Not Being Physically Present

It's a half hour drive to the Charles de Gaulle airport.

In the back seat of the taxi, Arthur closes his eyes.

Soon he'll be on his way back to Australia. It will be summer. 

He will go surfing.

Which reminds him. Where is his bike?

Merde! He has left it outside the Crêperie Bretonne!

What's wrong? asks Pierre-Louis.

Bike, says Arthur. Why didn't you remind me?

Bike? says Pierre-Louis. Our bikes! We left them outside the Crêperie. We'll have to go back.

I don't carry bikes, says the taxi driver. Not unless they're flat-packed.

Curses! says Pierre-Louis. I can't turn up at Vello's without a bike. I won't qualify.

You in a race? asks the taxi driver.

That's not the problem, says Pierre-Louis.

Qualify for what then? asks the taxi driver.

I'm being interviewed for Velosophy, says Pierre-Louis. 

Since when did you need a bike for that? asks the taxi driver.

You obviously don't subscribe, says Pierre-Louis.

I don't, says the taxi driver. But an interview is two people talking. One asks the questions.

The other must own a bike, says Pierre-Louis. 

You can surely talk about it without it being physically present, says the taxi driver.

The problem is, says Pierre-Louis, Vello never liked me. He may not believe I ever had a bike. He may think I'm a non-cycling philosopher trying to wheedle my way into his magazine, under false pretences.

Perhaps you could talk about the philosophy of loss, says the taxi driver.

Of my bicycle? says Pierre-Louis. There's a thought. Arthur what do you think?

Just borrow one, says Arthur. Yours was old anyway. Mine was a good one.

Oh yes, says Pierre Louis. Here's me, only concerned for myself.

Doesn't matter, says Arthur. I'll call Belle. She'll be coming to Paris after her holiday in Saint Malo. 

By then your bike will have disappeared, says Pierre-Louis. Unless that waiter has found it.

Yes. Arthur realises that a series of lucky events needs to happen if he's to get his bike back.

1 the waiter finds it.

2 the waiter realises it's his

3 the waiter still wants to please Arthur

4 in spite of what Arthur did with his poem

5 (giving it to a frog)

6 the waiter stores the bike somewhere

7 locked up, so it does not get stolen

8 Belle turns up a week later to claim it.

9 she thanks the waiter profusely

10 she praises his poem (of which Arthur has sent her a copy)

11 she flat packs the bike and takes it with her to the airport

12 she flies home.

13 the first thing she does is call Arthur

14 to arrange a meeting to give him his bike

15 which she will have unpacked and put back together when he gets there

16 okay, item 15 may be pushing his luck