Anna worked in a small shop in the city. The shop sold old things. Anna liked the quiet there.

One Tuesday, an old man came into the shop. He had a small, blue box. He put the box on the counter.

“Please,” he said. “Sell this for me.”

He opened the box. Inside, there was one silver button. It was not special. It was small and grey, not bright.

“How much?” Anna asked.

“One pound,” the man said. He looked tired. Anna gave him one pound. The man left and did not come back.

Anna put the button in the shop window. Days passed. Nobody wanted the button.

Then, a woman came in. She looked at the button in the window for a long time.

“Can I see the button?” she asked.

Anna gave her the button. The woman held it carefully. She smiled a small, sad smile.

“I will buy it,” she said. She gave Anna two pounds.

The next day, a different person came. A young man. He also wanted the button.

“I am sorry,” Anna said. “It is sold.”

The young man looked unhappy. “Please,” he said. “If the woman comes back, can you give her this note?” He gave Anna a small piece of paper.

Anna read the note. It said: ‘The music has stopped. Can we start again?’

That evening, Anna thought about the button. Why did people want it? It was just a button.

The next morning, the woman was outside the shop. She looked worried.

“Hello,” Anna said. “A man came for you.” She gave the woman the note.

The woman read it and cried. But she smiled, too. “Thank you,” she said. She gave Anna another button from her pocket. This button was gold.

“For you,” the woman said. Then she left.

Anna held the gold button. It was warm. She understood now. The button was not important. The message was important. It was a way for people to find each other again.

Anna put the gold button in the blue box. She waited for the next person with a story.

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Vocabulary Notes

Counter (noun)
Meaning: The long, flat surface in a shop where customers are served.
Example: “He put the box on the counter.”
Similar words: table, desk, worktop.
Extra example: “She put her money on the counter to pay for the bread.”

Sold (verb – past tense of ‘sell’)
Meaning: To have given something to someone in exchange for money. When something is ‘sold’, it is no longer available to buy.
Example: “I am sorry, it is sold.”
Similar words: gone, taken, purchased.
Extra example: “I wanted to buy that book, but the shop assistant told me it was already sold.”

Carefully (adverb)
Meaning: To do something in a way that gives attention to detail, to avoid making a mistake or causing harm.
Example: “She held it carefully.”
Similar words: gently, slowly, attentively.
Extra example: “He carefully carried the hot cup of tea.”

Pocket (noun)
Meaning: A small bag that is part of your clothing (e.g., on a shirt, trousers, or coat) where you can keep small things.
Example: “She gave Anna another button from her pocket.”
Similar words: pouch, compartment.
Extra example: “He always keeps his keys in his trouser pocket.”

Message (noun)
Meaning: A piece of information, news, or a feeling that one person sends or tells to another person. In the story, it is not just the note, but the meaning of the button.
Example: “The button was not important. The message was important.”
Similar words: meaning, idea, communication, note.
Extra example: “I received a nice message from my friend this morning.”

Story written by Deepseek.

Image created by 1min.ai.

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.

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