at the door of the bank.
the other two entered the bank and stood in line. When
they got up to the tellers, they took guns out of paper
bags. Most of the people in the bank didn't know what
was happening. 5s6 I could see this through the windows
of the bank.
Meanwhile, the other non-uniformed policemen
arived. ss? We spread out. Some went into the bank
and some stood near the front. 5ss We wanted to wait
until they had the money in their hands. Then we got
them. s89 It was all over in twenty seconds.
I never stopped selling ice cream, although I 8ave
one man too much change.
LESSON 3
Joe's
Michael and Pedro are sittingin a corner of "Joe's". Listen to the
bartender..
"I like this old bar. I know it's old-fashioned, but that's
what I like about it. Sure, it's dark. Most bars are. But that's
all right, some things look better in the dark. s92 Besides, you
don't go to a bar to read, do you?sga This is a friendly place.
You can get a beer on your way home from work, find some
friends, relax, and forget about your kids, your job, and your
mother-in-law. 594 Times are changing, but 'Joe's~ stays the
game. sgs Oh, there's a difference. This kind of place used
to be 'for men only. ' $9e Now, everybody's welcome. 597
If your money's good, we're glad to have you. 598
I've been a bartender here for thirty years, and I'm still
happy to come to work and see the old mahogany bar. 599 It still
makes me happy to see the liquor bottles beside the old French
mirror, eoo It's not a bad life. And, you know, it's funny. I
don't drink. '
