The Will And The Metaphor

Arthur, Pablo and Dries are on their way to Gare du Nord to catch a train to the airport.

They are wheeling their bicycles on the footpath.

This is a cool bike, says Dries. I do not detect a peculiarity.

You're not on it yet, says Arthur.

Dries hops on, rides a few metres.

Gardez! snaps a grumpy Parisian pedestrian.

The pedestrian is aware that his Will has been thwarted, says Dries.

Arthur glances at Pablo.

It's starting already.

Dries hops off.

I don't know what made me say that, says Dries. It was quite intellectual.

Not your normal type of statement, says Pablo.

No. I'm normally happy go lucky, says Dries.

I am not happy go lucky, says Pablo.

No, a poet should not be, says Dries.

What do you do? asks Pablo.

I'm a trauma counsellor, says Dries.

Counsel me, says Pablo.

What for? asks Dries. Have you recently been in a war zone?

No, says Pablo. But I was gutted when Océane, whom I love madly, said that we three should push off, as if I was of no importance.

You are well out of it, says Dries. She's a strange one. Always wears a blue raincoat.

A green dress with cream spots, says Pablo,

And drinks yellow sports drinks, says Arthur.

Carelessly, says Pablo.

And she doesn't admit it, says Dries. Believe me. I've been there.

Have you? says Arthur. Is this your trauma counselling technique?

No, says Dries. She is my cousin. She never admits anything.

She admitted me, says Pablo gloomily.

Only once, says Dries.

How does he know that?

Luckily, they are now at the station, and must attend to buying their tickets.


........


Océane, Gaius and Carl Linnaeus are walking to the hotel Montmartre-St Pierre, which is just round the corner.

It is good you have ditched your bicycle, says Océane. In Paris, it is easier to walk.

Indeed, says Gaius. I prefer to walk, whenever possible. And I'm glad to see the back of that bicycle.

It looked like a perfectly good bicycle, says Carl Linnaeus.

It was, says Gaius, but it caused me no end of trouble. It was, technically it still is, Schopenhauer's.

What was the problem exactly? asks Carl Linnaeus.

It channelled him somehow, says Gaius. Even the experts at Utrecht University couldn't get to the bottom of it.

You believe in a channelling bicycle, but not a magical drum, says Carl Linnaeus.

Evidently, says Gaius.

Luckily, they have now arrived at the hotel.

This is your room, says Océane. You'll be sharing, so I hope you get on. The  pre-meeting proper is in half an hour. I'll come for you in fifteen minutes and we'll walk there.

She is very efficient, says Carl, when the door shuts.

What is this pre-meeting? asks Gaius. I don't have a program.

It's a group of ecologists from various countries, says Carl. We will table our concerns. Océane will look at them from a lawyer's perspective, before we proceed to a post-pre-meeting meeting.

Very good, says Gaius. And are you intending to go in that outfit?

Yes, says Carl. It makes my point in a visual manner.

Your point being? asks Gaius.

The snow in Sweden is melting, says Carl.

Point taken, says Gaius. In that fur and leather, you'll sweat like a pig.

It's not supposed to be that metaphorical, says Carl.