Plans for Saturday

On Friday evening, Maya called her friend Leo to finalise their plans for the next day. They intended to visit the outdoor market, where Maya hoped to find a plant for her balcony and Leo needed a present for his sister. They had agreed to travel together by bus.

“Did you check the bus times?” Maya asked. Leo had looked that morning: the first bus left at nine, but Maya had to work until half past nine, so they chose the ten o’clock bus instead. “If we miss it, we’ll wait for the next one,” Leo said. Neither of them minded, since the market stayed open until the afternoon.

Leo then checked the weather forecast. There was a chance of rain later in the day, so he suggested a backup plan. “If it rains, we will go to the covered market,” he said. “It is smaller, but there is a good café upstairs.” Maya liked the idea.

“Could you bring your large shopping bag?” she asked. “If I find a good plant, I’ll need the space.” Leo agreed. Since he did not plan to buy anything heavy, there would be enough room for her plant. They decided to meet at the bus stop at a quarter to ten.

Before ending the call, Maya wrote the time on a note beside her keys. They now had a plan and a reasonable alternative, which left her with only one responsibility: to remember to set her alarm.