story teens jemma doesn't forget teens pre int

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JEMMA DOESN'T FORGET

Graded Stories- Young Teens- level: Pre-Intermediate

Jemma is twelve years old. She lives in New York City with her mom and dad. Her mom is a doctor and her dad is a lawyer, and they live on the ninth floor of a cool old building in Greenwich Village.

Jemma goes to a great school, and she has lots of friends, but sometimes after school she is all alone. But she is really lucky. She has one very good friend in her apartment building. Mrs. Jerrold is eighty-five years old, and she lives across the hall. She is Jemma's best friend in the world.

Mrs. Jerrold loves to spend time with Jemma. She gives her treats and tells her amazing stories about the time when she was a girl in England in the 1930s. She remembers everything about that time: her brother and sister, her artist parents, the Second World War. She shows Jemma many old photos, and Jemma feels that she is living in that time too.

But Mrs. Jerrold has one problem – she forgets many things about the present. Sometimes she isn't sure what day it is, or what year. She buys food and forgets to eat it. She even forgets people's names and calls them by the names of people from long ago. But she always, always remembers Jemma.

Jemma asks her mother about Mrs. Jerrold's problem, and her mother explains that she probably has something called dementia. Many old people get it. "But even if they forget who you are, they still care about you. You have to remember that."

One day after school Jemma goes to Mrs. Jerrold's apartment. "Jemma! Come in," Mrs. Jerrold says. She does, and sees another woman sitting in the living room. The woman says, "I am Kathryn. I'm Mrs. Jerrold's daughter."

Jemma feels very surprised. She is pretty sure that Mrs. Jerrold doesn't have any children.



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But Mrs. Jerrold says, "Kathryn, this is Jemma. She lives across the hall, and she is my best friend in New York."

"That's nice," Kathryn says. But she doesn't smile. She looks almost as old as her mother, and very unhappy. "But we have serious things to talk about, so I think she should go home."

Mrs. Jerrold gives the woman a serious look. "No. She can stay here. She can hear whatever you want to say."

Kathryn shrugs. "All right. I want to say that you can't live here. It's not safe for you. You need to go to a place where people can help you. We are going to sell this apartment and move you to a nursing home."

"But that's impossible! This is my home. I can't go anywhere else." "You have to ... Mother. It is for your own good." Kathryn looks

around, then looks back at her mother. "Do you know how much this apartment is worth?"

Mrs. Jerrold shakes her head. "Not really. A hundred thousand dollars?"

"At least two million dollars. You can live in a wonderful place with that money."

"I live in a wonderful place now. And I'm staying here. Now go away, Kathryn. I want to talk to Jemma."

Kathryn looks at Jemma. "Don't interfere," she says. Her expression is very scary. "I'm warning you." Then she gets up and leaves.

Mrs. Jerrold turns to Jemma. There are tears in her eyes. "What am I going to do?" she says. "Do you think Kathryn is right?"

Jemma shakes her head. "No, I don't. This is your home. And I don't want you to leave."

"Then I won't," Mrs. Jerrold says.

But the next day after school when Jemma goes to see Mrs. Jerrold, there is no one home. Jemma knocks on the door and rings the bell over and over, but nothing happens. Mrs. Jerrold is always at home at this time



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of day, so Jemma becomes very worried. Maybe Mrs. Jerrold is out shopping and doesn't know what time it is. Or maybe ... maybe she doesn't remember where she lives? Jemma knows from her mother that when people with memory problems get upset, the problems can get worse. She is afraid that Mrs. Jerrold is confused and doesn't know where to go.

She calls her father at work and asks if she can go out. She explains what is going on, and also tells him about the visit from Mrs. Jerrold's daughter. Her father says, "Maybe it's better to stay out of it. I know she's your friend, but her family wants to help her."

"I don't think so. I think they want her money, that's all." "Let's talk about it when I get home," her father says. "Do your

homework – and try not to worry." Jemma tries to do her math homework, but she can't concentrate.

Finally, Jemma decides to go out and look in the places Mrs. Jerrold usually does her shopping. Maybe she can find her and bring her home.

She puts on her coat and goes down in the elevator. It's only four o'clock, but it's almost dark out and it's very cold. She hopes it doesn't start snowing. First she goes to the store on the corner, then the local deli, the bakery, and finally the supermarket. She asks everyone about Mrs. Jerrold. They know who she is, but no one remembers seeing her. Jemma keeps walking until she gets to the police station. She doesn't know what else to do, so she goes inside and walks up to the desk.

"Can I help you?" the policewoman says. "Um – I have a neighbor. Her name is Mrs. Jerrold. She's very old and

sometimes she forgets things. I think she's lost." "Why do you think that?" "She isn't in her apartment. She's always there when I get home from

school." "Well, maybe she has an appointment. Or maybe someone from her

family is taking her out for dinner." "No, I know something is wrong. You have to look for her." "I'm sorry, honey. When her family calls us, then we'll look."



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Jemma knows she can't argue with the police, so she leaves. Now it is snowing, and it's totally dark. Jemma wants to keep looking, but she knows she can't walk around the city all night, so she starts for home.

Jemma gets back to her building. She stops at the doorman's desk before going upstairs. "Hi, Freddie," she says. "What's up, Cookie?" He smiles at her. He always calls Jemma "Cookie," but she doesn't mind.

"I'm worried about Mrs. Jerrold. She isn't home, and I think she might be lost. Did you see her go out today?"

"No, I didn't. But her daughter is upstairs right now. She's with a couple of strange-looking men." He gives Jemma a curious look. "Is that really her daughter?"

Jemma shakes her head. "I don't think so. Mrs. Jerrold always says she doesn't have children. I don't know who she is. Maybe you can call the police. They don't listen to me because I'm just a kid."

"I'll try," Freddie says. "And you're not just a kid, Jemma. You're the smartest person I know."

"Thanks, Freddie," she says. But she isn't happy. She is very worried. When she gets upstairs she sees that Mrs. Jerrold's front door is

open. She hears voices inside. A man's voice says, "It's got to be here somewhere." And then a woman says, "I told you – she's smarter than she seems. I think she has all her papers with her. We have to find her."

When Jemma's parents come home she tells them the whole story. Her father says, "Freddie told us something too. I'll call the police. Something is definitely wrong."

He is on the phone for a long time. When he finishes he comes to Jemma's room and says, "The police are planning to do something. They are worried too. There is a woman who is stealing money from elderly people. They just don't know who she is yet."

"I know," Jemma says. "But they won't listen to me." "Maybe they will now," her dad says. "Now go to sleep. You've got

school tomorrow."



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The next morning, Jemma sits in her classes but isn't really paying

attention. Just after lunch the school secretary comes into the French class and says, "Jemma Williams. Could you come to the principal's office, please?" The other kids stare at Jemma, and she hears a few giggles. She ignores them and follows the secretary out of the room. Then the secretary says, "The police are here. They want to ask you some questions." He looks very curious, but he doesn't ask her anything.

Two police officers are waiting for her in the office, a man and a woman. The woman says, "We are looking for Mrs. Jerrold. And for the woman who calls herself Kathryn. Maybe you can help us." They show her several pictures of middle-aged women. One of them is Kathryn, and Jemma points to her. "Yesterday evening – " she starts to say.

"Yes, we know. One of them with her is a police officer. He is working in disguise. We know what she is trying to do." The police woman smiles at her. "Do you have any idea where Mrs. Jerrold is? We think she is hiding from these people."

"I don't know," Jemma says. The she remembers something. "Oh, wait! I remember she talks sometimes about an old friend of hers. She lives in Brooklyn – on Carol Street. I think her name is Peters, or Peterson."

The policeman says, "That's it! That's what the message means!" "What message?" Jemma asks. "We have a piece of paper from Mrs. Jerrold's apartment. It says, 'Am

visiting Peter's son at Carol's. T.' Just that. Now we know what it means. Thank you so much."

Jemma goes back to class, but now she is very excited. She can't wait to get home and see Mrs. Jerrold again. At 3:30 she runs out of the school and down the street to her building. When she goes in the front door, Freddie sees her and smiles. "You are really great," he says. "Mrs. Jerrold is waiting for you upstairs."



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Jemma goes up in the elevator and goes straight to Mrs. Jerrold's apartment. Mrs. Jerrold opens the door right away. "My little hero!" she says. "You did everything right."

"I think you did too," Jemma says. Mrs. Jerrold laughs. "Yes. I am old, but I'm not stupid. Now let's have

a piece of cake." 1 Read the story and write the verbs in the correct character’s box visited Jerrold cheated Jerrold asked for help told stories lived across Jerrold’s apartment reported to the police left a message wanted to sell Jerrold’s place came back safely home hid in a friend’s house

2 Make a short summary of the story using the words above. __________________________________________________________________

Jemma doesn’t forget

Mrs Jerrold Jemma Kathryn



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_________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 3 a Can you imagine the characters? What are they like? Describe them.

Include: height, weight, color hair, eyes, hairstyle, complexion, remarks (scar, mole, etc), and the clothes they are wearing.

3b Exchange your description with a partner or another group.

story teens jemma doesn't forget teens pre int

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