Suprises

You'll never believe what happened. OK realistically, you would probably have no problem believing this. Perhaps I should say "You'll never care what happened". But while that's much more accurate it just doesn't incite the same level of interest or excitement or mystery.

...Plus it's depressing.

On to my news. First of all, this morning as I sat in our living room eating a giant bowl of Chocapic (French version of coco puffs) like a good little bachelor, Martine walked in wearing nothing but her underwear. OK to be fair this isn't exceptional, she stays here a couple times a week and kind of just walks around like she lives here, the surprising part is still to come. She asked if I wanted coffee, I declined, telling her that I don't drink coffee. Then she sat at the other end of the couch to eat her petit dejeuner. When possible I snuck glances of her mostly naked body... like a good little bachelor. I found myself rather attracted to Martine at this moment. I got up to pour myself a second bowl of cereal, I wasn't really hungry... to be honest, I just wanted to stay in the living room as long as she was going to be there. It's pathetic how many of my decisions are based on what opportunities I have to look at women. When I returned to the couch she was lighting up a cigarette.

Martine: Il fait beau non?

Me: Oui. Oui, il fait trés beau.

Martine: T'as le loyer d'avril?

Me: Um... Comment?

Martine: Zhe money... for zhe rent.

Oh my, her accent was amazing. Now if you had told me five years ago that one day I would have a French woman sitting on my couch in her underwear, smoking a cigarette, and asking for money in her French accent... well, I wouldn't have pictured this exact situation but that's because I can be sick minded sometimes.

Anyway, she told me in her broken English (and here's the interesting part) that she actually lives here now and that she had payed the rent this month so I needed to give her the money for my portion (which providentially was now divided by three) sometime in the next few days. Her English was actually worse than my French, or so I'd like to believe, but I was enjoying her accent.

Me: I didn't know you spoke English.

Martine: I learn a little bit in school. If I speak English wizh you, it is because we are alone. If Martin is here... he is... make fun of me because I do not speak so good.

Me: Don't worry your English is much better than his is.

Martine: ...I do not understand.

Me: Your English is good.

Martine: Ah, c'est gentil. Euh.... Zhis is very nice of you to say. But wizh Martin it is not important. He is... euh... he is...

She couldn't think of the word. She smiled and shrugged and slammed her cigarette into the ash tray before retreating to the bedroom. Her bedroom. For the first time in my life I live with a woman that is not related to me. Considering the fact that Martin and Martine were staging Armageddon in the living room it's needles to say that I was... surprised.


My second surprise of the day came this evening. I checked my email and found a message from my friend Drew. Of course you know Drew. He was there the night that we met. I remember wanting to talk to you more but you two got into some thick discussion so I backed off. He managed to become your friend in a way I never could... The email he wrote me went something like this:

"Ok listen up and listen closely. I am coming to Paris very soon. I am not sure if it is cool if I stayed with you but could you let me know if it's possible. If you don't want me to stay just say that it's not cool and that will be fine. It will probably be this weekend! I am planning on arriving in Paris on April 9th at 1:30 PM. I would like to stay there from the 9th through the 12th and then maybe I will come back through town after touring Europe with some buddies. For sure the 9th through the 12th though. Do you think this is possible? If it's too much to ask then no worries.  Let me know asap! This trip could change all lives."

The ninth is two days from now. I'm a little worried about what Martin will say but I already responded and told Drew that he can stay... though we'll be sharing a bed. Bed sharing or not, I'm excited for him to get here. I'm excited to have news of all the people and places that I've cut myself off from.


Sincerely,

Willim