Paris, elle est gentille.
For the first time today I walked the streets with empty pockets; not even a centieme to my name! I found a perfect dress at a shop. After considering several colors I made my decision. "Desole mais on ne peut pas l'accpeter." In other words I had to pay cash. I put my visa card away (with a stupid strip versus the french smart chip) and gave her 30 euros in cash.
I put my 1 euro of change in my pocket. eeek! But in europe the euro coin can be worth up to 2 euro so change is real money here. I counted my change. Even including the usually worthless copper coins I had only 8 euro.
I was meeting jenny for lunch. Her boss came with, and chose the resto. Offff. Eight euro buys NOTHING in a restaurant. Laugh all you like but I ordered a salad. Pfffff.
Jenny's boss ordered a main dish and entree. He happily shared the cuisse de grenouille with us. It was a salad with loads of garlic and olive oil and lil frog booties. hahahah..desole mais je vais te manger!!!! Silly little things. Why bother!!!? But the garlic was wonderful.
The restaurant was also silly. They were simply out of everything. By the time my salad had arrived, my avocado was now melted goat cheese on toast, and my mozzarella , a soft boiled egg. ok I admit the egg was supposed to be there but it looked exactly like mozzarella!!!
Anyway by the time I was on my way I was left with just centiemes jingling in my pocket. My poverty was giving me an appetite for dessert.
Hmmmmmm. I counted. okay, I have over 1 euro in coins. I nonchalantly walked up to the metro bakery place and ordered a pain au chocolat. It cost 95 centieme. I realized that I actually had only 93!!! oufff. The girl looked at me, I apoligized..desole j'en ai pas assez. She reached out her hand..I gave her my coins. She counted them. C'est bon! Yes? Yes!!! c'est gentil. I feel like I am a part of the neighborhood. I love this give and take. Life does not have to be so exact. So avocado can become melted cheese on toast and sometimes grace will allow you to buy something for 2 cents less than the quoted price...bon. Ce pain au chocolat etait siiiii delicieux...mieux because she was so sweet.
Crumbs on my face and tshirt, I got on the metro. Now I really had nothing, not even useless change. Time to run home! As I was sitting there contemplating my mometary poverty, I heard the not unfamiliar rant of a homeless person. They have different schticks. Some pass out cards asking for money then quickly come to retrieve them. Others will stand at one end of the car like some great roman orator and make their proclamations followed by a stroll down the car with an outstretched hand. But this time, the booming voice was of a woman and she was PISSED that she was not getting anything. Her rant was angry and loud. I had my back to her, clutching my empty pain au chocolat bag. oooohh nooo, I heard the ranting getting closer and then there she was. It appeared as if she was looking right at me. Yes she was standing right OVER ME. She was bellowing at this point and I was getting ready for her to strike me. I was sitting down with my gaze to the floor. This is horrible. I can see her big white belly. She is rubbing it and yelling out that she is SICK OF HAVING TO BEG. She reached out and grabbed the bar next to me. Her tummy was inches away from my face. Everyone could feel the tension. She continued to bellow.
All of a sudden a hand shot out. The guy just across from me handed her a piece of wrapped candy. Then another walked over and gave her a euro coin. That was it. It released the pressure and she stood back to open the candy. I shot the guy a grateful look. He seemed equally relieved that somehow that silly candy had calmed her.
She got off at the next stop. And I sat there and marveled. C'etait vraiment gentil. Je ne veux jamais partir.
I put my 1 euro of change in my pocket. eeek! But in europe the euro coin can be worth up to 2 euro so change is real money here. I counted my change. Even including the usually worthless copper coins I had only 8 euro.
I was meeting jenny for lunch. Her boss came with, and chose the resto. Offff. Eight euro buys NOTHING in a restaurant. Laugh all you like but I ordered a salad. Pfffff.
Jenny's boss ordered a main dish and entree. He happily shared the cuisse de grenouille with us. It was a salad with loads of garlic and olive oil and lil frog booties. hahahah..desole mais je vais te manger!!!! Silly little things. Why bother!!!? But the garlic was wonderful.
The restaurant was also silly. They were simply out of everything. By the time my salad had arrived, my avocado was now melted goat cheese on toast, and my mozzarella , a soft boiled egg. ok I admit the egg was supposed to be there but it looked exactly like mozzarella!!!
Anyway by the time I was on my way I was left with just centiemes jingling in my pocket. My poverty was giving me an appetite for dessert.
Hmmmmmm. I counted. okay, I have over 1 euro in coins. I nonchalantly walked up to the metro bakery place and ordered a pain au chocolat. It cost 95 centieme. I realized that I actually had only 93!!! oufff. The girl looked at me, I apoligized..desole j'en ai pas assez. She reached out her hand..I gave her my coins. She counted them. C'est bon! Yes? Yes!!! c'est gentil. I feel like I am a part of the neighborhood. I love this give and take. Life does not have to be so exact. So avocado can become melted cheese on toast and sometimes grace will allow you to buy something for 2 cents less than the quoted price...bon. Ce pain au chocolat etait siiiii delicieux...mieux because she was so sweet.
Crumbs on my face and tshirt, I got on the metro. Now I really had nothing, not even useless change. Time to run home! As I was sitting there contemplating my mometary poverty, I heard the not unfamiliar rant of a homeless person. They have different schticks. Some pass out cards asking for money then quickly come to retrieve them. Others will stand at one end of the car like some great roman orator and make their proclamations followed by a stroll down the car with an outstretched hand. But this time, the booming voice was of a woman and she was PISSED that she was not getting anything. Her rant was angry and loud. I had my back to her, clutching my empty pain au chocolat bag. oooohh nooo, I heard the ranting getting closer and then there she was. It appeared as if she was looking right at me. Yes she was standing right OVER ME. She was bellowing at this point and I was getting ready for her to strike me. I was sitting down with my gaze to the floor. This is horrible. I can see her big white belly. She is rubbing it and yelling out that she is SICK OF HAVING TO BEG. She reached out and grabbed the bar next to me. Her tummy was inches away from my face. Everyone could feel the tension. She continued to bellow.
All of a sudden a hand shot out. The guy just across from me handed her a piece of wrapped candy. Then another walked over and gave her a euro coin. That was it. It released the pressure and she stood back to open the candy. I shot the guy a grateful look. He seemed equally relieved that somehow that silly candy had calmed her.
She got off at the next stop. And I sat there and marveled. C'etait vraiment gentil. Je ne veux jamais partir.
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