Vesna McMaster - Rein

‘He’s off the rails.’

‘You really need to rein him in.’

‘Rein in? How? I don’t have any say here.’

‘You have a say when he spends half the annual budget on flying a speaker in from Germany.’

‘That was a bit crazy.’

‘Crazy? I was the one who had to host him for a week. Brian just told me it was happening and that was that.’

‘Bit irresponsible.’

‘The other group members don’t know what to make of it. I think no-one quite feels they can say anything.’ She sips her tea.

‘They’ll say something when the funds for the Christmas bash vaporise. It’s the highlight of the year for half of them.’

‘Humph.’ She narrows her eyes. ‘I wonder. How about asking Sally to put it about that she likes the… meditative type?’

‘Huh?’

She puts her cup down and turns full round to look at Barbara. ‘You must have noticed. All this is since Sally mentioned how much she admired some “get up and go” in a man.’

‘What? She did?’

‘It was just an offhand comment. Brian was listening though.’

‘He was?’

‘Yes, Babs. Yes he was. You could practically hear the cogs clinking in his brain. I think he quit blinking for a full minute.’

‘So… you’re saying he’s…’

‘Trying to be Sally’s ideal man.’

Barbara sputters into her tea. ‘As if! She’d never…’

‘Doesn’t stop some people. All I can think of is to get her to re-direct him.’

‘Seriously? Can’t we just ask him to stop?’

‘You think that would work?’

‘Eh.’ Barbara hunches her shoulders in concession. ‘So… we ask Sally?’

‘I’m not sure we should put that pressure on her. She’s oblivious, of course. But there’s a yoga retreat happening next week. Chanting and everything. How about we make a group activity of it?’

‘It’s a thought. If a bit of chanting can cure Brian’s spending spree, I’m in.’