Now the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.

Today I will tell about expressions using numbers.

Let us start with the number one. Numbers can be (tricky). On the one hand, they are simply numbers. On the other hand, they have meanings. I for ore use these expressions a lot. Many people consider themselves number one, the (most important) person. They are always looking out for number one and taking care of number one. It is as if they are the one and only person on earth. Some people, however, are not so self-centered. My brother is such a person. It is true, no joke. I am not trying to pull a fast one on you.

First, you have to understand that my brother is one in a million. He is such a (nice person). All his friends like him. They consider him one of the boys. Recently, my brother had a bad day at the office. It was just one of those days. Nothing went right. So he stopped at a local bar, a (drinking) place after leaving work.

My brother planned to have a glass of bear with his friends, a quick one before he went home. But a quick one turned in to one or two, and soon those become one too many. As my brother was leaving, he ordered a last drink, one for the road. His friends became (concerned). One by one, they asked him if he was able to drive home safely.

Now my brother is a wise and calm person. He is at one with himself. He recognizes when he has had too much alcohol to drink. So he accepted an (offer) for a ride home from a female fried. At one time in the past, my brother has been in love with this woman. She is a great person, kind, thoughtful and intelligent, all good qualities (rolled up) into one. But sadly, their relationship did not work. He always used to say “one of these days I am going to marry this girl.” But that never happened. For one thing, she did not love him as much as he loved her. It was just one of those things. The situation was (regrettable) and my brother had to accept it. But even now he considers her the one that got away.

However, they are still friends and because my brother had been kind to her, she felt that one good turn deserves another. He was good to her and she wanted to help him (in return). So she drove him home. If my brother had driven home form the bar that night, his number would have been up. Something bad would have happened. Thankfully, he made it home safely and he and the woman are back to the square one. They are back to where they started, being friends.

This VOA Special English program, Words and Their Stories, was written by Jill Moss. I’m Faith Lapidus.