UnknownA tidy ghost
by Peter Viney
Level 4 Streamline Connections (41-80) 1250 words
1 Looking for a house
'It's all right, Rick. It's only the post,' she called.
Six or seven thick brown envelopes lay on the doormat. Marilyn picked them up and took them into the kitchen.
Rick was sitting at the table. He was finishing his breakfast.
'Is there anything for me?' he asked.
'They're all from estate agents,' she said. 'I hope there's something this time.'
She put three envelopes down in front of Rick, and began to open the others herself. They had been looking for
a house for three months. They were tired of the small flat, and they were tired of paying rent every week. They
had been saving to buy their own house for nearly two years. They began looking through the letters from estate
agents.
Rick looked up. 'Here's one,' he said. 'Listen. Perfect first home. Two bedrooms, large living room, modern kitchen, bathroom, garage, small garden. And it's in Balmoral Avenue, on the new housing estate. £68,000. What
do you think?'
'What number is it?' she asked.
'Er ... let me see. Thirty-five. Yes, thirty-five Balmoral Avenue.'
'That's funny,' she said. 'I've just been reading about the same house. Look, here's an advert from Norman and
Naylor. I phoned them yesterday.'
'Ah, my advert's from Burchill and Bradley. Yes, it's the same house. Well, that's normal. They've put the house
with two estate agents. Which one shall we phone?'
'It doesn't really matter,' said Marilyn. 'Give me the adverts. I'll phone when I get to work.'
'Work ... yes, what time is it?' said Rick.
'Oh, no! It's nearly half past eight. Come on, we should hurry ... if you don't want to be late again.'
Rick and Marilyn hurried out to the car. On the way to work they talked about the house. A lot of their friends
lived on the new housing estate, and they'd been looking for a house in Balmoral Avenue, or in one of the roads
near it, Sandringham Drive or Osborne Way. Marilyn stopped the car outside Rick's office.