The man sitting opposite Robert was the Financial Controller.
The
man
sitting
opposite
Robert
was
the
Financial
Controller
.
Everybody called him "the FC" for short.
Everybody
called
him
``
the
FC
''
for
short
.
He made all the decisions about money.
He
made
all
the
decisions
about
money
.
Robert needed some more.
Robert
needed
some
more
.
That was why he had to see him.
That
was
why
he
had
to
see
him
.
The two men did not get on very well.
The
two
men
did
not
get
on
very
well
.
In fact, they had always disliked each other.
In
fact
,
they
had
always
disliked
each
other
.
"Your request is out of the question," the FC said.
``
Your
request
is
out
of
the
question
,
''
the
FC
said
.
Robert had difficulty in controlling himself, but he managed somehow.
Robert
had
difficulty
in
controlling
himself
,
but
he
managed
somehow
.
He explained that he wanted the money in order to make more programmes.
He
explained
that
he
wanted
the
money
in
order
to
make
more
programmes
.
"And why do you want to do that?"
``
And
why
do
you
want
to
do
that
?
''
the FC asked sharply.
the
FC
asked
sharply
.
Again, Robert almost lost his temper.
Again
,
Robert
almost
lost
his
temper
.
"Because more and more people are listening to my department's programmes.
``
Because
more
and
more
people
are
listening
to
my
department
's
programmes
.
There's great demand for them," he answered.
There
's
great
demand
for
them
,
''
he
answered
.
The FC did not seem to believe him.
The
FC
did
not
seem
to
believe
him
.
But Robert had a report on the numbers of listeners to all EBC programmes.
But
Robert
had
a
report
on
the
numbers
of
listeners
to
all
EBC
programmes
.
The FC became less confident.
The
FC
became
less
confident
.
Robert threw the report down on the table and told him to read it.
Robert
threw
the
report
down
on
the
table
and
told
him
to
read
it
.
The FC looked at it in silence.
The
FC
looked
at
it
in
silence
.
The figures proved that he had been wrong, but he did not want to admit it.
The
figures
proved
that
he
had
been
wrong
,
but
he
did
not
want
to
admit
it
.
"Well," he finally said, "I may have made a small mistake."
``
Well
,
''
he
finally
said
,
``
I
may
have
made
a
small
mistake
.
''
Robert noticed the word "may."
Robert
noticed
the
word
``
may
.
''
He got up to leave.
He
got
up
to
leave
.
But he had the feeling that he would get the money after all.
But
he
had
the
feeling
that
he
would
get
the
money
after
all
.
The man sitting opposite Robert was the Financial Controller. Everybody called him "the FC" for short. He made all the decisions about money. Robert needed some more. That was why he had to see him. The two men did not get on very well. In fact, they had always disliked each other.  "Your request is out of the question," the FC said. Robert had difficulty in controlling himself, but he managed somehow. He explained that he wanted the money in order to make more programmes.  "And why do you want to do that?" the FC asked sharply. Again, Robert almost lost his temper. "Because more and more people are listening to my department's programmes. There's great demand for them," he answered.  The FC did not seem to believe him. But Robert had a report on the numbers of listeners to all EBC programmes. The FC became less confident. Robert threw the report down on the table and told him to read it.  The FC looked at it in silence. The figures proved that he had been wrong, but he did not want to admit it. "Well," he finally said, "I may have made a small mistake." Robert noticed the word "may." He got up to leave. But he had the feeling that he would get the money after all.