Hundred and Five

'....... OK Philippa?'
'Sorry?'
'Shall we have our talk?'
'Right. Of course Simon. I'll/'
'Take a seat in my office and I'll be with you in a sec'.
Oh God George I'm really worried. If I lose my job I'm never going to be able to find another one especially now that I've got you. It's a really bad time to be out of work at the moment and if I can't find another job I'm not going to be able to pay the mortgage and then I'll lose my flat and we'll end up on the street'.
I'll look after you Pips I promise, if you promise you won't take me back to Battersea.
'And I won't have enough money to take care of you properly'.
I will manage. I don't need a new bone or collar for a while and even though my ball has lost all the air in it I can make do. I am a Battersea dog after all.
'Right Philippa. Are we ready?'
'Yes I'm just... I'm coming'.
'I think perhaps we should close the door'.
'Yes. No George you stay there'.
But Pips it is not only your future that is at stake it is mine too.
'No George. You stay out there and I'll be out in a min... Oh'.
I'm in Pips.
'Er... is it OK if George...?'
'Joins us? When does he ever not join us? From the day that dog arrived he's been joining us every step of the way'.
'Should I...?'
'No, leave him or there'll be hysterics. Have a seat...... So. Philippa. You know what this is all about'.
Restructuring restructuring restruc/
'This is to give us a chance - with the imminent restructuring/'
Told you Pips.
'- to discuss how you see your future role within the company, where you see yourself going, that sort of thing'.
'Right'.
'So let's start by you giving me an idea of where you see yourself in five years time'.
'Five years?'
'Yeah. For example'.
Not here. Do you Pips? No.
'Um...'
Not here not here not here not here not here not here
'Well...'
'Ignore the sickbag for two seconds'.
'I am'.
'No you're not. You're watching him. Stop thinking about him'.
She is thinking about me because she loves me and she can think about me as much as she likes Simon.
'I want you to think about yourself for a minute'.
You can think about me as much as you like Pips.
'It just encourages his ego. Ignore him'.
'Right. Well... gosh it's just that five years seems a long time away'.
'It's not that long'.
It depends how you define the word 'long' doesn't it Pips?
'I really... I don't know'.
'You must have some idea, surely'.
Not necessarily. Do you have any idea how much of a tosser you are? No. So you see?
'I don't. I really don't. Why should I? I mean, everything is so uncertain and all the things we all thought we could rely on aren't reliable anymore so....'.
'Like what?'
'Everything. I mean everyone thought that money was a safe investment but then it turns out that the banks were basically gambling with it and billions of pounds were lost overnight and suddenly no-one has any money and who saw that coming? And then there are couples who you think have a really good, solid relationship and one day you find out that they're breaking apart and they don't know why because they also didn't see it coming so, you know, it doesn't mean a thing where you see yourself because what is it based on? How do we know that anything is what it seems?'
Steady on Pips, steady on.
'And now there have been three earthquakes this year already and people are losing their houses, their whole families, their entire lives in forty five seconds/'
Pips you're getting carried away.
'So I mean how can anyone say with any sort of certainty where they see themselves in even one year, let alone five, when the world is so unstable?'
You're coming across as a bit unstable yourself right now Pips if you don't mind me saying so.
'And so fragile. Maybe we should just be grateful for each moment that we're OK and not struck by disaster. I mean all I can say is that I'm happy working here for you at the moment and .... that's all that matters, isn't it? Because now is all there is'.


'Bravo! Bravo Pips!
'I think it's the only time he's ever thanked me for what I do for him'.
He probably thought you would kill yourself if he didn't actually.
'I don't know what came over me. I just got angry'.
That's because you're an angry person Pips but you don't know it yet.
'It's so easy for Simon to talk about the future when he gets everything he wants in life. He can sit there all smug now that he's engaged to be married to Stephanie... it's bloody irritating'.
Only because you're jealous Pips. You're jealous you're jealous you're jealous...
'And I suppose it's painful to be reminded that you aren't where you had hoped you might be'.
But you've done what you wanted to do! You've saved your job Pips! That's terrific it really is! And although I would be happier not working for a tosser I have decided that if you don't mind working for one, why should I?
'Anyway let's celebrate George. What shall we do?'
I think I would very much like a new ball Pips because although I said I can make do without one it would help if I had one that could bounce as that is what they are for after all.
'I think I know. I've got an idea. I'm not going to tell you yet though. It's going to be a surprise'.
A surprise Pips? But that's smashing! All the best things in life are surprises. Except for when they're disasters. Which can come at any time, as you said.