think he did, did he? Yes, he borrowed money and stuff, but if I want to lend people money, well, that?s up to me, isn?t it? I feel my eyes well up with tears and blink them back furiously. I don?t want to cry. I want to be strong and in control.
?If that?s what you want.? David?s eyes are thunderous. He turns and walks out of the room.
It?s not what I want at all. But somehow as I watch him pick up his things and leave, I find myself unable to call after him. Not when he?s being so horrible. I can?t believe I was all set to cancel my trip to Rome, too. Well, I will go, and it?ll just serve David right.
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DAVID BRADLEY
STRENGTHS: cooks, kind, generous, good-looking, likes TV, nice car
WEAKNESSES: jealous, bossy, accountant, hasn?t asked me to marry him
OPPORTUNITIES: could do something incredibly romantic, like take me away somewhere and propose; but very unlikely?especially after last night.
THREATS: Mike
MIKE MARSHALL
STRENGTHS: absolutely gorgeous, successful business, cool, sexy, is taking me to Rome
WEAKNESSES : doesn?t keep promises; bad with money?at least he used to be; dumped me by leaving a note; flirts with other girls?although he hasn?t done that recently either; could be changed character; calls me at inopportune moments
OPPORTUNITIES: well, Rome has to be a pretty big one. I mean, I suppose we?re going to be sharing a room . . .
THREATS : David
I didn?t know that so many people get to work a whole hour before they have to. What is that all about? I have an excuse: I haven?t been able to sleep, and when you?re up at sixA.M ., and there?s nothing good on the telly, you may as well get some brownie points and come into work early, right? But all these other people?I?d say half the people who work on my floor at Leary are already at their desks, and it?s only 8:15A.M .
I place my freshly made cappuccino down on my desk and sit down. My weekend has been a complete disaster. All I?ve been thinking about is the argument with David and going to Rome with Mike. I want to go so much, but every time I shut my eyes I see David?s face looking all cross and upset.
Nigel is looking at me suspiciously.
?Decided to make up for all the late mornings, have you??
I can?t even be bothered to answer, so I grunt and sit down.
?Well, it?s a good thing you?re in on time, because we?ve got a departmental meeting at nine-thirty sharp,? Nigel continues. ?Guy wants to talk to us about a new project.?
?Can?t wait,? I mutter and swallow two white pills with my coffee. Coffee and painkillers. What a great start to the week.
At nine-thirty, we all troop dutifully into the third-floor meeting room. I thought it was going to be just our team, but there are about thirty of us, including Gary, the head of IT, who I snogged in my first month here. It was more than five years ago now, but I still feel mildly uncomfortable every time I see him. It was my first proper ?drinks after work on payday,? and I was so excited to have some money to spend that I went a bit over the top. I remember going back into the building with Gary quite late in the evening because I?d left my keys on my desk, and the next thing I knew, we were being woken up by a rather bemused cleaner. We were kind of tangled up under my desk. At least I had all my clothes on. From that day on, I have never called the IT help desk for anything, just in case.
Gary is grinning at me, and I manage a smile. He?s married with two kids now. We are both mature, responsible adults, I tell myself, and take out my notepad. I start doodling. Georgie Marshall. Georgie Marshall. It has a nice ring to it. Georgie Bradley. Hmmm, that?s not bad either.
Guy clears his throat.
?Ladies and gentlemen,? he starts in faux-formal tones and then grins. ?Guys and gals.? Okay, now too jovial. Can?t he just get on with it?
?Globalization has made the world a smaller place. As more and more process-driven functions are outsourced and taken over by enhanced technology, firms around the world are refocusing and joining forces to produce a real value add proposition for their customers. The business-to-business sector is no different, and so I am very excited to tell you today about a proposed partnership with a great business-to-business publisher in the States, Horowitz and Gold. HG are based in New York, and they are pioneers in the enhanced client interface and Web-based profiling, and through our partnership we will be able to strengthen and develop our portfolio of products, ensuring that we are at the forefront of business information in this new millennium.? In other words, ?blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.?
I start writing a list of things to take to Rome on one side of my notepad. On the other, I?m writing a list of things I?ll need to buy.
Guy has started showing us a whole bunch of slides with charts and diagrams. I approach this sort of thing on a need-to-know basis. If I need to know any of it, I reason, Nigel will tell me. So, black trousers because they go with everything, black polo neck, obviously; orange halter neck top in case I manage to get a tan . . .
?And this paradigm shift in cultural and emotional intelligence can only improve the working of our great team,? Guy is saying. ?I hope I can bank on your support. It?s going to be hard work over the next few months, but I think we can all be sure it will be worth it.?
