The Tuesday Morning Footprints
A free A1-level English story for language learners, readable online in English, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
Muddy footprints appear on Kai's apartment stairs every Tuesday, and he gets up early one rainy morning to finally solve it.
Kai lived on the third floor of an apartment building. Every Tuesday, muddy footprints covered the back stairs. The prints started at the back door. They stopped right at the mail room.
Kai first thought a neighbor made the mess. He asked around, but no one knew. The mystery bothered him every single week.
One rainy Tuesday, Kai got up early. He sat near the back door with his coffee. At seven o'clock, someone opened the door.
A mail carrier walked in with a big bag. Rain dripped from her yellow raincoat. Her boots left wet, muddy prints on the floor.
"Good morning," Kai said with a smile.
"Good morning," the mail carrier said. "Sorry about the mud."
"This door saves time on rainy days," she said. "The front entrance is far around the building."
"That makes sense," Kai said. "I was just curious."
"I always try to wipe my boots," she said. "But the front mat sits too far away."
Kai had an idea right away. "What about a mat right here?" he asked.
The mail carrier smiled and nodded. "That would help a lot," she said.
Kai bought a thick mat that same day. He put it next to the back door.
The next Tuesday, Kai checked the stairs. The floor was clean and dry. A few small, damp marks sat on the mat.
Kai smiled and picked up his coffee. The stairs stayed clean every Tuesday after that.
