put a rabbit

The saga continues. Telecom faltered just before the finishing line. We are now 7 months from the start. After the - terribly tiny hole in the pavement - stage, the next, and hopefully last ordeal lined up was supposed to be the - pulling a tiny cable through an overly large plastic conduit - stage.

The appointment was for 14h00. At 13h00 The Architect receives a call from Telecom man, who announces in a voice that hasn't appreciated the ban on smoking in cafés 'Sorry mate, I've arrived early and there's nobody 'ere' *. This of course came as no surprise to The Architect, who is resolutely punctual though never early by one whole hour, except when it's a meeting with The Client .
'Can you come an open up mate?'
'Of course I can my good man.' I replied
The Architect sets of immediately on foot/bicycle/train/bus to regain Maison Camy as quickly as is humanly possible (if you've been waiting 7 months for a telephone you can run really fast whilst eating a sandwhich).
Half way there, somewhere between bicycle and train, another call arrives on the mobile from Telecom man 'Ere guv there's a car parked on the manhole cover, a green Opel'
He obviously thinks I know everyone in town and will instantly be able to call the owner. I suggest he waits another 15 minutes until I get there and together we'll sort the situation out. Needless to say when I arrive he's gone, and in the street, not a single green Opel to be seen.

The Architects mother, who has had many more years of 'call centre/technician intervention' experience, suggested the obvious that I had ignored - the green Opel that was blocking the works actually belonged to the Telecom man and it was his way of saying he'd finished his day and was 'off 'ome mate'

Next time lets hope he parks the car on his bloody foot - that way when I arrive he might just still be around.

' 'ere, that don't 'alf 'urt mate'

*(I've taken the liberty of translating French directly into Cockney to conserve the authenticity of the dialogs - no disrespect to either intended)