The other passengers managed to haul me into the carriage when I took the stupid risk of ignoring the warning light and attempted to jump in at the very last moment. Now I could be certain that I would arrive in good time for the opening ceremony of the 2020 Olympic Games in Paris.

I texted my Canadian cousins to ask whether they would be taking part in the parade, or spectating like me. It was only then that I remembered that the games had been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.