Big City Small World:Fingers Crossed
Olivia: Hey! Good to see you again!
Sarah/Magda: Hey! You too!
Harry: Hello Sarah, hi Magda....
Sarah: How are you Olivia? Harry! Great to see you too...
Olivia: Fine, fine thanks, all well. Tony!? Could we have some coffees over here please?
Tony: Ok, ok...hold on...I’m rushed off my feet here...
Harry: He’s always so miserable, so grumpy that guy....
Olivia: He’s not really, it’s just his way...
Harry: I’ll believe you then...his coffee’s always good!
Olivia: So, how are you two getting on?
Magda: Fine. It’s great, we’ve got this really nice flat...
Sarah: We moved into Harry’s old place...
Olivia: Yeah, I remember. How’s it going? No problems? Still friends? It’s not always easy sharing a flat...
Sarah/Magda: No, no problems...
Sarah: …except she leaves the top off the toothpaste tube…
Magda: ...and she spends too much time watching soap operas on tv!
Sarah: No, really, we’re getting along fine.
Magda: The only problem is the rent...
Sarah: It’s really expensive.
Magda: I still need to find that proper job, and that depends on me getting the right degree results...
Olivia: Yeah, I remember you telling me. When will you find out?
Magda: Next week.
Olivia: Fingers crossed, then!
Magda: Fingers what?
Olivia: Crossed. It’s what we say when we hope for something good to happen.
Magda: Oh, ok...fingers crossed!
Olivia: Has anybody heard from Johnny? Sarah?
Sarah: Just because we’re both Chinese doesn’t mean we keep in touch all the time, you know! There are a lot of people in China! (laughs)
Olivia: Of course...sorry...I just thought...
Sarah: He was more of a friend of yours, wasn’t he Harry?
Harry: Yeah, we’re good mates. I hear from him all the time.
Sarah: How’s he doing?
Harry: He’s still in Chongqing with his new job. He says it’s really interesting, really exciting, but he misses us – and he wants to come back to London!
Magda: Fingers crossed!
Sarah: And how about you Harry? What are you up to? Are you still job hunting?
Harry: Yeah, that’s right. I’m still looking for a new job.
Magda: Any luck?
Harry: I haven’t found anything yet, but I’ve got a few possibilities. I really liked not working at first, I really enjoyed the free time, but now – well, I need the money, and also – well, I just get bored if I haven’t got something to do all the time.
Magda: Where’s Fadi, Olivia? I haven’t seen him for ages.
Olivia: Why ask me?
Magda: I thought you’d know...y’know, you’re like, good friends, aren’t you?
Olivia: Yes, that’s exactly what we are. Good friends. Nothing more.
Magda: I wasn’t suggesting anything! (laughs)
Olivia: I hope not! Anyway, he’s away at the moment, gone to visit his family. He’ll be back next week.
Tony: Here you are...four coffees...
All: Thanks Tony!
Olivia: Cheer up Tony.
Harry: Yeah...it can only get worse...!
Tony: It might get worse! This café might be closing down soon, so then you’ll all have to find somewhere else to go.
All: Oh no....
Olivia: What’s this all about, Tony?
Tony: A big property company - they’re building new luxury flats, just behind here. They want to get rid of these old buildings.
Magda: “Get rid of”?
Tony: Yeah...knock them down. Demolish them.
All: Oh no, that’s terrible.
Tony: It is terrible! I’ve worked here for ages. I mean, they’re offering me compensation, but I want to stay here.
Olivia: Oh no...I’ve just realised...perhaps that means my shop’s affected too...
Tony: It might be. Your shop’s only next door...
Olivia: They can’t knock my shop down! We must do something...
