Distracted By Progress

Dubai airport. The Hard Rock Café.

Gaius, Terence and Denis Diderot are waiting for Belle.

She arrives, and sits down at their table.

Sorry about that, says Belle. Just checking the departures board. Our flight's been delayed.

By how much? asks Gaius.

Half an hour, says Belle.

Have you got any paper? asks Terence.

No I haven't, says Belle. What do you want it for?

See this? says Terence. It's ruined.

He shows her the design for the egg box, with the scuff marks.

What is it? asks Belle.

It's his design for storing cuttlefish eggs, says Gaius. Quite ingenious.

All those holes ! says Belle. Won't they fall out?

No, says Terence. That's the in-holes, and when they're in, they have cabins.

Wow! says Belle You've thought of everything.

Yes, says Terence.

Ask Denis if he's got any paper, says Belle.

Denis Diderot looks up from his phone. He's been checking his emails.

What? asks Denis.

Paper, says Belle.

Ding! An email arrives. It's from Henriette.

Denis opens the email.

One word: PROGRESS?

What was that again? asks Denis.

Paper, says Belle. Have you got any, so that Terence can redraw his egg box?

Oh.. er.. um.. says Denis. Paper. Yes, here. He rips out a page from his journal, and gives it to Belle..

Thanks, says Belle. It's for Terence.

She gives the paper to Terence.

You seem distracted, says Belle.

I am distracted, says Denis. I just got an email from Henriettte, whom I met on the plane.

Sweet, says Belle. What's she saying? Or is it too private?

On the contrary, says Denis. It's a simple one word question.

What is it? asks Belle.

Progress? says Denis.

Like a question? says Belle. 

They agreed to communicate, says Gaius. But if I may interrupt, would anyone like a bowl of nachos?

Yes please, says Belle.

And I want a pencil, says Terence.

I thought you had one, says Gaius. 

I lost it, says Terence.

Luckily Belle has a pencil.

I wonder if she googled me, says Denis.

I bet she did, says Belle. I would have. Do you have views on progress?

Well yes, says Denis. At least I did have at one point. 

Progress, says Gaius. I imagine you were all for it.

No, I wasn't says Denis. I warned against too much dependence on technology.

You surprise me, says Gaius. 

Not for the first time, says Denis. 

Ah, yes. The chicken mask, says Gaius.  

Are you going to reply, asks Belle. And if so what?

Yes, if so what, says Denis Diderot. What if she's referring to something in particular?

Then she should have said, says Belle.

A bowl of nachos arrives at their table.

Wonders of technology, says Gaius. I used their QR code to order.

They eat the nachos while Terence tries to remember the details of his egg box.

And Denis tries to think of an answer to "PROGRESS?" that indicates he has understood what Henriette meant by the question.