Spectacles Teacup Travels


Spectacles

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Here they come! My two intrepid explorers...

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Charlotte and Elliot.

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I'm their great aunt Lizzie, you see,

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and I wonder which one is coming to see me today...

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Aah! So, it's Charlotte's turn.

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Here she comes!

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Racing to hear another tale from an epic adventurer.

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CLINK, CLINK, CLINK!

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And what wonderful adventures they were!

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So long ago and so far away.

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I collected a few souvenirs along the way.

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But my most precious possession of all...

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is my extraordinary collection of teacups.

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You've still got your coat on, Charlotte. Come on!

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No time to count the clouds. We've got stories to tell.

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Now...

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Let's have a lovely cup of tea.

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But first, we need...

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A teacup!

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Which one?

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That one.

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Mmm...

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The Expensive Spectacles.

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What a choice, Charlotte.

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I do REALLY love that story.

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This will be just perfect to drink now.

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So...

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-are you ready?

-Ready!

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Then let me tell you the story of Great Aunt Lizzie

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And The Adventure Of The Expensive Spectacles.

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Ahem!

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Oh, yes, of course!

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Let me tell you the story of CHARLOTTE

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And The Adventure Of The Expensive Spectacles.

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It all started long, long ago

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in the magnificent Empire of China.

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With its towering Himalayan mountains,

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lush scented fields

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and thick green forests.

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After journeying for days across the untamed countryside,

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Charlotte came to a small town of ornate houses

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with scrolled rooftops and open doors.

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COCKEREL CROWS

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As she meandered through the streets,

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gazing in wonder at the sites,

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Charlotte came across two people arguing.

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INDISTINCT CHATTER

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But appearances can be deceptive.

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As she listened, she realised one was trying to help the other.

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Please take some, Mr Chan. It's delicious rice.

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Its charity, Mrs Li.

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I don't need charity, thank you.

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I can manage and, besides, I've already eaten.

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But it's not much!

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Were all fine, Mrs Li.

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Anyway, my hands are not very strong

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and it's too far to carry it!

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Mr Chan! Oh, dear...

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I wish I could bring it around, Mr Chan.

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Charlotte wondered if SHE could help.

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-Hello.

-Hello there.

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Oh, I don't know what to do. I want to take this rice to Mr Chan

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but I've got to get supper ready for my own family.

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Perhaps he doesn't like sharing.

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We used to share supper all the time,

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but ever since his eyesight began to go,

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he's been staying away, not talking to anyone.

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I don't think he even paints any more.

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-Mr Chan is an artist?

-Oh, yes!

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He's wonderful!

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But with his eyes getting old, he gets these terrible headaches.

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-It's such a shame.

-I could take the rice round if you like.

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Oh, that would be very good of you!

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He's just round the corner.

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The little yellow house.

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TRADITIONAL CHINESE MUSIC

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-Grandfather, she's only trying to help.

-I don't want help!

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You used to help people all the time when you were younger!

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-Now it's their turn to help you.

-Where's my paintbrush?

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Hmmm... Oh!

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It's no good! It hurts my eyes to look at something so close!

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-You could paint the mountains.

-I still have to look at the paper.

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It's no use.

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Anything close hurts my eyes.

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I have to be this far away before I can see it.

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But then, I can't reach to paint!

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HE SNIFFS

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Can you smell rice?

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Mmm! That smells delightful!

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Perhaps I should go to Mrs Li and see if she's got any left over.

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This was Charlotte's big chance.

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-Hello. Mrs Li sent some rice and vegetables.

-I don't want charity!

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But it does smell good, though, doesn't it?

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Well, maybe just this once.

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Oh, those are nice paintings!

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-He's very, very good, isn't he?

-Used to be.

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Oh, he still is. It hurts his eyes to work.

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-Wouldn't spectacles help?

-Spectacles? Ha!

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We could never afford a pair of spectacles.

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Charlotte looked again at the beautiful picture

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of the extraordinary Chinese countryside.

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This is amazing! Maybe you could swap it for a pair of spectacles.

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-No chance!

-But they're very good, Grandfather.

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Well, perhaps if you offered two pictures...

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Look, if you want to take my pictures on a wild-goose chase

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for a pair of spectacles, be my guest.

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But you're wasting your time!

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Now, Charlotte thought finding a spectacle-maker

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would be as easy as ABC.

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But, of course, it was never going to be as easy as that.

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I should have said...there's not a spectacle shop for miles.

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The nearest one is on the other side of the mountains.

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It was already past supper -

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and crikey, had things got complicated!

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Charlotte had taken the bowl of rice from Mrs Li to give to Mr Chan.

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She had persuaded Mr Chan to accept it

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and, when she realised Mr Chan needed spectacles,

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she had even managed to get his permission

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to swap his pictures to get them.

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And she'd thought finding a spectacle shop would be a doddle.

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She couldn't go back to Mr Chan

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without a pair of spectacles, could she?

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There was nothing else for it

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but to get a wiggle on over the hills to the spectacle-maker's shop.

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So, off went Charlotte in her old battered boots.

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She scrambled up the misty mountain paths

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until, when she was almost out of breath,

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the path ran out!

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ROCKS TUMBLE

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BIRD CALL ECHOES

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There was only one way to get to the other side.

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Charlotte took a deep breath...

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DRAMATIC MUSIC

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Safely across, she set off once more,

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until there, shining through the mist in a valley,

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she saw a town.

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But there was no time to admire the view.

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Charlotte had to get those spectacles.

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She made her way between the extraordinary buildings

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until she found what she was looking for.

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A spectacle shop!

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She took the paintings and began to talk to the owner,

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hoping ever so much he would like them.

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You weren't exaggerating.

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This is very fine brushwork indeed.

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But the man who paints them needs a pair of spectacles.

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We thought you might swap a pair for these paintings.

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OK. It's a deal!

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I'll swap a pair of spectacles for these two paintings.

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I just need to work out how strong the lenses need to be.

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Oh, dear. Charlotte hadn't thought of that.

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I don't know how bad his eyes are,

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except that they're VERY bad.

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And how far can he actually see?

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Precisely?

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Well, as precisely as you can.

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This is very important.

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Charlotte thought very carefully

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and then she remembered seeing Mr Chan moving his head

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until he could focus on his painting.

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This is too close.

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-And this is just right. Does that help?

-Surprisingly, yes.

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I know the very pair.

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The owner handed Charlotte the right pair of spectacles.

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The delicate metal and heavy glass felt strangely fragile

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as she carefully folded them

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and placed them gently in her rucksack to keep them safe.

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-Thanks. Bye.

-Bye.

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Back came Charlotte in her old, battered boots.

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Across the open fields and down the mountainside.

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It felt like a very long journey indeed

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when Charlotte finally arrived back at Mr Chan's house.

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I got them!

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I can see!

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Oh, Charlotte, you did it!

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You really did it!

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-You're welcome, Mr Chan.

-I can see so much better.

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And Ming... I can see what a grumpy old man I've been too.

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I'll be able to help out about the house much more now.

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And I'll be much more grateful to Mrs Li.

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Well, this calls for a celebration.

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Why don't we go round and tell Mrs Li? She'll be delighted!

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Yes, let's!

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And that was that. The whole kit and caboodle.

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Charlotte And The Adventure Of The Expensive Spectacles.

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That was amazing! Wow!

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-Those spectacles were really hard to come by.

-I know.

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-Those glasses made everybody's life easier.

-Everybody's!

-Even Mrs Li's.

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Oh, yes. Mrs Li...

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I suppose she didn't have to worry about her two friends any more.

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Well, I'll be blowed! Is that the time already? Come on!

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Your mum will be here in a minute.

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Your coat.

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Now, how did THEY get there?

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Home time now, Charlotte!

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-Thanks, Great Aunt Lizzie!

-Cheery-bye, Charlotte!

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