The Look Out man.pdf

Leading up to the story in that learn problem solving skill

1. 6. Problem-Solving Skills

Leading up to the story

Discuss these questions in groups of four or five. The group leader may then present the
answers to the class. Cu % ía

1. What are the different kinds of jewellery shops you are familiar with?
2. Where do the rich and fashionable buy their jewellery?

3, Why are safety measures important for big jewellery shops? What safety measures
do they use?

The look-out man

Read the story by Nicolas Bentley. Then answer the questions that follow.

My name is William Morris (no relation to the famous one; my folks came from
Salford). I shall be fifty-three this year, married, with one daughter (also married), and
Tlive ar Woldingham in Surrey. am what you call one of the quiet sort I suppose, My
lie may not seem very exciting to some people, but that is the way 1 like to lead it

‘am fond of reading (there is enough excitement for me in books) and 1 ike painting
(only water colors as ye) and doing odds and ends about he house. So perhaps there
(oan cof the other Morris in me afterall; he was fond of doing odd jobs, to.

“Anthough Tam such a great reader, Chad never thought of writing anything until this
reat event in my ie happened and elt Tha record it. So must ask you to grin
E bear it if my shortcomings as author appear too obvious.

Ser more than thirty years have made a study of detective fiction. But do not read
traci and Heaven knows, there is enough ofthat about. Poe and Collins and Gaboriau,
vest course, Holmes, and later on Trent and Dr Thomdyke were what shaped my
taste for detective stories.

"and what I call detective stories are ones that deal with real detection, where the

detective is not just a kind of superman but an ordinary one who has nothing but sharp
yes and common sense to rely on.
Consequently I thi

1 have learned to look more closely at my fellow men than

most people usually do. But it is not out of curiosity; it is for what it can teach you
about human nature in general

2. 58. English and Soft Skills

After all its the same method a bird watchers use, and itseems to msec
as much about a publican as a pelican if you look at ios enough. (Not that I am
a frequenter of pubs, because my wife is atta abs .

1 seldom go in a bus or train or anywhere wits i on a the

i a a (quite
people around me that you might easily miss 2! Lei ;
‘unobtrusively, of course) the details and the state of their clothing, their hands ang
teeth and hair, and their jewellery (any) and petals and fountain Pes and soon,
‘and what they are reading or carry! way they fat “Eyes EN
You cannot make much out of sing utp gether and
you may have enough to hang a man on. E
ine often wrong. seldom have any means ol proving
‘Lexpect my deductions are qt lively than doing crosswords,

them, But at any rate they Keep my imagination more o
or ke inerest get they are a lot more profitable 10 me than doing the pools, of

that Lam sure.

Every day as co
Knighsbridge—I sit an
tothe test, except when we bi

We have avery ine stock of old jewellery, bu
this, except in the window which is well protected.
ae Faber and cleisonné articles, small carvings, crystal, jade and soon,
ae what we have on show.

“The only asstans are Miss Susskind and I. (The repairs man works of te
premises) Mr Regier ony attends special customers and big buyers.

The fist thing tat Ido inthe morning is to re-dress the window (we always clear
it at nighy, and on this panicular morning I happened to notice a gir looking in the
LT the pel posi though beyond a couple of urns and a photo of
a re cannot have i j à
ea ere cant ve be mich a es ai, and remember wondering

The reason I noticed her ( do not usually “notice” girs; they are all one to me now
aay, xe sj ol need spin) wa because of her overt
ls long yellow cst wi ig brown chess, And she hn on yellow ai
„Sys ios ou cal ii an ary” peso at and ow el, andl

oud image pines at er much higher, from te general oko
are ero il, en vas intra by a custome, He Ys
See chic otal Rolle at eee at ont eas ier Lore
wa beso lg Ive sat ny e a ig ee er e
rather a big man, y smooth-looking pink face

He came straight in and asked o see some rings. I brought out a couple of 12)"

any),
y, and the
Je fact, of course,

jer’s, the antique jewellers in

yme up in the train—I work at Regni
1 my powers of observation

1 lock. But I have never had to put

ad this trouble in the shop.
1 naturally we do not display much of

We carry also a big range of objets
and these

Scanned with CamScanner

3. Problem-Solving Skills 59

some idea of he sot of hing he Wi after. But I could soon see he knew

ut 1 86 antique jewellery; NO anything else antique, 1 imagined, unless it came
foaning about
ie price of several ings and picked up tuo or es 4 Nas then 1

the y loe handed and Wok at em, Bus You cout tell he
Vas the price.
es early seventeenh century, diamonds and rubies in a floral motif,
cet twas a beat! Mr Rogner was o fond of he AT really want 10
anda, sa pura any pres on was oo an Ir this American, anyway.
par el he iter ng rom tose not absolue} ofthe Ost a
ht oer ee rays on he counter in front of hm, and he stil owl sos
mn ind, Then he spotteda fur tay inthe af, which was open jus bet
rt ed he could se at, 10. So 1 gott out fr him. But even before 1 had
me a le counter 1 sotted tha the diamond and ruby floral pattem had walked
2 rt sunned-and embarrassed. It had never, never happened 10 me before,
nor RE my seventeen years, that anything in my charge atte shop had vanished.
nu down te way and made a signal to Miss Suskind with my eyebrows, She
camp aver and when she was close enough to bear witness Isai o the eustomer—and
Tada hard job o keep my voice steady’

a have decided on the floral ring, have you, sir? If you will just let me have it
1 will ind a box for it

T held out my hand. The American said ( remember exactly his words)

Locos anything, Why, 1 just want 0 pick a couple or so for my wife to
choose from. Then I'l have her come in later on."

venid exactly 1 do not now recall, except that it was something to gain time so
1 could collect myself. am seldom at my best taken unawares.

i Susskind (she is no foo) sipped of at once to fetch Mr Regnier. I came round
fron tehind the counter and began looking everywhere, so did the customer, and Miss
‘Susskind and Mr Regnier, too, when they came in. a

‘Of course, Mr Regnier was in a state, He is rather an

: id not like
it when Mr Regnier began to warm up (no accusations, of course; that would
aná or oe mine hu a ings looked Ike ad 3d
„ren Mis See ys fal people shoul thnk ft do not know) suggested
in is turn-ups. Instead, he looked at her, v
Some quis vel: le ther, very hard. His face had
to me, he had left off chewing and his j ï
trap. From his expression he would lik an eis jew Was ser Le
Bur om hi expresion he would ke o ave caught Mss Sussinds ein it.
‘Then he burst out laughing his turn-ups all the same without any result.

4. 60. English and Soft Skills

Sense of humour is not my strong point, I realise that, but even I could see that a
this moment Miss Susskind on all-fours was legitimate food for a smile.

“Then the American said: “Why, dam't it, T guess you think I’ve purloined it or
something!"

Of course, faced with such a statement Mr Regnier had to demur. He got up off the
«carpet and asked the customer very politely, to step into the office.

‘There (he told me afterwards) he put it quite straight to him, while he did not for
‘one moment suspect him of theft, he must, for insurance purposes, sat fy himself that
the ring had not accidentally got into any crease or cranny of his clothing.

It appears thatthe customer was quite good-natured and understanding about it, or
seemed to be, and stripped right down for Mr Regnier, even to his socks and shoes,
But there was not a trace of the ring anywhere.

‘Miss Susskind and I went on looking for it meanwhile, not that I was in very high
hopes. It had gone so swiftly and suddenly I could not help but feel suspicious.

While we were still looking another customer came in. And who she be but the girl
1 had seen not ten minutes since, looking into the undertaker's window. There was no
tenon rely why shout ave fe surprise, but dd fel was a coincidence

oso there were several ite ella thing, her Bair and her gloves and bag,
chal looked just a il Bion te shabby sie, nothing noticeable really. She was
quite a lady. It is very seldom we get in anybody who looks even at all worn at the

cages, on follow, a Ley do, hey want el, ot 10 buy

Se ait puled off er gore à ide ds paper pal
anda ne coer (a oe mc Ir es been oe
i weg ng a sand a split eam in he forefinger of the right

Trudi ie packet andi

Se sito mes “Could y

mor muda, e do ot d rep
of junk.)

She esta

it there was a cheap paste bracelet,
jou mend this for me? The clasp seem:
8 to have broken.”
8." (And nor roken.
do we, not that sort

ot as ough ot se a 28 Th ee stg
i ed as e was very clever the Way she did it~ nu Bed and sa
Tan ou And en Wee nn of my PE Ju sont
el touched he issue paper: and it sp y side of the ene JUS Sort of
e eg down so pick 1 up, had what CO regard ag ME
sats hing seemed mery cat © me, a ough he aus bits or y Vaio,
ad suddenly slipped into their right pe md ._ the puzzle for me. "te Puzzie
ip i ao 1 vas ey er len a
Tay veri SI Pr va ne ep ow

“en Ms rose up slowly from behind that
2 D ea ray vas in my A the one nn,

My eae edi 1 wrapped the race 1 de St e
a in er ag and an :

5. Problem Solving Skills 61

core moment, pease.” But she ate as if she had not heard, So said quickly. but,
ne te politely: “Excuse me, madam, if you do not stop, shall be compelled
of cours arm and that door in front of you will be locked automaticaly.” Halfway
e had to swallow. I was So very strung up.
rai stop then, but she did not turn round. Miss Susskind, behind the other
comer, stood there like Lot's wife with glasses on.
Team round to the girl and I said: “We do not want any unpleasantness, madam,
ter of us, So if you will just hand over the ring in your left hand overcoat pocket

the matter will be settled so far as we are concerned. If not, Miss Susskind will press
the alarm.” :

Miss Susskind nodded when I said this. I could see she was keen to press it
anyway.

‘The girl had gone very pale. I really felt almost sorry for her for the moment, but
I knew I had to be firm. She looked at me very frightened, then she handed over the
ring and ran straight out of the shop.

‘And at that very minute Mr Regnier came back out of the office with the American
customer fully dressed.

‘The customer was looking all smiles, as though the whole episode was more or less
a joke to him. But it was by no means a joke to Mr Regnier. He was all apologies, not
s

Then I opened my hand and showed them the ring, and you should have seen Mr
Regnier's face, what with seeing his precious ring once more and then seeing the
American go flying out of the shop as though a stone from a catapult.

Well, of course, Mr Regnier wondered how on earth I had done it, so I explained.

First of all, we very seldom get any customers like tis type of American. Something
flashy and more modernistic than our style of jewellery would have been more in his
line. He had no taste and what often goes with it—no idea what he really wanted.

Most people who come to us come because they know that at Regnier's you can get
the sort of things you cannot just pick up anywhere. So query No. one in my mind (not
that had actually got any suspicions up to that moment) was why on earth should they
have come to us?

Second point: this was about the girl. Why should anyone hang about in front of
an underiaker’s? (OF course, at this stage I did not relate the girl with the American
customer at al.)

Either one is in need of an undertaker or one is
room for doubt in the mind of the ordinary cit

So what was this girl doing hangi
was clear to me; she was killing

not. It is not a matter that leaves

zen.

ing about in front of the und Di
rl lertaker’s? The answer

ape tree tne her intention was to come to
then the cheap-k i
‘Hooking thing she had brought in for repair. She looked as if she

6. 62 English and Soft Skills
knew what was what, and she was a lady all right. She must have known very well we
re not the Kind of business that does cheap repairs. Al this passed through my mind
as I looked at her bracelet. e
Point three was this: there was nothing left-handed about her, Y had noticed tat
‘Yet it was the left-hand glove she had ‘pulled off when she came in, though : e E
undone the tissue-paper packet with her right. It was at the small counter, and really
"his counter is only wide enough for one person © Stand at conveniently.
“me last thing I remembered, as I bent down to pick up the tissu
this girl's left hand at just about the spot where a
course, he was truly eft-handed—~after I had taken the tray of ri
me; fnally, tere was one thing more tat Had "ck in my mind; it stuck rather far
dl tica cam
back sil the iia] MOMENT ur onthe carpe, and the American TOT

When we had all been cra e sl
jooked so cross at Miss Susskind, e membre noticing he had stopped chewing his

to do not just spit gum out on he carpet, even if you are the type of
person be was. P
ON} he had not moved a foo! eher way from where he was standing, so ipso
facto he must have disposed of the gum somewhere within reach, because there was
fact rsepapet basket, nothing, nowhere, he could have got rid of it without one of
‘bs would have noticed—except right ‘underneath the ledge of the counter. And that is
re se eae lar 1 found it just as the girl was about to go out
of sere was the mark on it as clean as a di
en a die where the ring had been
It is funny the it it
ene End vy aos people get differently affected by the same
state, angry, yet most grateful to me,— really felt

quite touched—that he c i
men could hardly speak when I told him how the whole thing had

Miss Susski
a tune tine dy its eave et anny exce tos oca Wet she says
I suppose I it once, And that is exactly what sh
dd nm hen 1
; (0 Mr Regnier, not onl y age,
not stop myself quivering all over for qu. se Mr Luce de An wet, bu on
rards. Why?

Nicolas Bentley

7. problem-solving skills from the story

According to the dictionary a problem is a simon person, or thing that needs to be
Act with or solved. We cannot ignore problens We have to find the best possible
dealt os to problems in order to do well at work and live a good life. _

Ihe life ofthe main character in the story, William Morr He is 53
years old, happily married and has a daughter who is also marr -d. He has a reasonably
‘job and is contented with But one day he faces a serious problem. An
doo jean who visits the shop in which Morris works, attempts to lift a valuable ring
Ai the help ofa lady. Cleverly and courageously, Morris is able to solve the problem
And restores the ring to his employer.

‘What skills does he possess? He reads widely and observes people wherever he
goes. He is therefore able to develop his powers of observation and deduction. When
the he er from the sequence of events, how the ring must have been

William Morris has both interpersonal and intellectual acumen, He has a good

relationship with his coworker, Ki
rios wih hs coworker, Mis Susskind and his employer, Mr Regnier. They
Stand ech ther an cooperate effectively o solve the problem ofthe det

a problem we can always And werke ree E we apply our mind and heart 0
Die Of a abe peters We need courage, calmness, and

‘canned with CamScanner]

8. CASE STUDY
The Look-Out Man is a short story by Nicolas Bentley. Our day

to day life we faces small and big problem but still
solution to solve the problem and we find
solve the problem so that we can live the life

we find necessary
the best solution that can
in good way. Can continue

“Where there is a will there

our work. Therefor there is a proverb,
blems or to deal with

is away”. If one has the will to solve the pro

{Scanned with CamScanner]|