Plans do not change, but minds do…

Two friends were out chatting as they do. Martina, who had finished her coffee was Italian, and Stella, still wondering whether she should put sugar in her tea, came from Essex. Martina and Stella had met on a finger painting course in the school of art studies at the university of Fortecolpe which is in the vicinity of Telavivodetto. Strangely the course had been conducted in German and had focussed on Email, which seemed, especially to Stella, quite extraordinary, but nevertheless, with Martina who understood most of it, she completed the course. They maintained their friendship, and now found themselves working in the same area in Finchley.

Stella: Ronald just doesn’t get it. We’d planned to go out for lunch. I was really busy and couldn’t take the time off, but when I said let’s just have a quick cup of tea he was really angry with me and said I was changing the plan.

Martina: Amica, he must be taught. You know always to visit have I wanted Brighton and his Pavilion. Fernando from the gym has agreed after my enormous efforts to go with me to Southend on Saturday morning to choose a present for my dear Nonno..

Stella: but you don’t have a car?

Martina: Don’t interrupt, amica mea, we know. He has a car, but he is going with me. I am taking him. Capisci? On the way I shall say to him, Are you going to go all around the M25 then? And he will say, No, we shall just cross over it on the way to Southend. But it doesn’t really matter what he says: I shall reply, but we are going to Brighton, I changed my mind. He will be furious, but then, e allora? che importa? he’s Spanish.

Stella: ???

Martina: You don’t change the plan..

Stella, finally allowing the sugar lump to fall into the tea, which rather caused an upset in the saucer: Your change of mind was part of the plan!

Otto von Bismark was putatively reputed to have said: If ever I shall be faced with a female general, remind me to negotiate a settlement before the engagement.