August 26: It’s Monday I wrote for some of the morning and I am now armed and ready with enough French to purchase my weekly carte navigo. Or so I thought. My attempt to ask for a carte was denied. She seemed disgusted with how little French I spoke and refused to be of assistance.
I ended up just using the machine and buying a booklet of tickets at a greater cost. Here bad day would not become mine! If I had turned around, I think she would have been smiling at her odd victory.
Next stop was buy first almond croissant of the trip at my favorite boulangerie, Marnay’s. The young women there were lovely. Perspective is everything.
They actually were surprised I was American and thought my French accent was very good. (hahahahaha) Seriously! Of course I only needed a phrase and word or two to draw them in, after that it all became clear!!!! I think I shall hire them as my teachers!
I shared with them my story of the woman at the RAPT/metro counter. They couldn’t believe it. They affirmed that she is the person to purchase the card from!!! Once you have the card you can insert it into the machine and fill it. They encouraged me to go to another metro stop and ask again, and perhaps again and again!!!! How many unhappy RAPT workers could there be?
My next stop was to grab a little lunch and head to Luxembourg Gardens. With writings in hand along with my computer I begin the sorting, composing and editing of perhaps 20 years of writing. What a fitting place to begin, a place we’ve lallygagged before as a family. Luxembourg gardens…sitting on the grass, grounded by earth, enveloped by the trees and surrounded by humanity soaking up the day, soaking up each other!
Magnificant!
Thanks Paris!
Welcome to Wonder 