Philosophy Bee

Max Brown hotel, Düsseldorf.

Ageless lobster is in the social space, lazing.

Life is simple, for the manager of Team Claw.

His team has a fast new rider (Third Sister) and a secret weapon (Vantablack coating).

They should be arriving in Düsseldorf, within a few days.

It occurs to Ageless that he doesn't know when, exactly.

.......

Gaius's kitchen, Adelaide.

Arthur and Sweezus pack their bikes into flat packs.

I hate this part, says Sweezus.

Don't bring it, says Arthur.

I mean packing, says Sweezus.

Me too, says Arthur.

Oh yeah, says Sweezus. Have you sent Gaius's off yet?

No, says Arthur. That's going to be awkward, now.

Yeah, says Sweezus.

........

Königsallee, Düsseldorf.

Gaius is cycling beside the canal.

He cycles past Terence who is sitting with Tiny, playing Cannot But Bee.

Terence: What if you were a bee?

Tiny: I could fly.

Terence: No, you don't get it. You have to say BEE in the answer.

Tiny: But bee was the question!

And so on.

Gaius doesn't see them.

Life at the moment is simple.

His own bicycle will soon be here.

Arthur has seen to it.

Then he can get down to some serious practice.

He pedals faster.

Hola! Gaius! calls Vello, from beneath an umbrella.

Gaius stops.

Vello, David and Jacobi are finishing a plate of fried blutwurst and drinking weissbier.

Typical! Gaius thanks the goddess Fortuna (in whom he no longer believes) that he is not a member of Team Philosophe this year.

Come and join us, says Vello. We're discussing Spinoza.

Bah! says Jacobi. If you can call it a discussion.

Gaius stops and sits down. He picks up a slice of fried blutwurst and tries it.

Mm, says Gaius. Mustard. That's quite good.

Gaius, you met Spinoza, says Vello.

I did, says Gaius. He was on a train I was taking. Nice fellow, if a bit strange.

Atheist! says Jacobi.

He carried his lunch in a basket, says Gaius. And wore a dark hat. For some reason we were ejected from the train.... yes, a broken window.....but we were allowed back on again. Ageless was there.

That is a vague recollection, says David.

It was years ago, says Gaius. Don't tell me you're engaged in a debate over Spinoza.

Jacobi has a bee in his bonnet, says Vello.

The keystone of all human knowledge is belief, says Jacobi.

I'm sure Spinoza would have agreed, says Gaius. But the broken window was proof of the opposite.

How so? asks David,

We believed we hadn't done it, says Gaius.

This is nonsense, says Jacobi. The point is, Spinoza's god does not have free will, purpose or intention.

That's a long bow, says Vello. Shall I order another plate of blutwurst?

And another round of weissbiers, says David. Is it true to say we are fatalists?

Heaven forbid, says Jacobi. But I will have a weissbier.