SCRIPT: I'm afraid it's short notice [February 28, 2018]
Sometimes people ask you to do something without giving you much time to prepare
Conversation One
James: What are you doing tomorrow afternoon? One of my colleagues has organised a barbecue. We're all meeting at work, and we've booked a fifteen-seater minibus to take us to the beach. We've reserved a barbecue area, and all the food and drink will be provided.
Becky: That sounds great!
James: There's a spare seat on the minibus and I wondered if you might like to join us.
Becky: I'd love to, but it's a bit short notice. I've arranged to go to the cinema tomorrow afternoon with my cousin. I wish I'd known earlier, then I would definitely have come with you. I haven't been to a barbecue in ages!
James: Yes, sorry about the short notice, but we only decided to do it yesterday. We've all been under a lot of pressure in the office recently and we needed something to cheer us up. I think this will do the trick.
Becky: I hope so! Anyway, thanks for asking me. I hope you have a great time, and the weather stays nice for you!
Conversation Two
This is a message for Mr Ron Chan regarding your application for a position in the reception department of the Strand Hotel. We would like you to attend an interview on Thursday morning at eleven-thirty. We apologise for the short notice, but Ms Petra Wu, our managing director, is in town for a couple of days, and she has expressed a wish to be present at the interviews we are holding for this important position. Mr Chan, could you please call us on the following number to confirm whether you will be able to attend the interview? Once again, we apologise for the short notice and look forward to hearing from you. Goodbye.
Conversation Three
Miss Ng: Paul, we have a bit of an emergency on our hands and I really hope you can help us out.
Paul: I will certainly do my best.
Miss Ng: I know that I can rely on you. You've only been with us for four months but you've quickly established yourself as a valuable teamplayer in the company.
Paul: Thank you, Miss Ng.
Miss Ng: I've had a word with your line manager, and he has confirmed that you are the go-to person when there's a crisis. Next week, there's an important trade fair at the convention centre in Taipei. It's an event that always brings us a lot of business. Being such a small company, events like this are important to us.
Paul: I realise that.
Miss Ng: I know you're not in our sales and marketing department, but I think you have a good grasp of how things work there - you spent two weeks with them during your probation, didn't you?
Paul: Yes. I did enjoy working with them.
Miss Ng: Well, obviously someone from that team usually attends trade fairs. But as luck would have it, three members of sales and marketing are on sick leave. There is also a trade fair in Paris next week which the rest of the team is booked to attend.
Paul: Of course.
Miss Ng: So without beating around the bush, I am asking you to fly to Taipei next week to represent our company and take orders. Our samples have already been shipped, and someone there will set up our kiosk. I'm really sorry for springing this on you and giving you such short notice. Do you think you will be able to help us out?
Paul: Wow! No problem at all, Ms Ng. It would be an honour to represent the company at this trade fair. And I will certainly do my best.
Miss Ng: I knew we could rely on you! I'll go through the details with you later. Thanks Paul, you're a star!