Recycling

Anything else? asked Beckett.

Yes, said Simone. The broken tooth. Anyone who sees through the orange hat will recognise it as mine. I propose you make a major alteration to the text.

Any suggestion as to what that might be?

Perhaps, said Simone, instead of knocking me off my bicycle and breaking my tooth, you could run over my little dog Teddy. The crowd would gather, angrily. And I ( who am not I, but the woman in the orange hat) would say, in your defence, This man has done me a favour, as I just happened to be taking Teddy to the vet to have him put down.

Oh, that's very good, said Belle et Bonne. I like that even better.

Thank you said Simone.

Thank me, said Samuel Beckett. That's straight out of my novel Molloy.

As to that, said Simone, the story of the broken tooth is straight out of my novel The Mandarins!

And she fixed Beckett with a glare.

Is this a stalemate? asked The VeloDrone. Where do we go from here?

I think we need a new story, said Belle et Bonne.

What's It All About?

The phone rang. Belle et Bonne answered. It was Samuel Beckett.

Have you received the second part of my story? he asked.

Yes, said Belle et Bonne, but I must tell you that someone here is not pleased with it.

Your papa? asked Samuel Beckett, sounding surprised.

No, our friend Simone, said Belle et Bonne.

How can that be? It isn't published, is it?

It is, at least the first half is, and she has read the second. Would you like to speak to her?

No. I'll be there in five minutes! said Beckett.

Five minutes later he popped his head round the door.

Simone! he cried. I am sorry!

Samuel, said Simone, it's just too bad of you.

How can I make amends? asked Beckett.

You can re-write the second part, said Simone firmly. I strongly object to several things in it.
The first one being that I am readily identifiable by the description of my hat.

I shall change the hat, said Samuel. How would you like me to describe it?

I should like you not to describe it at all, said Simone, crossly.

The hat remains, for literary reasons, said Beckett. But I am willing to change its colour, and its shape.

Simone looked perplexed.

I know! said Belle et Bonne. You could make the hat orange. I always thought it would be nicer orange, she added.

Good gracious, why? asked Simone.

Because you wore it on the cover of The Mandarins, said Belle et Bonne.

That's good, said Samuel Beckett.

You are not thinking of describing it in terms of the fruit, I hope, said Simone.

What does it matter, if it is not your hat? asked Beckett.

Yes, chimed in The VeloDrone. Don't forget that it's no longer your hat.

If it's not mine, said Simone, then what is this all about?

Day Off

Le Bon David and the VeloDrone have the day off. They decide to cycle down to Henley Beach and relax in the sun. Leaving their bicycles under a pine tree, they struggle through the soft sand with all their things.

Le Bon David: Phew! Why did we bring all these things?

The VeloDrone: Umbrella, towels, books, sketch pad, pencils, bottles of water, coconut, sun cream, hats. We'll need them all.

They set up their umbrella, spread out the towels, and sit down. Le Bon David begins to read. The VeloDrone starts sketching.

He sketches the horizon. It is very flat. He draws some waves. They are of medium size, perhaps even small. He draws the ripples in the sands and the glittering shallow pools and a seagull. He rubs out the seagull. Lucky I brought my rubber, he thinks.

But now there is a smudge on the page. I need to draw something else in that spot, he thinks. But unfortunately there isn't anything there. He looks at his friend for inspiration.

Le Bon David is happily munching on a large chunk of coconut, while turning the pages of his novel, The Mandarins, by Simone de Beauvoir. He is chuckling.

What's so funny? asks The VeloDrone.

Hee hee, says Le Bon David. Jean Paul Sartre is in it.

What a laugh, says The VeloDrone, grabbing at the book. Let me see!

No, I'm reading it, protests Le Bon David, but too late. The VeloDrone has run off down the beach with The Mandarins.

Vello! Bring back that book! calls David, chucking the large piece of coconut at his friend, followed by several more.

Eventually The VeloDrone tires of his game, and of being bruised by large chunks of coconut. He skips back to the umbrella, and returns the book to his friend.

Ugh! It's all wet! says Le Bon David. I hope you're satisfied.

He looks sternly at The VeloDrone, who has already forgotten all about him. He is happily drawing coconut chunks over his smudge.