I was very pleased with my first embassy party event. The host seemed very happy and there was definitely enough food and drink to go around and people had indeed asked what our company did.

I felt that the event had fully justified my buying a new black dress and getting my hair done. Lot's of people had commented on how nice I looked and how much they were enjoying the food and drink we had sponsored to such a generous level.

I wandered over to the staircase and was surprised to see Tanya from our accounts team walking over to be looking glamorous in her own black dress.

"Tanya!" I cried in greeting, slightly amplified with alcohol.

"Hello Ira," said Tanya.

"What are you doing here? We don't often see the accounts team out at events like this"

"No it's true!" Admitted Tanya with a flick of her hair. "But our chief accountant Katya asked me to come."

"Oh" I said. Katya was quite a scary figure in our office.

"Yes" Tanya paused "She was a bit upset at the bill we got for this event"

"Oh" I said, not feeling quite so jolly.

"Yes. You see the actual cost seems to be about twice what the budget was for the event."

"Really?" Budgets were not something I had mastered at this time.

"Yes"

"Well.. I guess it is too late now" I suggested.

"True. Nothing to be done about the overspend now" agreed Tanya.

I nodded in agreement with not much to add.

"But Katya felt I should come here and make the point about how serious the overspend is." Explained Tanya.

"Oh. OK" I said, not sure how to take this.

"So, I have a phone over there recording us" Tanya points to a phone glanced on a shelf.

"I see" I said, not seeing at all.

"Yes, so the first point Katya wanted me to make was about the excessive drinks spend"

"Ok" I said wondering where this is going.

Tanya picks up a cream pie. I looked at the pie. Surely Tanya was not going to pie me in the midst of this party.

"Are you ready?"