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The Accidental Tourist Simplified Edition PDF
The Accidental Tourist Simplified Edition PDF
Acknowledgements
Chapter 4 Sarah 25
Chapter 5 N e w York 32
Chapter 6 Macon and Muriel 38
Chapter 7 A N e w K i n d of Life 48
Chapter 8 Alexander 56
Chapter 9 Rose's W e d d i n g 63
Chapter 10 Coming H o m e 70
Chapter 11 Paris 75
Word List 86
Activities 87
A n n e Tyler is o n e of America's b e s t - k n o w n living writers of
fiction. She was born in Minneapolis in 1941. She g r e w u p , t h o u g h ,
in N o r t h Carolina, a n d she studied Russian at D u k e University in
the same state. W h i l e she was t h e r e , she b e c a m e k n o w n for her
story writing. She left in 1961, at the age of nineteen, b u t she
continued to study at C o l u m b i a University in N e w York. T h e n she
returned to D u k e University, to a job in the library. She m e t the
Iranian writer Taghi Modarressi, and they m a r r i e d in 1963.
Together they m o v e d to C a n a d a . In M o n t r e a l , Tyler w o r k e d in
McGill University's L a w Library. She a n d her h u s b a n d n o w live in
Baltimore. T h e y have t w o d a u g h t e r s , w h o are both artists.
A n n e Tyler has w r i t t e n thirteen books a n d a n u m b e r of short
stories. Most of the action in her books takes place in Baltimore or
in small t o w n s in the s o u t h e r n U n i t e d States. H e r early books (If
Morning Ever Comes (1964), The Tin Can Tree (1965) a n d A Slipping
Down Life (1970)) all describe people w h o face u n h a p p i n e s s a n d
loneliness inside their families. T h e writer r e t u r n s to the subject of
family life again a n d again in her w o r k . In her later books (The
Clock Winder (1972), Earthly Possessions (1977), Morgan's Passing
(1980), Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant (1982) a n d Ladder of Years
(1995)) people love their families deeply but, at the same time, w a n t
to get away from t h e m . Breathing Lessons (1988) tells of a single day
in the m a r r i a g e of Ira a n d M a g g i e M o r a n .
The Accidental Tourist (1985) is a n o t h e r story of family life in the
U S A today. It looks at t w o families w h o choose to live their lives in
different ways. F o r one family, life is q u i e t a n d surprises are
The Accidental Tourist
* Welsh corgi: a k i n d of d o g . Corgis are small and have very short legs.
Macon Alone
A Difficult Dog
T h e r e was a silence.
" W h y d o n ' t you call the w o m a n from the vet's w h e r e Edward
w e n t before? You k n o w , w h e n you w e r e in E n g l a n d ? " Rose asked.
" T h e w o m a n from M e o w - B o w ? P e r h a p s I will," Macon said.
It was not possible, of course. T h e w o m a n was too strange. But
he did not w a n t to discuss it w i t h Rose now.
Muriel
"When I was a little girl," Muriel said, "I d i d n ' t like animals." She
had a voice that w e n t too far up a n d too far d o w n . O n e m i n u t e it
was very high, the next m i n u t e it d r o p p e d very low. "My family
gave me a dog. But then they took it away because I was
frightened."
She and Macon w e r e s t a n d i n g in the hall w i t h E d w a r d . W h e n
Muriel arrived, E d w a r d ran to her. But she just told h i m to sit
down and pushed h i m w i t h her long fingers. He sat in front of her,
looking surprised a n d u n h a p p y . " N o w you tell h i m that he is d o i n g
well," she told Macon. " H e will soon learn."
Muriel talked a lot. First she started t a l k i n g a b o u t her plans for
training E d w a r d . T h e n , suddenly, she began to describe her early
life. "My hair was very fair w h e n I was a baby," she said. "It was
almost white. A n d I h a d blue eyes. E v e r y b o d y said I was so
beautiful. T h e y said I was pretty e n o u g h to be a film actress."
Edward m a d e a noise b u t Muriel did not look at h i m .
The Accidental Tourist
that I was his very best pupil. So then I got a job w i t h the M e o w -
Bow. Who's that lady w a l k i n g t h r o u g h your k i t c h e n ? "
"That's Rose."
"Is she your wife?"
"She's my sister! T h i s house is hers," Macon said.
"I don't live with anybody either," Muriel told h i m .
Macon felt surprised. W h y was she saying this? D i d n ' t he tell
her that he lived with his sister?
"Sometimes late at n i g h t I telephone the s p e a k i n g clock. I do it
just to talk to somebody," Muriel said. " T h e time will be eleven . . .
forty-nine exactly. You can tell h i m to stand up now."
"What?"
"Your dog. He can stand u p . "
Macon m a d e a sign a n d E d w a r d j u m p e d u p .
"So what do you d o ? " Muriel asked.
Macon said, "I w r i t e g u i d e b o o k s . "
"Guidebooks! Lucky."
"Why is it l u c k y ? "
"Well, it m e a n s you have to travel to all k i n d s of places!"
"Oh w e l l . . . t r a v e l . . ." Macon said.
"I love travel, but I d o n ' t travel very often. I've never been on a
plane. Can you believe t h a t ? "
"It's not very interesting really. Tickets, airports, stations . . .
Why is E d w a r d b a r k i n g ? "
Muriel looked at E d w a r d a n d he became quiet.
"I would like to go to Paris," she said.
"Paris is terrible. Everybody's r u d e . "
"I just think it s o u n d s so r o m a n t i c . "
"Well it's not," M a c o n said.
"Take me with you next t i m e ! I'll s h o w you the good parts."
Macon looked away. " E r . . . w e l l . . . I never even took my wife,
The Accidental Tourist
or, u m , my . . . wife."
"I was only j o k i n g , " she told h i m .
"Oh."
" D i d you t h i n k I m e a n t i t ? "
"Oh, no."
" T h a t ' s five dollars," Muriel said. "You have to practise what
he's learnt. Do it yourself now. I'll come back t o m o r r o w for the
second lesson."
W h e n Muriel left, E d w a r d j u m p e d up a n d attacked the front
door.
"Well, yes."
He waited for her to say s o m e t h i n g . P e r h a p s she too was going
to tell h i m to send E d w a r d away.
"Well, he's probably u n h a p p y , " she said slowly.
"Yes, he is," said Macon. "He's acting very strangely. He attacks
people all the time. I asked a d o g trainer to help m e , b u t she was too
hard with him."
" W e l l , that's silly! H e ' s only frightened. W h e n Edward's
frightened, he attacks. T h a t ' s just the way he is."
M a c o n s u d d e n l y felt h o w m u c h he loved her. O h , w h e n they
w e r e together, he s o m e t i m e s hated her. But she was his oldest
friend. T h e t w o of t h e m w e n t t h r o u g h very difficult times
together. She was a part of his life. It was too late to change that.
" S a r a h , " he said. "It is terrible not living together."
She looked at h i m . In this light her eyes seemed to be very dark
blue, almost black.
"Isn't i t ? " he said.
She p u t d o w n her glass. "I asked you here for a reason, Macon."
H e k n e w i t was s o m e t h i n g bad.
She said, " W e need to separate."
" W e are separated, so there's no p r o b l e m , " he said.
"By law, I m e a n . "
" W h y d o n ' t you come h o m e ? "
T h e meal arrived. A h a n d p u t plates in front of t h e m and
m o v e d things on the table. " A n y m o r e d r i n k s ? " the waitress asked.
" N o ! " M a c o n said. " T h a n k you."
T h e waitress left.
He said, "Sarah? Please come back."
"It's not possible," she told h i m .
She was w e a r i n g p i n k . She was w e a r i n g just that same pink
w h e n they first met. W h y did she choose that colour tonight?
Sarah
New York
J
New York
"I'll be honest," Muriel said. "My baby was not exactly planned. I
m e a n we w e r e n ' t m a r r i e d t h e n . T h a t ' s w h y we got married. But I
told N o r m a n he d i d n ' t have to. N o t if he d i d n ' t w a n t to."
She looked past M a c o n at E d w a r d , w h o lay on the floor. They
h a d to p u s h h i m d o w n , b u t at least he was staying there.
" N o w I ' m g o i n g to t u r n my back," she said. "You watch what
he does."
She w e n t into the living ro o m .
" W h e n we first started living together, it was like a game. Then
s u d d e n l y it b e c a m e real. A n d n o w I have this little boy — a great
big seven-year-old son. It was real all the t i m e — we just didn't
k n o w it. W h a t i s E d w a r d d o i n g ? "
" W h a t ? O h , h e hasn't m o v e d , " M a c o n said.
" G o o d . Soon he'll do that for t h r e e or four h o u r s . "
" B u t w o n ' t he be u n h a p p y ? "
"You said you w e r e n ' t g o i n g to talk like t h a t ! "
"Right. Sorry," Macon said.
" B u t it's all right really," Muriel said, a n d touched his arm. "I
t h i n k m e n w i t h soft hearts are sweet."
Macon and Muriel
looked at his brothers and sister. T h e four adults seemed very pale
a n d grey to h i m , almost unreal.
Julian c a m e to dinner. Macon a n d his b r o t h e r s w e r e very polite
in their o w n way. But later Rose shouted at t h e m . "You d o n ' t like
h i m being here. You d o n ' t w a n t me to stop c o o k i n g for you. You
w a n t me to look after this house for ever! You d o n ' t w a n t Julian to
fall in love w i t h m e . "
"I d o n ' t u n d e r s t a n d you," Rose told Macon. "Last night you said
you w a n t e d supper. A n d t h e n you w e r e n ' t here to eat it. On three
m o r n i n g s last week I w e n t to call you for breakfast and you weren't
there. H o w can I plan a n y t h i n g ? "
" I ' m sorry, Rose," M a c o n said. "You k n o w h o w it is . . . "
" I ' m not a s k i n g a b o u t your private life, Macon."
"I t h o u g h t you w e r e . "
"I just need to k n o w h o w m u c h food to cook. T h a t ' s all."
He accepted the fact that he was living with her now. He paid
m o n e y t o w a r d s the rent, and for their shopping. He kept his
t o o t h b r u s h in her b a t h r o o m , a n d his clothes in her cupboard.
T h e r e wasn't a special m o m e n t w h e n this h a p p e n e d . First there
was the long C h r i s t m a s holiday w h e n A l e x a n d e r was at home
alone. So Macon began to stay w i t h h i m in the d a y t i m e after he
spent the n i g h t there. A n d w h y not b r i n g his typewriter and work
at the kitchen table? A n d then w h y not stay for supper, and after
that for bed?
But p e r h a p s he really m o v e d in on the day w h e n he brought
E d w a r d to stay. O n e day he r e t u r n e d from a business trip and went
to Rose's house to check the animals. T h e cat was fine, Rose said.
(She had to speak above E d w a r d ' s loud a n d happy noises.) But
E d w a r d . . . " H e spends a lot of t i m e sitting near the door," she said.
" H e keeps looking at the door a n d w a i t i n g for you to come back."
T h a t decided it. H e took E d w a r d w i t h h i m w h e n h e returned
to Singleton Street. " W h a t do you t h i n k ? " he asked Muriel.
" C o u l d we k e e p h i m just a day or two? P e r h a p s Alexander will be
all right."
"I'll be all right," said Alexander. "Cats m a k e me ill, not dogs."
A New Kind of Life
Alexander
"Is M a m a c o m i n g ? "
"We'll give her a surprise."
M a c o n w a s n ' t sure w h a t M u r i e l was g o i n g t o t h i n k .
T h e y d r o v e to a s h o p w h e r e M a c o n often w e n t w i t h E t h a n . It
was just the same — full of jeans a n d cowboy shirts. M a c o n found
t h a t it w a s n ' t even painful to c o m e back here, only a bit strange.
E t h a n was dead b u t Macon was again h o l d i n g u p shirts a n d asking,
" T h i s one? T h i s o n e ? "
"I d o n ' t w a n t things to look new," said Alexander.
"You choose," said Macon.
A l e x a n d e r chose several shirts a n d a lot of jeans, because he did
not k n o w his size. He w e n t into the c h a n g i n g r o o m to try t h e m on.
M a c o n w a i t e d outside the c h a n g i n g - r o o m door.
" H o w is i t ? " he asked.
"OK."
S o m e o n e said, " M a c o n ? "
He t u r n e d a n d saw a w o m a n in a blue dress.
" L a u r e l Cranfield. I ' m Scott's m o t h e r , r e m e m b e r ? "
" O f course," M a c o n said, giving her his h a n d . A n d n o w he saw
Scott. He was in E t h a n ' s class at school. He was very tall now.
"Well, Scott, h o w nice to see you," M a c o n said.
Scott became very red a n d said n o t h i n g . L a u r e l Cranfield said,
"It's nice to see you. A r e you s h o p p i n g ? "
" O h , well, a h . . . "
He looked at the c h a n g i n g - r o o m door. " I ' m helping the son of
a friend," he explained.
" W e ' r e b u y i n g h u n d r e d s o f socks."
"Yes, I can see."
"It seems that every w e e k Scott needs n e w socks. You k n o w
h o w boys are at this age .. ."
She stopped herself a n d looked shocked.
Alexander
"Yes, of course!" Macon said. "It's really funny, isn't i t ? " He felt
so bad for her that at first he was pleased to see a n o t h e r face b e h i n d
her. T h e n he saw w h o it was. Sarah's m o t h e r ! L a u r e l Cranfield
k n e w her too. "Well, Paula Sidley," she said. " H o w are y o u ? "
" I ' m well, t h a n k you," said Sarah's m o t h e r . " H e l l o , M a c o n . "
" H o w are y o u ? " M a c o n said.
She was beautifully dressed. Macon r e m e m b e r e d that she
always spent h o u r s on her hair a n d her face. He found it all very
false. In the early days with Sarah he w o r r i e d a b o u t it. "Will Sarah
g r o w to be like her m o t h e r ? " he asked himself then.
" A r e you b u y i n g n e w clothes for the s p r i n g ? "
"Oh, Macon's helping a friend," said Laurel Cranfield
cheerfully. She looked t o w a r d s Alexander's door. "Isn't s h o p p i n g
for boys so difficult?"
"I d o n ' t k n o w , " said Paula Sidley. "I d o n ' t have any sons. I ' m
here for the skirts."
" O h , the skirts. Well, I saw they are offering a "
" W h a t friend are you h e l p i n g ? " Paula Sidley asked Macon.
Macon d i d n ' t k n o w w h a t to tell her. He looked at the c h a n g i n g
room. He w a n t e d A l e x a n d e r to stay in t h e r e for ever. H o w was he
going to explain this thin, ill-looking child to Sarah's m o t h e r ?
Poor Alexander, w h o could never c o m p a r e w i t h E t h a n .
But, of course, A l e x a n d e r chose that m o m e n t to c o m e out.
He w o r e jeans and a big, comfortable shirt. Macon saw that his
face was fatter than before. A n d his hair, w h i c h M a c o n cut now,
looked thick a n d healthy. H i s face shone w i t h happiness.
"I look g r e a t ! " A l e x a n d e r said.
Macon t u r n e d to the t w o w o m e n a n d said, "In fact, I find that
shopping for boys is really enjoyable."
The Accidental Tourist
Muriel said, "I've never told you this, Macon. But before I m e t
you I was going out with a n o t h e r m a n . "
" O h , w h o was t h a t ? "
" H e w a s a c u s t o m e r at the Meow-Bow. We started a
conversation about cats a n d t h e n we w e n t o u t together. He was in
the m i d d l e of separating from his wife. She h u r t h i m terribly. He
said he couldn't ever believe in a w o m a n again. But I c h a n g e d that.
He relaxed — became a different m a n . He m o v e d in h e r e a n d we
started talking about getting m a r r i e d . T h e he m e t s o m e o n e on a
plane a n d ran away with her the next w e e k . "
"I see," M a c o n said.
"It felt very strange. P e r h a p s I m a d e h i m feel better, just so he
could go away wit h a n o t h e r w o m a n ! "
"Well," he said.
"You're not like that, are you, M a c o n ? "
"Who, me?"
"You're not the k i n d of person w h o runs away w i t h o t h e r
w o m e n ? W h o sees other w o m e n i n secret? A r e y o u ? "
" O h , Muriel, of course not."
"You're not p l a n n i n g to leave me a n d go back to your wife?"
" W h a t are you t a l k i n g a b o u t ? "
"Are you?"
" D o n ' t be silly," he said.
She put her head on one side a n d looked at h i m . H e r eyes w e r e
The Accidental Tourist
It felt r i g h t to be there.
Rose's Wedding
"Ah . . . "
"I can't just put h i m into a school a n d take h i m o u t again."
He said n o t h i n g .
"Just tell me s o m e t h i n g , " she said. " D o you see us g e t t i n g
married some time? I m e a n w h e n you are really d i v o r c e d ? "
H e said, " O h , well, m a r r i a g e , M u r i e l . . . "
"You don't, do you? You don't k n o w w h a t you w a n t . O n e
minute you like m e , a n d the next m i n u t e you d o n ' t . O n e m i n u t e
you don't w a n t people to see you w i t h m e . A n d the next m i n u t e I ' m
the best t h i n g that ever h a p p e n e d to you."
He looked at her. He d i d n ' t k n o w that she read h i m so clearly.
"You t h i n k t h a t you can just go along like this, day after day
with no plans," she said. " P e r h a p s t o m o r r o w you'll be here,
perhaps you w o n ' t . P e r h a p s you'll go back to Sarah. Oh yes! I saw
the two of you at Rose's w e d d i n g . "
Macon said, "All I ' m saying is "
"All I'm saying is this," Muriel said. " D o n ' t m a k e promises to
my son if you can't k e e p t h e m . "
"But I just w a n t h i m to learn to do s u m s ! " he said.
She d i d n ' t a n s w e r a n d at supper she was too quiet. E v e n
Alexander was quiet.
In bed that night she asked, "You w o n ' t be like the others, will
you? Will you promise not to leave m e ? "
"Yes, yes," he said, half asleep. He was m o v i n g in a n d out of
dreams.
"I am i m p o r t a n t to you, a r e n ' t I ? "
" O h , Muriel, be quiet and let me sleep!" he said.
But later, w h e n she t u r n e d in her sleep and m o v e d away from
him, his feet followed hers to the other side of the bed.
Coming Home
The plane to Paris was very big. Inside, the passengers w e r e busy
getting ready for the journey. He took his seat next to a w i n d o w .
Two F r e n c h people, a m a n a n d his wife, sat next to h i m . Macon
watched the other passengers arriving. A Japanese m a n c a r r y i n g
several cameras, a y o u n g girl with long hair, a m a n in a d a r k
business suit, a w o m a n with a red bag, d a r k hair a n d a t h i n , white
face.
Muriel.
At first he felt a s u d d e n w a r m feeling — the feeling that you get
when you see someone you k n o w in a c r o w d of strangers. A n d
then: " O h , n o ! " he t h o u g h t . She w a l k e d t o w a r d s h i m slowly,
watching her feet. A n d t h e n , w h e n she was next to h i m , she lifted
her eyes. She k n e w all the time that he was there.
"I'm going to F r a n c e , " she told h i m .
"But you can't!" he said.
T h e F r e n c h people looked at him strangely. T h e wife m o v e d in
her seat to see better. M o r e passengers arrived behind Muriel. T h e y
tried to pass her. " I ' m going to walk along the Seine," M u r i e l said.
T h e n she w a l k e d on.
W h e n everyone was sitting, Macon looked b e h i n d h i m . But he
couldn't see Muriel. "Sarah will learn about this!" he t h o u g h t .
Later in the n i g h t he w e n t to the toilet a n d there was Muriel.
"Muriel, w h a t "
"You d o n ' t o w n this p l a n e ! " she told h i m . H e a d s t u r n e d .
" A n d you d o n ' t o w n Paris," she said,
"I don't u n d e r s t a n d this. H o w did you k n o w w h i c h plane I was
catching?"
The Accidental Tourist
"Oh, good!"
He w a t c h e d her do her hair a n d t h e n they w e n t out.
Camp (n) a place w h e r e people live in tents for a short time, often for a holiday
elephant (n) a very large animal with a very long nose w h i c h it can pick things up
w i t h . Elephants c o m e from Africa a n d India.
hi a w o r d for hello
jeans (n pl) trousers m a d e of strong cotton cloth. Jeans are usually blue.
leash (n) a piece of leather (or other material) w h i c h is tied to a dog's neck. W h e n
you are h o l d i n g the o t h e r end of a leash, the d o g cannot run away.
pizza (n) a r o u n d , flat piece of bread which is covered with cheese and other food.
Pizzas c o m e from Italy.
2 B e c a u s e o f his w o r k M a c o n h a s t o t r a v e l a w a y f r o m h o m e . B u t h e also h a s
a d o g . W h a t p r o b l e m s d o y o u t h i n k h e will h a v e ?
Chapters 4 - 6
9 W h o a r e t h e s p e a k e r s a n d w h o a r e t h e y t a l k i n g to?
1 " Y o u d o n ' t let t h i n g s t o u c h y o u . "
2 "You're very y o u n g to be at the doctor's alone."
3 "I c a n ' t go to d i n n e r w i t h p e o p l e . I c a n ' t t a l k to t h e i r little b o y s ! "
Chapters 7 - 9
Alexander
3 Is A l e x a n d e r h a p p y at school?
4 W h y does M a c o n buy h i m n e w clothes?
Activities
Rose's Wedding
5 Is M a c o n pleased t h a t R o s e is m a r r y i n g J u l i a n ?
6 H o w d o e s M a c o n feel w h e n h e m e e t s S a r a h a t t h e w e d d i n g ?
Chapters 1 0 - 1 1
17 M a c o n h a s t o g o t o P a r i s t o w o r k o n his g u i d e b o o k . W h a t will h e d o
there?
Whole book
Writing
1 S a r a h says t o M a c o n : " Y o u ' r e just a n a c c i d e n t a l t o u r i s t t o o ! " W h a t does
she m e a n ? Do you agree?
2 I m a g i n e t h a t y o u a r e E d w a r d . W r i t e t h e story o f h o w M a c o n f i r s t meets
Muriel.
3 " W h o a r e y o u w h e n y o u a r e w i t h s o m e b o d y ? P e r h a p s this w a s m o r e
i m p o r t a n t t h a n i f y o u loved her." D o y o u a g r e e ?
4 I m a g i n e t h a t y o u a r e M u r i e l . W r i t e a letter f r o m P a r i s t o y o u r sister.
5 D i d M a c o n m a k e t h e r i g h t decision a t t h e e n d o f t h e story? G i v e t h e
r e a s o n s for y o u r a n s w e r .