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snoopyboy

snoopyboy

Antarctica

October 19, 2012

A Saturday Thrill (#2) : The Plan


 “So, where do you guys want to sit?” a puzzled-looking Enne asked.

     She might have asked how many neurons are in an elephant’s brain, since neither Jemina nor I were able to grant her with a reply – We wasted about 40 seconds looking around a rather small class for seats, like that was a decision that should be taken with the utmost care. While we were searching for the most comfortable seats the other groups were already making dust fly; everyone else seemed to be passionate getting down to business, approving and sounded so smart. In other words it was very apparent that everyone else was making progress but us – I reckoned we were lagging so I cheered “hey, look what I found ladies!, 3 empty seats right under our noses, let’s butt-test them, shall we?” I guess Enne and Jemina picked up the urgency in my sarcasm since they both chuckled, but I don’t think they realized it was also laced with a bit of frustration. They complied and sat down quickly. I don’t  know why but I was a bit surprised they didn’t protest I literally felt a chilled spasm down my spine after that, like I was in charge. “When the chief says ‘sit down’, he means it” I smirked while I was cherishing this remark with myself. Either my thought came out too loudly or the clothes I wore were so convincing it prompted Enne to ask me “what’s up boss?”I was taken aback and I guess it showed, so before I could say anything she admitted that she was only joking. I knew that, but calling me ‘boss’ was as if she was reading my mind. While I was assessing Enne’s psychic abilities, Jemina proved that she was equally talented as her; I was just about to ask if anybody came up with an idea we could work on, when she began to lament:" Ok, guys, I’ll be honest here...” Enne and I looked towards her with worry lines on our faces and she concluded “I have been busy all week and I didn’t have time to do any research at all, sorry guys”. “Goodness, you scared me, I thought you were about to share something horrid with us, you need a whooping for that” said Enne, grinning. Enne’s remark opened a gateway for a mudslide of laughter ,within seconds both girls were in total hysteria as they took turn describing in details  their every single days since past Saturday. “My sister came over, and she brought my nephew, he’s adorable but he’s spoiled...” “How old is he?” “He’s about to turn 2” “great!” “We went...”. I was fuming, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing; the only hour we probably ever going to have to meet  this week and work as a group is being used to discuss family matters and where which shoes were brought where and how much they cost. I sat with a binder in front of me, a pile of articles in it, a bunch of data I had gathered, a business plan, a relic of the countless nights I spent working tirelessly for the group, and it didn’t even get the most miserable bit of attention from them. I don’t know how their conversation ended up in driving a car with automatic transmission versus a manual one, but it was time for me to switch gears.

     “Alright, sorry to interrupt but I figured we won’t have much time to meet during the week, so I had put together a plan and I‘d like your opinions on it” I said very calmly. “Oh!, nice! What is it about?” wondered Enne. Jemina asked for a closer look so I handed her the binder which she shared with Enne. I briefed them on my plan as they were flipping through it. I was all nerves and I was ready to keel over and die if they thought my idea was rubbish, but I kept on talking, filling them in with all the details I could remember. My tenacity paid off well as the both agreed my plan looked solid : “I like it”... “ yeah, this is good” I heard them say. My plan was a hit and I was very happy for our group. I chirped “it’s going to be easier now that we had agreed on something”, Enne piggy backed my statement by adding: “yeah, this is a big step forward”. But not so fast ,Jemina had something to say.” I’m all for it, but we’re missing Joos , what would he think about this idea?”. Enne ,being very supportive, assured her “I’m sure he’ll like it”.

     [Do you remember the mock presentation I told you about, well Joos really excelled in it, his posture and the way he engaged the class during his delivery was one of the highlight of that day. The guy could speak well. He really had knack for persuasion, a very charismatic personality and our teacher admired him, and I’m always left impressed at how she manages to answer some of his tough and clever questions. He was the type of guy anyone would want to be associated with in the event of a group project. I couldn’t express how fortunate I felt when I was designated to be in his group, yeah “his group” so the teacher inferred it last class “...Enne, Snoopy, Jemina you will be business partners to Joos”. Joos wasn’t an easy person to work with however. I detected irritation in his voice whenever someone else in the group turned down a concept he suggested; he would snap “what do you suggest then, do you have any better idea?” or bluntly say “ this isn’t going to work”. Joos ideas were like quantum physics to a bunch of toddlers, they would require some intensive and accurate data research. Nobody understood his forensic jargons, and he just wouldn’t demote himself to our level. After that first group meeting I felt that it’s either I confront this guy or let him do all the work himself and be the sole spokesperson for the group when we present]

     So when Jemina mentioned about him I felt that my binder and I can pack up for a road to oblivion. He wasn’t going to embrace that idea; it was too plain, too viable. Joos would want our project to be something comparable to Baumgartners’s latest skydiving accomplishment, but from Mars to earth preferably, something extreme. But I wasn’t ready to dish out an attractive idea that already garnered the supports of 3 out 4 people so I countered “if we are waiting for Joos, we are in the wrong place, we are in class; Joos is not here, he didn’t show up or call any of us. And I doubt wherever he is right now he’s thinking about a group plan. All I’m saying is if we wait until he shows up next Saturday to start working on a plan, we would have a bigger challenge up against us, Time!”. “ But what if ... “ Jemina began to query ,(trying to heckle my solemn speech ;) , I didn’t even give her time to finish and I presumed with a big smile “ what if he doesn’t show up again? .Then we’re doomed Jemina”. It was after this last sentence that it dawned on me that I‘ve been sounding like a witty leader. A short-lived leader I was. A dramatic sense of leadership took Enne over,she kicked me off the imaginary soap box I was on and launched a tirade  against us“ Cut it off! The more we talk about Joos the less we get done, we have a plan now, and I think we should get to work”. She just wouldn’t can it and all she was saying made sense. Next thing I know she’s got my binder in her hands assigning us with what we should start working on. “Snoopy, you think you can take care of the financial data part?” [what do you mean?, this is my plan I  can take care of anything]  but she asked with such an authority that all I could say was “yes, cakewalk for me”. Then it was Jemina’s turn to feel her wrath .” Jemina! You have a background in marketing, right?... you’re in charge of the pricing and marketing strategy part". Jemina said she would feel comfortable doing just that. “Perfect!, I can work on the marketplace, potential competitions and our target market, I can incorporate some of the information from my individual plan into this” Enne added. When she finally paused, Jemina and I didn’t have much to say, we were left stunned and shaken :).


    The class was officially dismissed and as we were leaving I made a limp attempt to reclaim the leadership role Enne swiped from me and joked :) “Ladies, please pick up your phones, I tried calling everyone in the group and I didn’t get any response, next time you won’t be seeing my face in the local news, I’ll fill out a missing person report for each and every one of you at the Police station”. We all laughed.

I was proud that my plan was accepted by the group and glad that others took the project more seriously.

Will Joos show up on next class? Will a plan like mine appeal to him?

Thank You.

-Snoopyboy

Peace!

 

More entries: About Resillience :), Presentation Day : The Groups (6), Presentation Day : The individual Projects (10), The Plan :) (4), A Saturday Thrill (10), Snoopy is in the loop :) (9), Being Stubborn Happy :') (7), Practice (9), The Spare Father (30), A Mysterious Place (#3) : "Seeds of Looga" (27)

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09:18 AM Oct 29 2012

snoopyboy

snoopyboy
Antarctica

greetings to you Anita, thanks for stopping by and for the cup of strawberries

:)

09:59 PM Oct 28 2012

 Anita

Anita
Russian Federation

06:08 AM Oct 25 2012

snoopyboy

snoopyboy
Antarctica

Thanks Wyz for your compliment. You're right, the aim is to improve my English, the more I write the more I remember. I think writing or reading a story makes learning more fun ;)

Thanks Mess for your supportive comment. You sound like Enne, your words really amped me up, would you like to join the group if any member fails to show up ? ;)

 

09:30 AM Oct 24 2012

MESS

MESS
Turkey

Whether Joos appears on the next session or not, or whether he likes your plan or not, you will stand out among all of the students with your bright mind and enthusiam to succeed in whatever you aspire to do in life, so keep it up and rock in the class!

Hats off to you, Snoopy sweety. Laughing