Sam和Lucinda在公司谈恋爱，被老板Joe找来谈话。Sam和Lucinda保证，两人的恋爱关系不会影响工作。让我们听听老板Joe是怎么说的。

J: I understand your position completely. Andlet me say: our company doesn’t have a blanket banon interoffice relationships. We are just concernedabout possible ramifications. When you first fall inlove, of course you don’t think about what wouldhappen if you broke up, but let’s face it...break-upsare very common. Have you considered what it wouldbe like if the relationship didn’t work out?

Joe说，公司并不一律禁止内部的恋爱关系，a blanket ban一概而论，全部禁止。但他 同时提醒他们，万一两人吹了，该怎么办。Joe说，Break-ups are very common. Break-up意思就是恋爱关系的中断。

L: That’s true. It would be very awkward to work with an ex-boyfriend every day.

S: But there must be some way we can continue dating and working together. We areadults after all.

J: Yes, I think there are ways you can continue a relationship while working together.Relationship experts say the first rule when co-workers decide to date each other is to plan an’exit strategy.’

Lucinda承认，万一两人吹了，会十分尴尬，但是Sam表示，总该有个让恋爱工作两不误的好办法，毕竟大家都是成年人。Joe告诉他们，专家说了，跟同事谈恋爱，首先应该想好 ’exit strategy’. 退出战略。

L: Exit strategy?

J: Yes. What would you do if the relationship isn’t successful? You should think about that.I think the biggest issue is that if it doesn’t work out, you still have to face that person everyday...and that can be tough.

S: I think you’ve given us some good points we should talk over. Let me assure you thatLucinda and I will be as discreet as possible around the office.

Joe所说的exit strategy退出战略，其实就是想好后路的意思，万一吹了，该如何彼此面对。Sam保证说，他和Lucinda一定会尽量注意影响。

J: One option is for one of you to transfer to a different department so you can still worktogether, but not in such an intimate way.

L: Yes, that’s a possibility we should think about. Let me also say that we recognize thatwhen we are working, the job comes first. There will be no drop in productivity, I canguarantee that!

J: Well, I think you both are handling this situation in a mature way. Let’s just take it fromhere and see how it goes, OK? Thanks for talking with me and being honest and open. I reallyappreciate that.

S: Thanks, boss!

Joe建议说，Sam和Lucinda其中一人不妨考虑换个部门工作。Lucinda再次保证，不会影响工作，Jobcomes first. 一切以工作为重。谈话结束前，Joe称赞两人处事成熟，Let’s just take it from here andsee how it goes. 意思是走一步看一步吧。