Daybreak is on the horizon, a half light tries to cross the majestic alley of stone pines lined up like a row of majorettes about to go on parade.
As I enter this corner of nature in my car, I get the feeling I’m disturbing something.
Under the headlights, panicking rabbits dart about without really knowing where to go.
As the car slowly approaches, the birds wait until the moment the intruder is just too close, before they kind of surge away in flight.
A pair of partridges quicken their walk on the tarmac right in front of the car, their feet start moving at an alarming speed, their wings beat the air with maximum power but they seem to labour as climb up into the air, flying low as they go.
A squirrel observes the goings-on but as soon as I turn my gaze to him he makes his get away and with incredible ease scales the large oak tree in front of the buildings.
I reach the bottom of the car park, a few crows feast in the meadow. Hearing the sound of the car engine, they hesitate, step back and wait for the very last moment to make their escape. No need to panic, I stop the car, parked in the right place, behind the passageway which connects the two buildings.
I get out of my car, fresh and ready for the start of a beautiful day, a particularly important one, and eagerly awaited by the network’s sales people.
I clap my hands hard together, the crows look up cawing with disgust and fear, I don’t like crows
The person who’s been looking after our organisation gives me a hearty welcome and shows me to our meeting room.
I cross the hall of this majestic building, magnificently restored, and find the room: huge, perfectly lit, with its wide windows opening on to the park, it has been set up exactly as I asked.
Everything has been prepared, and taken into account.
I connect my computer to the latest generation video projector which we’ve been provided with. This is the model that we really should have at the office.
In a flash, despite being awful at using this type of technology, I see the introductory page of my presentation appear.
Next I test the sound and the acoustics … Timidly, I utter a romantic “Paris, Le Mans, Bordeaux !” followed by a daring “1…2 …3 !”. Everything works a treat, the sound is as pure as my voice, which although I don’t like, sounds rather pleasant to me!
I sit down to get an idea of how the screen is adjusted, perfect. I’m surprised by how comfortable my chair is, I’m going to have to keep the audience interested so that they don’t nod off! Outside, through the windows, the magnificent scenery distracts my gaze. The light changes giving the park a grandness that until now I hadn’t really appreciated.
There are headlights in the distance… They’re coming… The setting is luxurious, technically it’s top notch, I couldn’t ask for more, now it’s up to me