The Ruba'Iyat of Creteil Lake: Part Thirty-Six

The Ruba’iyat of Créteil Lake: Part Thirty-Six Hardly had the CS drawn tight the net round the mosque and lake The red phone on his desk at the Préfecture signalled a break Through at the Orly Airport end: “Guests from the Near East: ARRIVED!” Protocol required their being transported for Prophet’s sake! The Foreign Office rushed to proffer red carpet treatment with gloves But the Princes refused to board the suburban trains in droves Roads stood blocked choc-a-block so helicopter commutes were proposed: A landing pad at Carrefour de Pompadour if the Lord approves! And so it came to pass but the Princes stopped at junction sign-posts: “What’s this?” Prince addressed his French Agent: “Hôtel des Postes- Banque de France, Hôtel de Police, Hôtel de Ville, Préfecture Hôtel du Département? Why haven’t you bought these hotels as well? The billions we pay in costs!” “Your Highness! If you’ll kindly pardon me, these hôtels aren’t for sale!” “Well, never mind Hôtel des Postes! Buy me Banque de France sans fail!” “I’ll see what I can do but it might take a pretty penny or two!” “That’s no sweat! For fifty years or so we’ll pay in gas and oil!” “As for the last entertainment consignment my retinue still complains! They got stitched and patched up fifteen-year-olds for their pains!” “Your Highness, that’s the age limit down here since laissez-faire! We’d be hard put to find a virgin over ten in these terrains!” © T. Wignesan – Paris, 2014