[in the fsu] anything can happen … and usually does

This is as close as I can find at short notice

Just back from work and you know I usually don’t talk shop beyond vague references. This is an exception. It’s a perfect example of how, in this country, things can change so suddenly, without the least warning, both for the good and for disaster.

So, finished up with the ladies [mentioned in the last post] and went out into the global warming – slush everywhere and trucks kicking it up all over the clothes. Managed to escape that and tore across to the Ministry, where I was late, cleaned the boots on the electric machine inside the door, skipped upstairs and the look on the secretary’s face said it all. Something had come up and he’d had to deal with it. Result - no conference.

About to go home when in came the most ravishing Ayisha you could imagine and before I could stop myself … well … the Min’s sec, this lady and I ensconced ourselves in the kitchenette, coffee and what have you was served and the serious business of meeting my new friend took almost an hour.

The Min’s aide popped his head in, then out again, as did the Min’s sec and there I was with the hard task of entertaining a lady who spoke no English. And she was something. Turns out she was the Press Secretary, so you can imagine her charm but further we shall never know because apparently there was a hunt on in the building for her. She’d gone missing.

So, in high spirits I departed, stuck out a hand, caught a car and it was the mangiest broken down vehicle, driven by a chap clearly out of work and so the fragility of life here came home yet again. All the way to my place, there was every chance he’d mug me but actually he turned out quite nice, as most of them do and now here I am writing to you.

But it could well have been otherwise. That’s the point in the FSU – you just never know and it keeps you on your toes. It was Dame Edna Everage’s alter-ego who said: “Anything can happen … and you know … it usually does.”