The Art Of Appropriate Choosing

The Condor DE flight to Frankfurt boards in ten minutes.

I need to make a quick phone call, says Gaius.

He phones Arthur Rimbaud.

Arthur is not expecting a call from Gaius. He has just recharged his phone.

Hello, Gaius, says Arthur. How was Barbados?

I'm still here, says Gaius, about to head to Düsseldorf via Frankfurt. I wonder if you could do something for me?

What? says Arthur.

Pack up my racing bicycle and bring it with you to Düsseldorf, says Gaius.

Okay, says Arthur. What team are you in?

I take that to mean I'm not in Team Condor, says Gaius. Funny. I thought the fact that I was flying with Condor may have been an omen.

Maybe it was, says Arthur. Pablo's hurt his knee. Crashed in the Giro.

Excellent, says Gaius. Think of me as available. Ah! We're boarding! See you in Düsseldorf.

......

Arthur calls Sweezus.

Yeah? says Sweezus. What's up?

Gaius is available, says Arthur.

That's cool, says Sweezus. We can use him. The boss doesn't need him in his team. He's got this new guy.

Who's he got? asks Arthur.

Richie Rich, says Sweezus. Lives in Düsseldorf. That saves the boss money.

Come on, says Arthur. He's not called Richie Rich.

Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi, says Sweezus. He's a knobhead. We had to teleconference him.

A philosopher? asks Arthur. Is he fit?

Yeah, a philosopher. Skinny, says Sweezus. Could be fit. The boss loves him. David doesn't.

Let me guess, says Arthur. He's a critic of the enlightenment.

Got it in one, says Sweezus. And a knobhead.

.........

Because the Condor long haul ( Zone 3) flight departs before 10 am, breakfast is included.

Gaius and Griff are sitting together. Terence is one seat in front, with Nose and Third Sister.

Tiny Sacrifice is in one of the bread bags with the dead mother.

He likes it that way.

But to more cheerful subjects....the breakfast.

Terence! says Gaius sharply, from behind.

What? says Terence.

Don't eat all the breakfast! It represents conspicuous consumption of the worst sort. Choose one thing each and send the rest back to the galley.

Boo, says Terence, under his breath. I bet he eats all of his breakfast.

No, he won't. says Nose. Gaius is sensible. What have we got?

Fruit yogurt, ham with bayleaf, salami and gouda, scrambled eggs with bratwurst, potato cubes and veg, fresh fruit salad, croissant, roll, bread, jam and chocolate, says the smiling flight attendant. Does that sound yummy?

I only eat tree eggs, says Third Sister.

I eat red things says Terence. What kind of jam?

You can choose the colour, says the flight attendant. And ham is also red, in a way.

Ham and jam! says Terence.

Yuk, says Nose. I'll have the yogurt.