Ричард Кёртис (Richard Curtis)Love Hurts
In Downing Street, a few days later, the Prime Minister and his ministers sat around a long table.
`OK,' the Prime Minister said. `What's next?’
One of his ministers spoke. `The American President's visit,’
Carter told him.
`Ah, yes, yes. I'm worried about that.’
`There's a very strong feeling in the party, and in the country too, that we must be more independent than the last government was.’
`I agree,' said another minister. `This is our first really important test. We must show the President that we don't take orders from him.’
`Right. Right. I understand that. But I have decided ... not to,' the Prime Minister told them. `Not this time. We'll try to be clever, of course. But let's not forget, the US is the most powerful country in the world. I'm not going to start a fight that I can't win.’ The ministers accepted this unenthusiastically. `Right,' continued the Prime Minister.
`Now, how do I get a cup of tea and a biscuit in this place?’
At that moment Natalie came in with tea and biscuits. The Prime Minister's face turned red as she smiled at him.
`Good,' he said.
Later that day, there was a knock on the door of the Prime Minister's private office.
`Come in,' he called.
Natalie entered, carrying some files in one hand and a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits in the other.
`These have just arrived for you,' she said, giving the files to the Prime Minister. `And this is for you too.’
The Prime Minister smiled. `Excellent. Thanks.’
`I hoped you'd win,' Natalie continued. `Although of course the other man would get biscuits, too, if he was here.
But he wouldn't get chocolate biscuits.’
`Thank you very much, Natalie,' said the Prime Minister.
After she left, he lowered his head and hit it against the table top. `Be sensible!' he said quietly to himself. `You're the Prime Minister!’
*
At Fairtrade, Harry and Mia were discussing the Christmas party.
`Not my favourite night of the year,' Harry said, trying not to stare at Mia's tight black dress. `And it's your unhappy job to organise it.’
`Tell me.’
`Easy, really,' Harry said. `Find a place for the party. Buy more drinks than anybody wants. Buy little things to eat - hundreds of them. And advise the girls not to go near Kevin.’