Hello! It's interesting to read the different interpretations you have of this story. 💔❤ I assumed that the wife is the victim here, but some of you have a different perspective. What did he say to her? After at least 10 years of marriage, wouldn't she know that he doesn't like surprises like this? What is the significance of the pink candle? In any case, it is a sad story and we just want them to be happy together!

You're a really great teacher and I like to study with your short stories. It's a real pleasure. Thank you!

Happy Ramadan for all Muslims are used to watching this show ....Ramadan Mubarak

Excellent story! Also, Ramadan Mubarak to all Muslims who are watching this show...

read it with you, really can get the great of how this short story delivered. The loneliness, hopelessness in marriage is expressed unmistakably without even a single word to say it

Luke, You’re a great teacher. I wish the best for You.

Thank you and happy Easter for all Catholics in World

Thank you very much, Luke, for your interesting podcast. I enjoy all your episodes, but I particularly prefer the short stories. Please prepare more episodes of short stories.

Luke, thank You so much for this episode! Brilliant work! You're not only taught us the vocabulary, but also had provided a good lesson of fine literature and life itself.

Hello Luke, I’ve been listening your podcast over month now and my english is getting better each day. I wish you all the best - you deserve it! Just keep doing what you’ve been doing. You’ve got the power to make other people feel happy! Thanks a lot.

Dear Luke , you are reading stories to us the way you speak as a native . This is what people want . Read with stories. When you read I can imitate your text along with you .Millions out there expecting you to read out with text .

Though the story is simple and brief, it is very sentimental and thought provoking, what i feel is the couple lacks mutual understanding and love which is inevitable for a warm relationship... Thanks a lot Mr. Luke the great teacher❤❤ wishes from God's own country...

This story was heartbreaking. Also, you can really relate because all of us have either seen or probably even experienced something like this. Apart from good listening practice, it's a great writing model, too!

This is my first time that I listened your podcast, and I realized that was a great work. Thank you very much from El Salvador

Thank you Luke for another episode. I love listening to you, it means a lot to me. I repeat your comments, this is how I learn phrases and words😊 Cool ! Barbara

I LOVE WHEN YOU TELL SHORT STORIES, these are my favourite videos. Thanks you for everything.

Thank you very much, Luke! Your work is important

Thanks, teacher Luke. The story itself is plenty of adjectives, adverbs and phrases to describe personality, feelings and human condition despite it is sad too because of the husband reaction. Very useful, indeed! Have a nice week!

Thank you for this lesson which includes the nice short(important :)) story with the tender and insightful guide of you , and moreover you can help us talk and think about their feelings in ENGLISH. -a lady From Korea.

By the way thanks a bunch for being as good teacher as you are . I like listening to you as frequent as I can and it has always been really helpful!

Great story and great speaker. Your videos are so clean and understand to me, thank you.

Thank, teacher Luke, for helping me learn English better and easier. Your videos are very helpful, especially for beginners like me. Please try to make more similar videos. Thanks a lot🥰🥰

These comments sum up the purpose of reading a passage of a story. As readers we all rewrite our own version of events as described by the characters. This for me personally is the beauty of reading.

I am not used to listen british english! But I just loved to hear your class, your english. And I am very happy that I understood everything! Thankyou Maíra from Brazil 🇧🇷

Thank you, teacher Luke. The lesson that i learnt from this emotional story is to know the person you're with. I mean, their behaviours before they beat you with their arrogant.

Thank you Luke for trying to teaching. I like your way of teaching.

Hello, Luke! Thank you very much for your videos and podcasts! Episodes about real life thought-provoking stories like this are so compelling!

One of those lovely, relaxing and perfect episodes, you would listen to more than once ❤

"*God Bless Everyone Take Care All Long Lives 100 years and above all*"

Thanks teacher Luke i hope that you know how much you have wonderful impact on all my learning English and make another joyful day god bless you

Excellent as always ✨ With your brilliant accent and wonderful explanations 👉we visualized all the characters and scenes !!! 👉you are an amazing English teacher ✨📚💯🎧🎤🎼👏

Luke, thanks a lot for this story and your deep rereading of it! This almost forgotten feeling of diving into lines and internal conversation with the writer!

Teacher Luke! Thank you for your teaching intensive reading comprehension!!!!

Thank you for the great lesson, and for editing the video with text on the screen, Luke! For anyone getting ready for the IELTS writing test, this lesson has a lot of great descriptive vocabulary words for you to learn!

This video was suggested to me by KZfaq and I am grateful for this. I'm trying to reach the fluency by myself, and the way you teach gave me courage to study again. A huge hug from Brazil.

Quite informative story. Polished my English. Thanks 🙏

It is a great way to study English! A hope I will become an English speaker with your method!

Тhanks Luke!I decide to listen short stories for the first time.I like your explaining of words .

This is a masterpiece of a short story and what it makes it really sad is your wonderful explanation of line to lline.There are things I would not think of myself but completely agree with you. I really sympafised with the woman and felt sorry for her.Catherine Brush has an exquisite sense of observation catchi g the hidden meanings in people ' s behaviours. Thank you for this story and your comments.

Thanks Luke for another good post.

You are a unmistakably great teacher

The story really touched my heart. It’s about English couple in an enough old time, but such things may happen and happens everywhere. But thank you, Luke, for the nice lesson!

Thank you for really sensitive story.

Hi Teacher Luke, I always really enjoy your episodes because they are so attractive as well as your way to analyse them. My heartiest congratulations and kudos on your amazing performances and your professional skills.

Be excited in the way you interpret the story! Thank you so much!

Awesome work! It made me think it could be turned into a nice class activity) Sort of " finish-the-story" or "what-do-you-think-might-have-happened". Thanks a lot, Luke!

A very sad story explained beautifully line by line.

Thanks a lot, Luke, for your captivating podcast. I thoroughly enjoy every episode you release. 0:00: 🎉 A short story about a birthday party with a twist. 5:52: 💔 A heartbreaking story of a couple at a birthday party, revealing their strained relationship through subtle interactions. 10:59: 💔 Heartbreak and hidden unhappiness in a seemingly glamorous marriage. 17:06: 👫 Insight into a couple's relationship dynamics based on unmistakable behavior indicating marriage. 21:25: 💔 Fading beauty and sadness in a relationship affecting a woman's appearance. 26:58: 🎂 Embarrassment over a simple birthday cake reflects the husband's arrogance and lack of appreciation. 32:21: 📖 Revelation of the wife needing help discreetly, husband's embarrassment highlighted through language use. 37:37: 💔 Difficulty facing a distressing situation, leading to avoiding eye contact and waiting in discomfort. 43:14: 🎩 A woman in a carefree and happy mood cries under the big brim of her hat at a party.

Such a sensitive and rich performance Luke. Thanks a lot!

I love your stories and more importantly the way you explain them to us. Thank you

Happy ramadan today for all muslims in world thanks so much mr luke handsome 🎉❤

Its ashamed that I don’t have a time to see and hear all your stories.. from time to time i come across your stories and I enjoy it and learned alot… thank you alot ..

Thanks for your histories!

Luke, thank you very much. What a great idea to read, retell and explain interesting stories like this one.

I think this moment 47:28 at the restaurant concentrates the whole life as a wife of that woman. It was a life made up of numerous disappointments and delicate fillings that only met rudeness and indifference . In my opinion this is the motif of her fainted prettiness, the life with a self-satisfied and gross man. I imagine her eyes being often brimmed with tears. Thank you so much for reading and explaining this short story.

You are great man Luke, happy Ramadan for all Muslims

Hi, Luke, you narrated this story excellently. I loved your comment about what you would've done in such a circumstances with your wife. Even though this story had written in 1946, such marital relationships still prevalent in the world over. I am in my late fifties & educated in British english, but my grandson is studying American English medium. Spellings I found differently in some words. I moved by the story and your narration as well. Thanks & regards, M.B.Usha kumari from a small south Indian state, Kerala.

Hi Luke, a short, good story. A snapshot of the feelings in a relationship. Well explained by you and good for reading and practising speaking.Thanks for that.

Thank you for you effort to explain the use of many words

I liked your comment about the meaning of the word “ unmistakably married”. It is the imagination of a good reader

I really enjoyed it, not only as a lesson, but as literary experience. It makes may day. Thank you.

Thank you for your time and efforts

Hi thank you so so much l love your padcast and your explain 🙏🙏🙏

Its beautiful and fascinating how we all have memories of people in our past who shared these love songs with us, and now the most fascinating thing is that others will also come after and remember us for the same music when we are long gone...this melodies are very contagious

I`d like to thank you for your interpretation and comments! Ir really let the story clearer! Hello from Brazil!

Hi Luke, thank you very much for your last episode. Your reading was impeccable as usual, and all the comments were pertinent. Listening to you explaining not only the meaning but also the valour of the phrase “fadingly pretty” it occurred to me that literature shows us a wider use of language and let us see not only its practical utility in terms of communication but also its beauty (its increasingly beauty). Thank you again and cheerful greetings from Argentina! Sebastián (the regretful ninja)

I think it's a very sad history, it's shows how heartless peopel be without thinking about the other's fillings.. Thank u Luke for the great explanation the new words... Greetings from Vienna

Dear Luke, I like you saying and explaining story very much. Thanks. ❤

An excellent critical analysis of today's well-built story!!! Congratulations Mr Luke.

As always good job Luke. Your podcasts really help me in English. I listen to you every day and I feel the diffference in understanding and speaking skills. Thank you very much for your work. 😊

Thanks so much for sharing the best way to explain vocab & meaning 🙏Really amazing learning experience

I am really into that story, expecting to hear more Katherine’s writing works.

I love it ! I love the story, the way your read it, and the analyse. It's all perfect. At the same time it was a pretty nice way to reinforce my English. The story is really touching. I want to know a bit more about this author. I often do the same when I go to a restaurant, I can't avoid imagining other's lives. And for the woman who cried so lonely so sad...oh what a sad and beautiful story. Thanks a lot.

Thank you, Luke. Your pronunciation made me remember of the best boss I had when working in a British company here in Brazil, in the late seventies. And I missed those days.

Hi! this is Lourdes from San Sebastian (Spain). I guess she is still in love with that arrogant character. She wants to keep a small spark of love with a surprise, but in fact, he refuses everything. Perhaps he thought it was going to be his last date out with her and with that surprise, it definetely was. Shame!! Keep on doing these episodes Luke! The most I like from you is your willness and attitude! Thank you very much for sharing with us all your knowledge.

i loved the story, your comments and explanation, greentings from Perú!!

Luke! I' ve just found you on the youtube, and I'm so grateful for that! I usually listen the little stories that you read . It's awesome to know that, there is a big hope for me improving my english skills. I was so sad in my country (Hungary), because I've not met my British friends so long time...... I couldn't hear english from native speakers. And you are as a tourch, lightning in the darkness could show me-NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!!!! Thank you so much for your work!! God bless you man! Now I'm sending my best wishes to you from Hungary!!!!

You are the best, Thank you so much! I am from Brazil.

Luke, You’re a amazing teacher. Thank you.

Thanks Luke. Thanks for all you do. And, Happy Ramadan 🎉🎉🎉

What a spectacular and enjoyable way to learn English by listening to stories. The content was very enriching, and the vocabulary tips made a lot of sense in some instances, helping me understand the depth of word placements like 'hotly embarrassed' more thoroughly.

Thanks so much for the story and the best explanation ever. ❤ so much useful information and phrases to use!

your stories have given me the ability to gain more vocabulary. I become more fluent. I appreciate your dedication. keep going 💪

All of us, I think, know this kind of couple... Thanks Luke, you are a great narrator too, like Mrs. Bruch.

Thanks indeed Professor Luke for your excellent Enghish lessons that have helped me to increse my comprehension capacity of language. I am in Rosslare Harbour, Wexford, Ireland.

Очень грустная история, разбивающая сердце. Не смотря на языковые различия все мы люди и чувства испытываем одинаковые. Всем добра и взаимопонимания 🙏🏼

This short story is perfect for me! Thank you teacher !!!

Through such stories you teach us not only English but good manners and behaviour)👍

It’s a really very good story. There are just a few sentences but the story is so thought provoking. I’m impressed

Congratulations you are great teacher. I hope you can continue this way I really enjoy your videos it’s existing

Thank you, Luke! It’s my first comment on KZfaq. I haven’t wanted to write comments to anyone, but you’re so professional teacher I decided to create a sentence. Have a good day!

I love your stories, the way you tell them, and particularly the amount of content you teach us . Thank you so much. Rose/RJ/Brazil

You are amazing Mr. Luke's

This is a very sad story... It depicts a small occurrence of unhappiness, and lack of love, lack of appreciation. The man in the story seems to be so self-centered that it makes him unable to even be grateful for his wife's efforts. Nothing hurts like un-gratefulness...

Thank you for this brilliant English lesson. I love this format of teaching.

Thank you Luke ❤this story is very very interesting ❤i love it so much ❤ May God bless you ❤❤❤❤❤

Thank you so much This is my first time here Very interesting story

I appreciate the contents. I resumed my English study and used your videos as a podcast to listen to while I worked. I will continue and always be there for you. ❤

Thank you very much ! Very helpful !

Thank you, Luca!❤❤❤