Short Stories in English for Beginners

engine
 and the cars on the 
motorway
. Then, suddenly,
something in the lorry moves. There’s another person among the rice boxes!
‘Hello?’ I say.
Silence
.
‘Who’s there?’ I ask in English.
More silence. I know someone is there. He or she is between the boxes.
Finally, I get up and walk over. What a surprise! It’s an old man. He’s
hidden between the boxes.
‘Excuse me,’ I say, ‘But who are you?’
‘Leave me alone, please,’ the man answers. He speaks perfect English!
‘What are you doing here?’ I ask.
‘I’m travelling to Barcelona.’
‘Does the driver know you’re here?’
‘No, he doesn’t. I got into the lorry while you were talking to him.’
‘I see …’ I say.
Suddenly, the driver stops. He gets out and heads towards the back. The
old man looks at me 
with concern
. ‘Why did he stop?’
‘I don’t know.’
There’s a sound at the back door.
‘I have to 
hide
!’ says the man.

---

The driver comes into the lorry. He only sees me. The old man is hiding
behind the boxes.
‘What’s going on in here?’ he asks me.
‘Nothing.’
‘Who were you talking to?’
‘Me? Nobody. There’s no one else here. Can’t you see?’
‘Listen. We’re not in Barcelona yet. Be quiet. I don’t want any trouble.
Understand?’
‘I understand,’ I reply.
The driver closes the door. He goes back to the driver’s seat. At that same
moment, the old man comes out from between the boxes. He looks at me
with a smile. ‘I’m 
lucky
 that he didn’t see me!’ he says.
‘Yes, you are,’ I say. ‘So, tell me. Why are you travelling from Valencia
to Barcelona in a lorry?’
‘Do you really want to know?’
‘Yes, of course!’
‘Allow me to tell you a little story.’
‘Please! It’s a long ride.’
The old man tells me his story. ‘I have a son, but I have never met him.
His mother and I were together many years ago. We weren’t really a perfect
match. But I loved her. Then I went to the United States. It was for a job
opportunity. The job didn’t go well. I couldn’t get back.’ He paused. Then
he continued, ‘She moved away. And I never saw her – or my son – again.
Recently, I found out where they are.’
‘In Barcelona?’
‘Exactly.’
‘How old is your son?’
‘He’s 24.’
‘That’s the same age as me!’
The old man laughs. ‘What a 
coincidence
!’
‘Yes, it is.’

---

After a few minutes of silence, I get up to 
stretch my legs
. I ask the man,
‘What’s your son’s name?’
‘His name is Armando. He has a flat in Barcelona. It’s in an area near the
restaurant The Crazy Paella. That’s why I’m in this lorry.’
The Crazy Paella. Also known as La Paella Loca in Spanish. The man in
the lorry is my friend Armando’s father. I can’t believe it!