《No, Minister.(存一下英文版)》用其他笔名

12、【Interlude】S01E02.5 Cyril's Diary and Memos (1980.1.28-31)

　　January 28th, 1980, Monday | London, Pimlico | Cold, with rain
　　A new week.
　　I placed the collated briefing, along with the two invitation cards and Sir's memorandum, into the Minister's In-tray myself. It felt very much like I was presenting the Minister with a problem, or rather... a pre-set test, which left me somewhat uneasy.
　　The invitations were placed near the top. The Minister read them quickly. As he read the one from MAFF, a look of interest crossed his face, and he seemed to mutter something like, "Oh, God's cod?"—I believe I heard that correctly. But upon seeing the next invitation from the BTA, the expression on his face froze, turning to disbelief.
　　He held one in each hand, bringing them together as if for comparison, glanced at the briefing I had prepared, and finally tossed the invitations back onto the desk.
　　Watching the Minister pace back and forth in his office, I grew a little nervous. It was a relief when he finally stopped, turned, and asked for my view on this... dual invitation from Cornwall, a question that instantly brought Sir's words from last week to mind. I recited the objective content of the invitations as per procedure, was called out on it, and apologised.
　　The Minister then offered his own take on the two simultaneous, yet ideologically opposed, invitations: "First deliver a eulogy at the cod's funeral, and then encourage people to eat its corpse." Very precise.
　　I then offered my "view," and the Minister clearly rolled his eyes.
　　He turned instead to ask for Sir's opinion, and I handed him the memorandum.
　　I had, of course, read the memo. A perfect analysis, a standard solution, though there was a subtle distance between it and the "opportunity" Sir had previously mentioned. But the Minister's reaction after reading it—his decision to go to the scene himself—was exactly as Sir had anticipated. Was this a masterclass in understanding the Minister's character? I wasn't sure.
　　Leaving the Minister's office, I took the memorandum, walked around the corridor, and knocked on the door to Sir's office. He was reading what looked like a report on the local economy of Cornwall, a cup of tea beside him.
　　"It seems the Minister chose C?" he asked, glancing up at me.
　　"Yes, Sir." I tried to keep my voice steady. "The Minister has decided to accept both invitations."
　　I "returned" the memorandum to him and relayed the Minister's words verbatim. Sir merely offered a noncommittal "mm-hmm," struck through an item on his own schedule, and returned his gaze to the report.
　　"Then... what about the recommendation in the memo to 'urgently convene an inter-departmental meeting'?" I ventured.
　　"Put on hold for now. Since the Minister has chosen to be present on-site, let the forces on-site drive the next phase of coordination. The DSC's duty is to support the Minister, not to supplant his judgment."
　　I didn't know what else to say, but I remained standing there until Sir looked up and asked if I had any further questions. I then asked him why he wasn't surprised.
　　He said it wasn't that he wasn't surprised, but that it was within the bounds of expectation, because the Minister was a "courageous man of action."
　　When faced with the choice between 'procedure' and 'the scene', an activist will always have a natural inclination to personally verify the reality of 'the scene'. That was Sir's explanation.
　　In any case, after leaving Sir's office, I instructed the Private Office to prepare two draft speeches for the Minister. One for the fishermen's seminar, emphasizing sustainable development and the central government's listening posture; the other for the seafood festival opening, focusing on Cornwall's tourism potential and the economic contribution of its seafood industry. I ensured each draft was logically impeccable, maintaining necessary ambiguity when referencing the other event. I ensured all contingencies were prepared for, to support the Minister's on-the-spot performance and to respond to any unforeseen incidents.