Episode 12: Good news and bad news

Audio script

• Olivia: Hi Magda! How was your first day?
• Magda: Fantastic!
• Olivia: Really!? I’m amazed...
• Sarah: Yeah, you were so worried about your new job...
• Magda: Well, I had some good news...
• Olivia: Yeah? What?
• All: Hi Johnny!
• Johnny: Hi! I’ve got some good news...
• Sarah: Makes two of you then!
• Johnny: At least I think it’s good news...I’m not really sure...
• Olivia: Tell us!
• Magda: Can’t I tell you my good news first?
• Sarah: Wow, this is getting complicated...and I’m afraid I’ve only got some bad news...
• Magda: Oh no...what a shame! What’s the problem?
• Olivia: Yeah, go on, bad news first, then the good news will cheer us up!
• Sarah: OK, well, I had a row with my landlord, finally! And I’m moving out...
• Magda: Oh no!
• Sarah: Oh yes! So, I need a new flat...
• Olivia: Again!!!
• Magda: Oh dear...
• Olivia: What a shame. I hoped it was going to work out...
• Sarah: Yeah, but I didn’t get on with the landlord.
• Magda: Have you told Fadi yet?
• Sarah: No...I’m worried what he might think. The landlord is his cousin, after all...
• Olivia: Well, let’s just wait until he comes in. I was going to tell him you weren’t happy – now I’ll tell him you’re leaving!
• Magda: Is it good news time yet?
• Sarah: Yes! Go on! What’s your good news?
• Magda: I’ve been offered a job!
• Johnny: Me too!
• Olivia: Hang on! Wait a minute! You’ve already got a job, haven’t you Magda?
• Sarah: And you have too, Johnny, haven’t you? You talk about it all the time...
• Magda/Johnny: But...
• Magda: Go on...!
• Johnny: No, you first, please...
• Magda: I’ve been offered a permanent job, with the same company! I’ll be a proper architect!
• Olivia: Wow! That’s fantastic!
• Magda: But...
• Olivia: There’s always a ‘but’...
• Magda: I have to get a distinction in my master’s degree...
• Sarah: Phew...that’s not easy...
• Magda: No, but I’m doing well...
• Olivia: Fingers crossed then...
• Sarah: Let’s hope!
• Johnny: That’s amazing – I’ve got the same news!
• Olivia: What? You’re going to be an architect?
• Johnny: No!
• Sarah: You’re doing a master’s degree?
• Johnny: No!
• Magda: What then?
• Johnny: A job...I’ve been offered a new job!
• Olivia: Yes, you said...
• Johnny: And there’s a ‘but’...
• Olivia: I told you there was always a ‘but’...
• Johnny: It’s not in London...
• Olivia: You’d have to leave...
• Johnny: Yeah...
• Olivia: Well, where is it? New York?
• Johnny: No...
• Magda: Paris? Berlin? Where?
• Johnny: It’s back in China.
• Sarah: Oh...Beijing? Shanghai?
• Johnny: No, it’s in Chongqing.
• Olivia: Where?
• Johnny: Chongqing!
• Magda:: Where’s that?
• Sarah: Southwest China. It’s a really interesting place...growing really quickly...
• Johnny: Yeah, it’s a great opportunity...
• Olivia: But?
• Johnny: But I love it here so much. I’m not sure I want to go back to China yet – I’d miss all my friends...
• Olivia: You’ll have to choose!
• Sarah: It’s big decision time! Oh no...here comes Fadi....and Harry.
• All: Hi Fadi! Hi Harry!
• Fadi: How’s it going everyone?
• Olivia: Don’t ask...
• Magda: I’ve been offered a new job, a really good job – if I get a good degree!
• Johnny: I’ve been offered a new job, a really good job – but I have to go back to China!
• Harry: Wow! Busy day everyone’s having...I’ve got some news too...
• Olivia: Oh no...
• Harry: Oh yes – I’ve been sacked!
• Magda: “Sacked”?
• Harry: Yes – I’ve lost my job, been made redundant, unemployed, no longer working!
• Magda: Oh no!
• Harry: Don’t worry – I don’t care. I hated that job anyway. I’ll soon find another job. A man with my skills and abilities is always in demand!
• Johnny: Somebody from my company sacked you? Why?
• Harry: I told them I wasn’t going to work at the weekend – Saturdays and Sundays. If I worked on Saturday and Sunday, when could I play football!? So I said ‘no’, and they said ‘goodbye’...
• Magda:: What will you do now?
• Harry: I have absolutely no idea! The future is an open book...
• Sarah: Very poetic!
• Fadi: Well Sarah, at least you’re ok...with your new flat and everything...
• Sarah: Oh...er...well...
• Olivia: Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that...cousin
• Fadi: You wanted to talk to me?
• Olivia: (whispering) Yeah, well, you see, Sarah’s a bit embarrassed...
• Fadi: (whispering) What’s up?
• Olivia: She wants to leave the new flat...she doesn’t get on well with the landlord...
• Fadi: My cousin.
• Olivia: Yes, your cousin.
• Fadi: I’m not surprised!
• Olivia: Eh?
• Fadi: I said I’m not surprised! My cousin’s horrible! I can’t stand him!
• Olivia: (laughs) Oh that’s a relief...
• Fadi: Sarah – I’m sorry if I got you involved with my cousin...I thought you were desperate for a place to live...I know my cousin’s horrible!
• Sarah: Oh, never mind Fadi – thanks for trying to help anyway...Now I need a new place to live though...
• Magda:: If I get this job, I’ll have more money – we could get a place together...
• Sarah: That’d be great...
• Johnny: If I take the job in China, I’ll have to leave my flat...
• Sarah: And we could move in...
• Olivia: What a lot of ‘if’s’...
• Sarah: It’s exciting...
• Magda:: But also worrying...
• Johnny: And confusing...
• Harry: And that’s not all...
• Fadi: What?
• Harry: I’ve just been speaking to the owner of the café...
• Olivia: And?
• Harry: They’re closing down – next week!
• All: What!!?? Oh…that’s terrible…no....what are we all going to do??