Read Online The Panda Theory by Pascal Garnier - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Pascal Garnier
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clinked glasses. People are fragile. Hard and fragile, like glass.
‘For someone who doesn’t know anyone round here …’
‘It’s all down to chance. José was the first person I met. Well, apart from you. Do you remember, when I first arrived, I asked you if you could recommend a restaurant?’
‘And Rita? You know each other, don’t you?’
‘That’s by chance as well.’
‘So that’s how you live, by chance?’
‘That’s right, yes, just like everybody else. And what about you, Rita? What brings you here, if you don’t mind me asking?’
‘Me? My chance is called Marco!’
She smiled bitterly and downed her drink in one. Some people wore their misfortune with elegance. Rita was one of them. Her heart, hammered by a thousand blows, echoed like a gong, a bronze shield on which fate could make no dent.
‘He’s buggered off. I was stuffed when I got back to the hotel after lunch. I collapsed and when I woke up he’d vanished.’
‘He’ll be back, I’m sure. Didn’t he have a meeting with his solicitor?’
‘You don’t take your toothbrush to the solicitor. Gone, with his suitcase, without leaving me a penny and without settling the room, the bastard. Can I get another?’
‘Of course. José, do you mind?’
‘Thanks. Excuse me while I nip to the loo.’
José refilled the glasses and whispered in Gabriel’s ear, loud enough for Madeleine to hear.
‘So then, you rascal. You don’t hang around, do you? Two at a time!’
Madeleine covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, then said seriously, ‘Poor soul. I think she’s hooked on drugs. Have you seen her pupils? They’re pinpricks! When she came down from her room earlier she was in a right state, her eyes smeared with make-up. She looked a total wreck. I saw this Marco leave, but as she was upstairs I didn’t think anything of it. What a bastard! I’d just got off the phone to your friend José. I felt sorry for her and she told me you knew each other so I suggested she come along. Is that all right?’
‘Yes, of course it’s all right, Madeleine.’
‘Where did you meet them?’
‘Here. I gave them some peanuts.’
‘Peanuts?’
‘Yes. They had a saxophone for sale. I bought it to give to José’s kids.’
‘A saxophone? You do some strange things!’
‘Do I?’
‘Yes. You’ve only been here four or five days and already you know so many people. It’s amazing how you’ve become part of their lives. You make yourself at home wherever you go, don’t you?’
‘I don’t mean to. I swear it’s not my fault. Do you think it’s wrong?’
‘I didn’t say it was wrong! You just make my head spin a bit. You’re nowhere and everywhere at the same time. I don’t know what to do with this poor girl. And I don’t know what I’m going to say to my boss – he’s not the sympathetic type.’
‘I’ll pay her bill, don’t worry.’
‘That’s kind of you. What’s going to happen to her though?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘You don’t think she’d commit suicide, do you?’
‘No, she’s not that type. She wants more from life.’
‘Here she is now.’
The men standing at the bar turned and nudged each other as Rita walked past. She wasn’t beautiful, but she had something about her and knew how to flaunt it. She crossed the room nonchalantly, rolling her hips, revelling in the lusty stares of the men.
‘Men! Well, you have to have them. Lots of them though, not one! I’ve finished with that!’
She knew how to laugh. It was a hearty laugh, intelligent and frank. She didn’t hold back. Madeleine looked on admiringly, with a touch of envy.
‘I feel good with you two. If I had the cash, I’d take you both out for something to eat. I’m starving!’
Rita had an urge for red meat and chips. The only thing now remaining on her plate was the bone from her steak and a smear of mustard. She had been to the toilet twice and had downed three bottles of beer. She was like a time bomb; you never knew
‘For someone who doesn’t know anyone round here …’
‘It’s all down to chance. José was the first person I met. Well, apart from you. Do you remember, when I first arrived, I asked you if you could recommend a restaurant?’
‘And Rita? You know each other, don’t you?’
‘That’s by chance as well.’
‘So that’s how you live, by chance?’
‘That’s right, yes, just like everybody else. And what about you, Rita? What brings you here, if you don’t mind me asking?’
‘Me? My chance is called Marco!’
She smiled bitterly and downed her drink in one. Some people wore their misfortune with elegance. Rita was one of them. Her heart, hammered by a thousand blows, echoed like a gong, a bronze shield on which fate could make no dent.
‘He’s buggered off. I was stuffed when I got back to the hotel after lunch. I collapsed and when I woke up he’d vanished.’
‘He’ll be back, I’m sure. Didn’t he have a meeting with his solicitor?’
‘You don’t take your toothbrush to the solicitor. Gone, with his suitcase, without leaving me a penny and without settling the room, the bastard. Can I get another?’
‘Of course. José, do you mind?’
‘Thanks. Excuse me while I nip to the loo.’
José refilled the glasses and whispered in Gabriel’s ear, loud enough for Madeleine to hear.
‘So then, you rascal. You don’t hang around, do you? Two at a time!’
Madeleine covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, then said seriously, ‘Poor soul. I think she’s hooked on drugs. Have you seen her pupils? They’re pinpricks! When she came down from her room earlier she was in a right state, her eyes smeared with make-up. She looked a total wreck. I saw this Marco leave, but as she was upstairs I didn’t think anything of it. What a bastard! I’d just got off the phone to your friend José. I felt sorry for her and she told me you knew each other so I suggested she come along. Is that all right?’
‘Yes, of course it’s all right, Madeleine.’
‘Where did you meet them?’
‘Here. I gave them some peanuts.’
‘Peanuts?’
‘Yes. They had a saxophone for sale. I bought it to give to José’s kids.’
‘A saxophone? You do some strange things!’
‘Do I?’
‘Yes. You’ve only been here four or five days and already you know so many people. It’s amazing how you’ve become part of their lives. You make yourself at home wherever you go, don’t you?’
‘I don’t mean to. I swear it’s not my fault. Do you think it’s wrong?’
‘I didn’t say it was wrong! You just make my head spin a bit. You’re nowhere and everywhere at the same time. I don’t know what to do with this poor girl. And I don’t know what I’m going to say to my boss – he’s not the sympathetic type.’
‘I’ll pay her bill, don’t worry.’
‘That’s kind of you. What’s going to happen to her though?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘You don’t think she’d commit suicide, do you?’
‘No, she’s not that type. She wants more from life.’
‘Here she is now.’
The men standing at the bar turned and nudged each other as Rita walked past. She wasn’t beautiful, but she had something about her and knew how to flaunt it. She crossed the room nonchalantly, rolling her hips, revelling in the lusty stares of the men.
‘Men! Well, you have to have them. Lots of them though, not one! I’ve finished with that!’
She knew how to laugh. It was a hearty laugh, intelligent and frank. She didn’t hold back. Madeleine looked on admiringly, with a touch of envy.
‘I feel good with you two. If I had the cash, I’d take you both out for something to eat. I’m starving!’
Rita had an urge for red meat and chips. The only thing now remaining on her plate was the bone from her steak and a smear of mustard. She had been to the toilet twice and had downed three bottles of beer. She was like a time bomb; you never knew
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