Memories of Paris

Memories of Paris

Something was niggling at the back of her mind. It felt like a fly was buzzing around her head. She tried to ignore the persistant  jabbing at her for her attention. It was invading her peace of mind. She had to meet a friend for coffee at the Junction in half an hour and was already running late.

She just made it to the Junction by 11o’clock, “Hi Gail, I am in time, for a change, what shall we have?” “ I fancy a cappuccino and croissant.” “OK, I will go with that.”

Lisa fidgeted in her chair so much that Gail eventually asked, “What is the matter with you for goodness sake? You have been wriggling around ever since you got here.” “I have  something niggling at my mind and I can’t for the life of me think what is causing it . It has been bothering me all morning.”

“Have you forgotten someone’s birthday?” “That’s it. Something to do with the date no doubt.” said Lisa loudly. “ Looking at her watch she saw that it was the month of April and something triggered in her  memory.

It had been on the 10^th of April 1998 that she had left Antoine waiting for her on the Champs-Elysees. He had said he would wait from 10 o’clock until 1 o’clock and if she had not appeared by 1 o’clock he would know that she was not going to come. That she was never going to come.

Lisa had gone to Paris for a month, to study at the Sorbonne  in order to polish up her French. She taught French as first language at the local school in Red Hill. She had met Antoine in the Tuileries Garden sitting on a bench overlooking the circular pond where  the children were sailing their small boats. The sun was shining and it was wonderful to be in Paris on such a beautiful spring day.

“Quelle belle journee” said a voice next to her. She turned her head and inspected the owner of the voice,  being very wary of strangers in a strange country. The man looked innocuous enough. He had on a faded blue check shirt open at the collar and crisp, grey, slim fitting trousers that were obviously from an expensive store and the man had made quite an investment in his shoes. Lisa thought she was safe, “tellement vrai” she answered. The man looked to be in his late thirties, she turned thirty five the previous month.

It was probably due to the lovely spring weather and being in Paris at the time, that  they were instantly drawn together. Lisa just had the feeling that this man was not only elegant of appearance but  elegant of manner.  “ Come” he said “Let us go and find something to eat. My name is Antoine.”

They walked to a small side cafe and sat in the sun. “Que veux-tu manger? “ Lisa studied the menu and said she would like to have the stuffed mushrooms served with a  baguette. “ By the way the name is Lisa”

After this very surprising and unlikely start, the two spent a good deal of time together in the next few days, visiting the  Centre Pompidou with its famous array of pipes displayed outside the building as part of a new concept in architecture. They went to the Louvre, one day and spent a whole day looking at the Etruscan collection and the Romans.  Another day was spent looking at the art of the Renaissance.

They had similar tastes and found the attraction to each other mutual. Paris presented them with a huge playground for exploration.  It takes less than a month to fall in love. Antoine had lost his wife two years before and told Lisa he felt very much alone in Paris although he had lived there for more than 4 years.

Lisa told Antoine that she was married.

Taking the last sip of her capuccino coffee Lisa said to Gail,  “ What is nagging at my memory has something to do with a date but not someone’s birthday. Three years ago when I was in Paris I met  a  guy and we spent a lot of time together. We fell in love, even though I was still married to Paul. His name was Antoine and on my last day in Paris he promised to wait for me on the Champs-Elysees at 10 O’ clock. It was the on the 10^th of April . He would wait for me for 3 hours and if I did not come he would know that I would go back to England and that he would never see me again. I came back to England, back to Paul though I knew he was cheating on me. I had read a book recently called ‘These lovers fled away’ where the two people in the story run away together.  I felt I could not run away with Antoine, run away from my commitments.

I have been haunted ever since with the image of him waiting for me at the cafe where we so often went. Waiting for three hours and finally admitting to himself that I would not appear. If it had been me waiting for him I would have suffered unbearable sadness. Love is a powerful emotion for those who are under its spell. And I loved him. I still love him after all this time. He is always in my thoughts.

“Gai,l it is the 10^th of April tomorrow. I have to go to Paris and I have to leave leave tomorrow morning. Do you think I am crazy? After three years I know it will be a pointless journey but I have to go. Do you think I can make it in time to be on the Champs-Elysees by 10 O’clock on the 10^th April ?”

“I do think you are crazy but at least you do not have to worry about Paul, seeing that he left you for his young secretary two years ago. He was always putting you down in front of other people you know, saying you talked too much and laughed too much and were always so negative. He did this in front of other people and we all noticed.”

After a moment of thought, “Go to Paris” said Gail “and if you take just hand luggage you can go straight from the Charles de Gaulle Airport to the Champs-Elysees to your cafe. Just don’t expect a guy to wait for you for three years.”

When Lisa got home, she booked  a return flight from Gatwick airport, to Charles de Gaulle for the next morning, to arrive in Paris at 8am. She packed a small bag with just bare necessities and a change of clothing which she packed very flat. She would be able to take this on to the aircraft with her, without sending it into the hold.

The next morning she was up early, preparing the flat for her two day absence. She always worried that she might leave the kettle or stove on when she went out. Her friends told her this behaviour was OCD. One of her traits that had annoyed Paul and for which he had criticised her.

  At Gatwick she was given her boarding pass and had to wait impatiently at the gates for boarding. While she waited she reflected on the past three years since she had last seen Antoine. They had been hard years.

 First, she had at last realized that with Paul’s infidelities, her marriage was on the rocks. Then she had had to get used to being on her own again. It was unlikely that she would ever meet up with another life partner.  At thirty eight she was well and truly over the hill!

The call went over the loudspeaker announcing that the passengers could board the aircraft.

The flight only took one hour and twenty minutes. At Charles de Gaulle Lisa battled her way through the crowds  with he small hand luggage. She arrived at the taxi ranks and waved for the first available one in the queue. Nothing happened. She tried again, Still nothing. “What is the matter?” she asked an official.” C’est la greve (strike)” was the reply.. It was now 9am . The drive into Paris would take one hour minimum.

Looking frantically around, she spied a battered old car with a plumpmiddle aged lady at the wheel. There was a taxi sign on the roof..Lisa waved and the lady pulled up next to her.” Why are you the only taxi to stop for me?” “Je n’appartiens pas au syndicat.”  This wonderful driver did not belong to the unions.” Oh I am so glad said Lisa, please can you take me the shortest route to the Champs-Elysees and drop me near the l”Elephant.” She was in despair, she had spent all this money on a whim and now she was late, one of her many failings. It was impossible that Antoine would be anywhere near the l’Elephant.

The taxi pulled to a stop and paying the driver and leaving a huge tip, Lisa grabbed her bag and headed towards the entrance of the cafe. There were a lot of people seated at the pavement  tables and a huge crow in the interior. It had always been popular. She looked at the people and was shown a table near the entrance-lurkers were not encouraged.

There was not sign of anyone who looked like Antoine but then she had to face it that her behaviour was really ridiculous. Then she saw the back of his head. He was seated close to the wall just inside the door and reading a newspaper. It was him and she drew in her breath at the same time noticing the grey hairs which now adorned his temples. She stood up and straightening her skirt approached him and saying his name softly . “ Bonjour Antoine, je suis desolee.  Je suis un peu en retard.”

Antoine stood and turned round. His face lit up and holding out his arms folded her in his embrace. “My dear I have been waiting a long time, not three hours but three years. Every year at this time I come here just to remember you and I eat the stuffed mushrooms.” And then in French, “et  tu sais bien que  je n’aime pas les champignons.”