Fluentella tales: episode 10
(plus english idioms related to business)
Daniel: Portuguese and English teacher
Hi, everyone! My name is Daniel, I am originally from Brazil. When I was 16, I moved to China for four and a half years. I have an AA in Economics from the US and a B.A. in Accounting from a university in Brazil. I love to teach, especially kids because I love to see how they develop. I’ve taught Mathematics, Physics, Portuguese and English for the past 12 years and I love a new challenge. I am great at playing video games and use games in my lessons to help students enjoy learning even more! I love to see my students applying their knowledge outside the classroom in real-life situations. I can’t wait to meet you and to share my culture and language, Portuguese, with you!
I was finally in the house by entering the unlocked basement door. Glad that someone forgot to lock it from the inside earlier in the day. Time to get the ball rolling and find out what is going on. This has been a very disturbing night, to say the least. I haven’t been this stressed out since my military days, I still remember how I felt leaving my comrades and my platoon to get a nice and comfy corporate job, but that was the best ROI decision of my life. Then I met my wife. She is the love of my life, she brought peace to this cut-throat world I live in and I can’t let anything harm her or her family. Our future is at stake here.
I need to think outside the box now, I can’t let anyone see or hear me. As I wait for my eyes to adjust to the darkness of the basement, I hear a thud coming from upstairs, as though a body fell to the floor. I have got to act fast. I take a deep breath, adrenaline is running through my veins. ‘Cold-blooded Louis’ is in the house. That’s what the platoon called me back in the day. It’s time to get down to business and save everyone.
As I rush up the basement stairs as quietly as possible, all I can see are two blurry silhouettes in the shadows of the hallway. As my eyes adjust, I finally see Betty and Grandpa. What a relief! They seem safe and sound. I tap the back of my head, to get a headcount from my sister-in-law. Betty holds up only 2 fingers. As I get closer to them, I see a body on the ground that I do not recognize. I get closer and whisper, ‘Why is he not burning the midnight oil anymore?’
Betty replies, ‘This is one of the guys who attacked us, but Grandpa knocked him out with a baseball bat.’ She looks shocked and freaked out, which is not a look I have ever seen on her face before. Betty Boy is not a person who is easily stunned. However, this is not the time to worry about that now.
‘Do we have a ballpark of how many attackers there are?’ I ask.
‘Impossible to say,’ grandpa replies. ‘Louis, if you are here, where is your wife? And where is my wife?’ His face is grim and he is grinding his teeth as he waits for my answer.
‘Your wife was taken away by car. She must have been the target. Your daughter is hiding behind the barn, safe for now.’
The three of us look at each other in the darkness. Betty takes the pistol from the guy on the floor. She does not look freaked out anymore.
‘I guess we are back to square one, but now we have power in numbers. Let’s get out of here, find my sister, and then rescue mom.’ Betty Boy is back.
TO BE CONTINUED
Listen to the story below!
IDIOMS AND PHRASES RELATED TO BUSINESS:










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