Rick looked up at the plane and shook his head.
Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, Ilsa had walked into his.
He immediately remembered the spark between them, now so painful because of her marriage to Victor.
“We’ll always have Paris,” he’d told her, forgiving her for abandoning him in the past.
Victor’s work against the Nazis was so important now, Rick thought, that he needed Ilsa by his side.
He’d known for some time that she would be leaving Casablanca and flying out of his life.
He’d told her: “It doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that.”
Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of her life…
Captain Renault looked at him and smiled.
“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” Renault said, with a sly smile.
Rick smiled back slowly.
“What do you think we’ll be working on together, Captain?”
The captain stopped in his tracks.
“Do you see that plane? Do you know the logistics it took to get that organised without the German major finding out? I spent days sourcing the pilot, making sure we had enough fuel, getting together a convincing flight plan, and making sure enough people who needed to looked the other way. It’s an expensive business.”
Rick nodded: “Thankfully, Victor’s backers have plenty of funds. But I take your point about the challenges of logistics. It’s difficult to keep on top of it all, and it just takes one little thing to go wrong and the whole logistics chain falls apart. Even when you’re in the French army…”
The captain turned towards him.
“It takes clever logistics to ensure Sam’s Bar never runs out of wine and spirits, doesn’t it, Rick? Especially when there’s a war on.”
Rick agreed.
“It does. It’s something of a talent. Sam and I have mountains of paperwork and send out dozens of messengers every week.”
The captain sighed: “If only there was a place where all that paperwork could be kept in one place, and that somehow everyone could access it whenever they wanted, whether they were in the bar, at home, or at the airport.”
Rick added: “I’m sure there will be, in the future and after this war. Somehow, machines will help us keep track of our logistics, ensure we have all the correct records, and alert us when we need to do things to comply with the law. Maybe phones will be in our pockets and we’ll be able to access our records in just a few taps!”
The captain laughed.
“You have a vivid imagination, Rick! I like it. What would we call this amazing system?”
Rick scratched his head.
“Oh, I don’t know. Something memorable and snappy. How about Mango? We had a special delivery of mangoes at the bar yesterday. Expect some wonderful cocktails.”
The pair arrived back at the bar.
“Well, this is where I leave you, Rick,” the captain said.
“Here’s to a bright, Mango future!” Rick replied with a salute.
Rick laughed.
“Here’s looking at you, captain…”
How could online compliance software Mango help you manage your logistics? Book a free demonstration which will be delivered via Zoom. We can help you achieve the ISOs your business needs, too, in areas like health and safety, the environment, and business continuity. Call Penarth Management on 029 2070 3328 or email info@penarth.co.uk