Beryl’s married life had not been a happy one, and sadly one day, she passed away.
Suddenly, she finds herself standing at the Pearly Gates in front of St Peter.
“Hello, Beryl,” St Peter says, warmly. “You’ve done your best to lead a good and decent life, I know, so all I need is for you to spell one word correctly and you’ll be admitted to the kingdom of Heaven.”
“Right!” said Beryl. “And what word do I need to spell?”
“That word is love, Beryl,” St Peter responds. “Can you spell it for me?”
“Yes, of course,” said Beryl. “It’s L O V E.”
“Well done,” St Peter responds, “and welcome to the kingdom of Heaven.”
Beryl quickly settles into life in Heaven and finds a new sense of purpose in helping St Peter will his many duties.
St Peter begins to rely on her so much that one day, when he’s very busy, he asks her to deputize for him at the Pearly Gates, checking new arrivals.
As luck would have it, Beryl’s husband appears at the Pearly Gates whilst she’s on duty.
“Oh, it’s you,” says Beryl. “Well, I’ve got to tell you that you won’t be admitted to Heaven unless you can spell one word correctly for me. And you only get one chance to spell it perfectly.”
“Right!” says her husband. “And what word do I need to spell for you?”
“Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu” Beryl responds, smiling brightly.