Unit 34: How can I get to Brightley?

1. There are three trains an hour.

(Peter has a problem. He's getting very fat. His wife is sending him to a special club in Brightley to lose weight.)

Jean	It's quite easy to get to Brightley, Peter.
Peter	Oh?
Jean	You can get a train from King's Cross Station. There are three trains an hour.
Peter	Oh, yes.
Jean	There's a slow train at ten minutes past the hour and at ten minutes to the hour. And there's a fast train on the half hour.
Peter	Good.
Jean	Are you listening, Peter?
Peter	Yes, of course.
Jean	You can take a fast train.
Peter	Yes.
Jean	(Finding him eating) I thought so.
Peter	I'm hungry.
Jean	You' re always hungry. That's the problem. That's why you're going to this special club.
Peter	Yes.
Jean	Now, where were we? Trains from King's Cross on the half hour. A second-class return costs fourteen pounds.
Peter	Fourteen pounds!
Jean	I'll ring the station and reserve a seat for you on the train.
Peter	All right.
Jean	Hello. Seat reservations, please. Hello, yes, I'd like to reserve a seat on the 9:30 train to Brightley, please. Next Saturday. That's right. Oh—a non-smoker, please. Yes, the name's Smith. There isn't a restaurant car? Oh, good. Right. Thank you. Goodbye. There we are. Have you been eating, Peter?
Peter	Eating! Me?
Jean	Yes.
Peter	Jean!
Jean	So now you see why you must go to this club. There are no chocolate cakes there.
Peter	No chocolate cakes?
Jean	And no bread, and no potatoes. A lot of salads, and fruit juice. So—it takes three hours to get to Brightley from King's Cross Station. You'll be there by 12:30.
Peter	In time for lunch!
Jean	In time for fruit juice, and after three weeks you'll come back a new man.
Peter	But I don't want to be a new man.
Jean	Yes, you do. You're going to be a new thin man.

2. There's a bus every ten minutes.

(Jean and Peter come to a bus station asking the way to the railway station.)

Jean	Excuse me, Inspector.
Inspector	Yes, madam?
Jean	We want to get to King's Cross Station.
Inspector	King's Cross Station, Madam? No problem. You can get a bus from stop number four. There are six buses an hour. A ticket to King's Cross Station costs fifteen pence, and it takes ten minutes to get there. The next bus is at five past nine.
Jean	Well, yes, but ...
Peter	Have you asked, Jean?
Jean	Yes.
Inspector	You want to get to King's Cross Station, sir?
Peter	Yes.
Inspector	It's very easy. There's a bus every ten minutes from stop number four. The next bus is at five past nine, and a ticket to King's Cross Station costs fifteen pence. It takes ten minutes to get there. It's all in here, sir, you see. This is my first day in my new job, but it's all in here.
Peter	Good.
Jean	But we're in our car, you see. We want to get to King's Cross Station by car.
Inspector	By car!
Peter	Yes. Sorry.
Inspector	Oh, well, along that road. It's about three kilometres to King's Cross Station. Straight on.
Peter	Thanks.
Jean	Yes, thanks. And good luck in your new job, Inspector.
Inspector	Thank you, madam. Goodbye.

3. Do I have to change?

(They arrived at King's Cross Station.)

Jean	Look, I've got everything. You've got a reserved seat in coach three, seat number 2C.
Peter	Right.
Jean	Here's your ticket. Second-class return to Brightley.
Peter	OK.
Jean	Your train leaves from platform six in ten minutes. It takes three hours to get there.
Peter	Do I have to change?
Jean	No. The train stops at Nottingham, but you don't have to change.
Peter	All right.
Jean	Come on, then. Platform six. Good heavens! What have you got in here?
Peter	Er—nothing.
Jean	Nothing! I thought so!
Peter	I can't live on salads and fruit juice for three weeks.
Jean	Yes, you can. That's what the club is for. Porter! Porter!
Peter	But Jean ...
Porter	Yes, madam.
Jean	Can you take this suitcase to my car?
Porter	OK.
Peter	Jean!
Porter	Right, where's your car, madam?
Jean	Over there. I'll come with you. Now, off you go, Peter. Platform six. Have a good time, and come back in three weeks a new man.
Peter	All right. Goodbye.

4. I have got a new husband.

(Peter comes back home.)

Jean	Peter!
Peter	Hello, darling.
Jean	Peter, it's wonderful.
Peter	Oh, yes, but look!
Jean	Oh, yes. Oh, mother, I've got a new husband. Look!