Episode 01: Fingers crossed

Audio script

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...