Le vieux Homme (the old man)

I was lucky to see her again, twice in one year, I fell in love all over again. 'France in all it's glory' The good, the bad and the children. 'These children are spoilt' said J. You're telling me I thought, but smiled tightly teeth clenched avoiding her eyes so that I did not give away too much of what I thought.

J looked harrassed, I was meant to be there to help them but that wasn't easy as the children always looked to her. The outsider of the family, literally the black sheep as I followed the herd around 'le jardin des plantes' that warm saturday morning in Paris.

That saturday I met him, I don't know why I had imagined a kind face, rosy cheeks. I was greeted by a greying man with a foul habit and a lack of manners.

If that old B called me 'la jeune fille'again I swear I'd make him choke on his cigarette. He addressed me directly as 'vous' and seemed to struggle to make eye contact. He could cook a mean stew though but I felt ncomfortable, I thanked him for the meal and helped to clear the table on my day off, no thanks or kind words from him Mutha Far Car. I was overjoyed when J refused his invitation for me to stay in the room at his flat expressing her wish for me to be close to the family even if it did mean C and I would be on the couch. (she probably had the smae fear as me, he may kill me in my sleep).

He coughed often and brutally, the effects of smoking for decades. The cough was not the only effect that the fags had on him, his teeth could luminate a room and perhaps even the 'Lyon Festival of Lights' with the array of colours in his mouth predominatly being yellow, there were also aspects of brown in between and perhaps green (am I being mean, perhaps...it's my blog and I'll Bitch if I want to), it hurt my eyes like the coloured bulbs we used to use in Nigeria. With each violent cough, I grew concerened, not for his health because I frankly didn't give a damn, but I was convinced that the stew he had prepared would make a second appearance and I wasn't especially looking forward to that free spectacle.

J and JP, were probably finding out that their friends really aren't as nice as they themselves are. Some have been incredably welcoming and some give me a non comittal and weak smile. What do I do? I smile back and think FU or as the french would say NTM while they probably think Black profiteur.

J's sister in law told me one day how wonderful the family are and that I am lucky to have found such a family, I agree they are wonderful, especially the parents, but did she realise how lucky they were to have found me? Believe me, you don't know what you've got til it's gone, a few people are finding that out now.