Business With Pleasure | 2gether AU

04 - Give To Get

"What? Is he nuts? Mrs Sheena is supposed to do it."

"Yeah, turns out she's decided to sit this one out. She twisted her ankle or something while doing the table rounds. She wants to rest it before canvassing for funds during lunch."

I broke out in a cold sweat. I was no public speaker. My appeal would probably cut donations by half, if not completely.

My heart pounded so loudly, I was sure everyone out in the hall could hear it.

I knew Sarawat was just waiting to screw me over. I bet he tripped Mrs Sheena on purpose just to put me in this fix.

What if I disappeared? Who would give the speech then? Sarawat would have to step in himself, or probably ask Ren, or Pear.

But Ren needed to be at the buffet table because everybody would move for lunch right after the collections. And Pear and Fong would be busy collecting the children and taking them back to the orphanage.

Maybe Lana or Ploi had oratorial skills that could be tapped? Did Mrs Sheena have a written script or something she was to read off of? Given my luck, she was probably going to wing it.

And why was I spiralling into a whirlpool right now, wasting precious moments that could be spent composing a speech?

Just then, I heard the cue for the pram-parade to begin. I signalled the lead pram-pusher to go onstage.

He was a tiny chap with large ears, but at that moment, he was my hero, as he fearlessly traipsed along the stage, followed by his fellow bravehearts.

As they went about their routine, panic engulfed me. I asked Pear to oversee things onstage and rush backstage.

I needed a voice of reason and clarity of thought. In short, I needed Fong.

I saw him herding the second set of toddlers towards the stage. He was swamped. I had no one to turn to.

I circled around to the entrance. I needed some alone time to form a coherent sentence that could be spoken in public.

I was pacing up and down the walkway, muttering to myself, and looking as if I'd lost my mind.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to thank you for coming today and gracing this occasion with your presence." Okay, that was a start.

I turned sharply around and collided with someone.

Earth steadied me with his hands on my shoulders. Any other time, him touching me would have had me melting before his eyes.

But right now, with my life and my sanity on the line, I was able to brush it off with no damage done.

"Whoa, Tine. I saw you walking funny and talking to yourself like you do when you're troubled. Is anything wrong? Can I help you in some way?"

His gentleness and kindness nearly brought me to tears.

"Thank you, Earth. As it happens, only an apocalypse can save me now. If there is a way for you to fast-forward time to the end of the world, I would very much like your help.

I have to appeal for donations in about ten minutes and I have a total of one sentence in my speech. Do you happen to carry a thesaurus with you?" I was officially hysterical by then.

Earth chuckled. "I'm sorry, I left my Roget's in my other suit. But I do have a couple of lines to add to your speech, if you want.

'It is so easy for us to take the basic necessities of life for granted. The food we eat and waste, the wine we drink instead of water, the comfortable homes we are too busy to live in.