The Irritations Of Sugar

Two hours into the three hour Wizz Air flight to Bucharest, Gaius is snoozing.

And missing crucial information, since Proust has never stopped talking.

The main points may be summarised as follows:

1. Proust would never eat donuts.
2. Therefore not being granted one was unimportant.
3. In fact it served to prove his point in one way.
4. That he had asked for a donut simply to have the satisfaction of not being satisfied in that way.

Gaius fell asleep at point four. He is not accustomed to Proustian ramblings, but they do have a soporific rhythm (which sadly is lost in the summary).

Proust's musings, continued:

5: Proust would like some water.
6: He is even prepared to pay for it.

Proust pays for a bottle of Evian.

7: Drinking the Evian, Proust is reminded of springs.
8: He recalls at great length certain natural springs he has visited, the scent of plants growing nearby.
9: The memory of plant smells linked to water reminds him of where he is going, and why.

Now he is nearing the point in his monologue which would be of interest to Gaius, could he but hear it.

10: The descent to the cave will be dangerous.
11: It will be pitch dark, with a temperature around 29 degrees.
12: Proust does not like the dark much.
13: Nor does he like being hot.
14: The warm sulphidic water will stink of rotten eggs and burnt rubber.
15: High concentrations of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide; only ten percent oxygen.
16: They will each need a breathing apparatus.
17: To the provision of which he has failed to give much attention.

How quickly the final hour passes. The crew is getting the aircraft ready for landing.

Gaius wakes up and heads off to the toilet.

Arthur sits down in Gaius's seat, smelling faintly of donuts.

Tiny crystals of confectioner's sugar glisten on his chin and the tip of his nose.

Proust would like to reach out and brush away the crystals of sugar, which annoy him for two reasons.

Instead he says: Have you visited Bucharest before?

No, I haven't, says Arthur

It is said to be like a 'little Paris'. They even have an Arcul de Triumf. And lively night clubs. And quite possibly.....

He reaches out.....  he can't help himself..... flicks Arthur's nose, but gently.

What? says Arthur.

Somewhere one might obtain three sets of breathing apparatus, says Proust.

Good. It feels like a fait accompli.