In Our Words Canadians Reading Together

Amy’s Challenge

JULIE CHOWN

Amy the new maid approaches the big, old 1900’s Victorian home to begin her new challenge. She is a single attractive, outgoing woman of thirty. Amy hadn’t worked in a long time because she had to look after her mother.

Laura is a charming, loveable and kind woman in her late forties enters the morning room. She walks over to the huge bay window to open the huge green curtains, which look like the rest of the 1800’s furnishings in the rest of the room. Laura soaks up the sun and the peaceful view of the waves on the sandy beach.

Amy walks through the beautiful garden and in the French doors of the morning room to start her new job. She’s never worked for many years because she had to look after her mother. For being very nervous about taking on a new challenge that she’s never done before, she is eager to jump right into her work.

After, Laura tells Amy about how Mr. Smith is very strict and things have to go right or he will be angry. Amy begins her job by bringing in the tray for tea and coffee in the room, still thinking about how Laura told her things had to be in order. She wasn’t paying attention and suddenly drops the tray when Laura and her husband enter. Laura told her not to be nervous where it was her first day. Mr. Smith had an extremely cold look on his face when he mentioned they were having a party in about a couple weeks. Then is where you can prove that you can do this job well.