Informal Ordinary

Conversation A.

2. ♫

Don: Hi, Craig. Been home long?

Craig: Yeah, quite a time.

Don: Did anyone phone about renting the spare room?

Craig: Yeah, we’ve had … three phone calls about it.

Don: Really?

Craig: Yeah, do you want to hear about them?

Don: Sure.

Craig: Right. The first one was called Phil Parrott.

Don: Uh-huh.

Craig: He’s a teacher; he’s just qualified, and he teaches sports.

Don: OK.

Craig: Actually I’m not sure about him. He certainly sounded energetic, but … he asked lots of questions about whether we smoked, and what sort of food we cooked.

Don: Yeah, I mean we don’t exactly live on pizza and chips and takeaways, well, not quite, but…

Craig: … but he might… be a bit too health-conscious to really fit in with the sort of life we lead. Yeah. And he asked a lot of questions about the room. … He said he needs a big room because he’s got lots of sports equipment.

Don: Well, that’s OK, the room’s quite big but I’m not so sure about him… what about the second one?

Craig: He was called David Spencer.

Don: Spender?

Craig: No, Spencer – cer [si: i: a:]. He works at Cooper-Long – you know, the big company on Broad Street. He said he was a lawyer.

Don: Oh, I’d have thought in that case he’d be earning enough to rent his own place. I wonder why he wants to share a flat.

Craig: Well, he didn’t say. He’s quite a bit older than us. He did say he’s just moved down here from the north of England. He seemed very quiet, actually. Maybe he wants to meet some new people. I got the impression he was a hardworking kind of person who doesn’t go out all that much…

Don: Right.

Craig: But he sounded OK. Oh, one thing though, he said he wouldn’t be staying in the flat at the weekends so he wants to pay reduced costs for gas and electricity … because he’s only here five days out of seven.

Don: Oh, I’m not sure about that … what do you think?

Craig: Well, I suppose it’s fair but it all sounds a bit complicated.

Don: Anyway, there was a third person, Leo Norris.

Craig: Yes.

Don: He’s an engineer.

Craig: Oh, yeah?

Don: And he’s about our age.

Craig: Right. What did he sound like?

Don: Well, actually he was really funny I couldn’t stop laughing when I was talking to him. He said he was very lazy and never got up until noon at weekends and I said that wouldn’t be a problem here…

Craig: No, certainly not.

Don: But actually I suspect he was joking when he said he was lazy… I think he lives life as it comes, he’s certainly not competitive or stressed, but he likes cycling and things like that. He sounds like an outdoor type. Anyway, I thought he sounded as if he’s fit in. He wanted to check if there was somewhere safe for his bicycle … that’s not a problem…

Craig: No, he can leave it in the garage with my car. So did you get his contact details?

Don: Yes, he left his mobile number, it’s 07776872433 (oh triple seven six eight seven two four double three).

Craig: And does he want to move in straight away?

Don: Well, he’s paid his rent in his present place up to the thirty-first of September, but he said that if possible he’d like to move in a bit before then – he said the twenty-eighth of September.

Craig: And he was OK about the rent?

Don: Yeah, he said it was fine.

Craig: Right. So shall we give him a ring and see if he wants to come round and…

B. Just Shopping ♫

Kay: Hi, Sally. Long time to see! What are you doing here?

Sally: Oh, hi, Kay. Same as you, I expect… just shopping.

Kay: Great. Is that a new dress?

Sally: Yes, it is. I got it yesterday. Do you like it?

Kay: Well… it’s very, urn… very short for you, isn’t it, Sally?

Sally: Short is “in” this summer. Didn’t you know?

Kay: Oh, I don’t read any of those fashion magazines.

Sally: I can tell you don’t. Well, this is the latest fashion… from Milan.

Kay: Oh, I know it’s popular, I’ve seen that kind of dress a lot. It seems everyone is wearing it these days. I prefer something more… individual.

Sally: Yes, so I see. What exactly is that you are wearing?

Kay: It’s a pair of shorts, but it looks like a skirt. See?

Sally: Oh, yes! How… original! Did you make it yourself?

Kay: No.

Sally: Marvelous. But, I’m just not sure it’s quite “you”, Kay.

Kay: Oh, really. Sally? Well, never mind. Perhaps it’s too… sophisticated for you.

Sally: Hmm. No, I don’t think it’s that. But you’re right – I can’t see me in it somehow. Anyway, must hurry. I’ve got more shopping to do.

Kay: Well, good luck, Sally. Keep reading those magazines!

Sally: Thanks, Kay. Perhaps you should buy some too!