Kafka's Bicycle

The editors of Velosophy are celebrating yet another triumph.

Le Bon David: Another glass of champagne, my friend?

The VeloDrone: Don't mind if I do, David, don't mind if I do.

Le Bon David: Cheers! Drink up. You know I still can't get over how popular that story of Pliny the Elder's has been. Who would have thought a detective story would appeal to philosophers, eh?

The VeloDrone: It's all to do with who he is, don't you think? If anyone else had written it, it would have gone down like a lead balloon.

Le Bon David: True. But I don't think anyone else could have written it, do you?

The VeloDrone: No. There's just something rather delicious about him going round solving mysteries in his toga.

Le Bon David: I'm thinking of asking him to write a follow up story. Another Pliny the Elder detective mystery. It could become a cult thing.

The VeloDrone: Yes let's ask him. Meanwhile, have you got any ideas for next week?

Le Bon David: I'm still waiting on 'Galileo's Bicycle' from Professor Freud. But I had an interesting letter from that chap whatsisname.... Kafka, recently. He seems keen to send us something. Says he's never ridden a bicycle in his life. Legs are too long. And he has a nasty cough. But he's nearly finished a piece that has a bicycle in it, 'albeit small' , he says.

The VeloDrone: Albeit small? Did he mean the bicycle or the story?

Le Bon David: We shall have to wait and see.