WOMAN: Hi Coleman, how are you?

COLEMAN: Good, thanks.

WOMAN: I wanted to have a chat with you because our friend Josh told me that you’ve joined a guitar group and it sounds interesting. I’d really like to learn myself.

COLEMAN: Why don’t you come along? I’m sure there’s room for another person.

WOMAN: Really? So – who runs the classes?

COLEMAN: He’s called a ‘coordinator’ – his name’s Gary Mathieson.

WOMAN: Let me note that down. Gary. . . . How do you spell his surname?

COLEMAN: It’s M-A-T-H-I-E-S-O-N.

WOMAN: Right, thanks.

COLEMAN: He’s retired, actually, but he’s a really nice guy and he used to play in a lot of bands.

WOMAN: Thanks. So how long have you been going?

COLEMAN: About a month now.

WOMAN: And could you play anything before you started?

COLEMAN: I knew a few chords, but that’s all.

WOMAN: I’m sure everyone will be better than me.

COLEMAN: That’s what I thought, too. When I first spoke to Gary on the phone, he said it was a class for beginners, but I was still worried that everyone would be better than me, but we were all equally hopeless!

WOMAN: Oh, that’s reassuring. So where do you meet?

COLEMAN: Well, when I joined the group, they were meeting in Gary’s home, but as the group got bigger, he decided to book a room at the college in town. I prefer going there.

WOMAN: I know that place. I used to go to tap dancing classes there when I was at secondary school. I haven’t been since, though and I can’t remember what road it’s in… is it Lock Street?

COLEMAN: It’s just beyond there at the bottom of New Street near the city roundabout.

WOMAN: Yes, of course.

COLEMAN: The guitar club is on the first floor in Room T347.

WOMAN: Right. And when do you meet? Is it at the weekend?

COLEMAN: We meet on Thursdays. It used to be 10.30 and that suited me well, but now we meet at 11. The class that’s in there before us asked if they could have the room for another 30 minutes.

WOMAN: Oh, I see. Well, I’d love to come, but I don’t have a guitar.

COLEMAN: Well, you can always buy a second-hand one. There’s a website called ‘The perfect instrument’ that sells all kinds of guitars, violins and so on. I’m sure you’ll find something there.

Part 1