Unit 10 / Listening 3B

Tom: Well? How do you feel?

Gina: On top of the world. Gazing down at it from Mount Kilimanjaro is a simply amazing experience. I see now what you mean about Africa. It was fascinating before, now it's beautiful.

Tom: Though we've also seen some of the ugly side.

Gina: The two go together in my mind. I don't mean the ugly side is inevitable, just that it's the reality of the moment, and you can't choose only to look at beauty.

Tom: No choice. That's a good way of putting it. Not that everyone who comes here has to drop everything and get involved in humanitarian work, but they have to open their eyes, become aware.

Gina: And for those who don't come here, there's a forthcoming documentary that will open their eyes for them.

Tom: Ha! If only things were that simple. There's a lot of news clamouring for people's attention, and AIDS is one of those issues that only come into it intermittently. But every little bit helps and if it reaches a wide enough audience, there's a chance it can make a little difference.

Gina: Sophie's very grateful anyhow. Let's hope there's some positive fallout for her.

Tom: Yes. She's very keen to get the prevention message across rather than focus just on treatment. We need to make sure she gets plenty of opportunity to do that.

Gina: Will Caroline go along with that? I thought she wanted some hard-hitting stuff about pharmaceutical companies.

Tom: She trusts me. She knows that if there's any hitting to be done, I won't pull my punches.

Gina: Does she also trust you on who you put in front of the camera? Did you tell her you wanted me to appear?

Tom: She'll see the result. Neither of us is going to appear very much in any case, and she'll see that you're an asset to the programme.

Gina: You sound very confident. I have no experience of being on the other side of the camera.

Tom: I don't have much either. That's why I want you to partner me. When it goes wrong, I won't be the only one to blame.

Gina: Charming!

Tom: Not only that, but we need a prettier face than mine to keep the male viewers watching.

Gina: Oh, you do, do you? And will the pretty face be allowed to open its mouth?

Tom: Of course. You're going to get all the scientific bits to talk about, to show that you're more than just a pretty face. I hope you've been brushing up your medical terminology. It's far too difficult for me. I'll handle the easy stuff.

Gina: I'll be brushing up my boxing skills if you carry on like that.

Tom: No, only kidding. We'll plan it in detail back at the hotel. In fact we ought to start going down if we don't want to spend the night up here.

Gina: Right. I'll just take a couple more pictures… Thank you, by the way.

Tom: What for?

Gina: Bringing me up here. Showing me Africa. Involving me in your life.

Tom: Oh… Don't mention it. The pleasure's all mine. Or rather…

Gina: Yes?

Tom: Perhaps, here on top of the world, there's one pleasure we could share – in the form of a kiss?

Gina: You know what? We not only could, but we should.