"Nawaz Sharif has accepted a dinner invitation from President Zardari."
"Before you start a commentary on the changing politics behind this move let me disabuse you of optimism on that score."
"What score? Didn't know you were keeping a score!"
"Don't be facetious. You know precisely what score I am referring to. Anyway first and foremost while President Zardari derives his powers not from the presidency but from his chairmanship of the PPP..."
"You don't have to explain that. Musharraf also derived his powers from an office other than the presidency."
"Right, but Musharraf's powers were greater..."
"Our political paradigm unfortunately."
"Right, but the fact is that the invitation was extended by President Zardari and not co-chairman Zardari if you know what I mean which leads me to the second point namely the true leader of the Opposition, not the man who sits in the National Assembly, is Nawaz Sharif and he should be invited at state functions of such a nature. The point is that the PML (N) does represent an alternate leadership..."
"Not according to Patterson and the WikiLeaks revelations."
"That was her assessment and maybe it wasn't right."
"And maybe it was because there is no talk of replacing the government yet through available constitutional means."
"PML (N) would then have to deal with the Chaudhrys and I reckon they hate the Chaudhrys more than they hate Zardari."
"Perhaps but what's your third point?"
"My third point is simply that Nawaz Sharif does like good food and..."
"And I have on good authority that the food at the presidency is bad, they really need to change the chef."
"Not possible."
"Why? Did the chef share a jail cell..."
"Don't be facetious."
"But then why?"
"Learn to quit when you are ahead."