Friday, July 23, 2010

Stage 17 - Contingencies

The last day in the Pyrenees. Will it rain? Will Andy Schleck make up the time he lost to Contador ? Will Team Philosophe regret the pies they gobbled yesterday? These are questions Simone and Belle have not yet thought to ask.

Simone de Beauvoir: I was interested to hear your story yesterday.

Belle et Bonne: And why not? It is quite interesting.

Simone de Beauvoir: Yes, but I also discovered that you and I have something in common.

Belle et Bonne: You are adopted?

Simone de Beauvoir: No. But you were sent to a convent because your parents were too poor to afford a dowry, and I was told by my father that I would never marry, for the same reason!

Belle et Bonne: What? But you lived in the twentieth century!

Simone de Beauvoir: Nevertheless, it is true. My family were middle class, but my grandfather went bankrupt the year after I was born, and was unable to pay my parents my mother's dowry.

Belle et Bonne: Bizarre! But you didn't care, did you?

Simone de Beauvoir: Of course not. I didn't want to marry. Jean Paul didn't want to either.

Belle et Bonne: He's a funny old thing, isn't he.

Simone de Beauvoir: Well it is difficult being an existentialist. It is hard to explain to people exactly what it is. He has never really been able to do it satisfactorily.

Belle et Bonne: But I thought everybody knew what it was.

Simone De Beauvoir: People only think they know what it is until they try to put it into words.

Belle et Bonne: I'm sure I could do it! Existentialism is just about how irritating life can be, if we let it.

Simone de Beauvoir: Oh my dear, that's good! You must tell it to Jean Paul. Oh no! It's starting to rain! How irritating. Let's stop and shelter under a tree.

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