It feels like a beautiful fall day here in Dennevy, France. Except, of course, that it is the middle of summer. I am not complaining mind you. The sun is shining and there is fresh cool breeze in the air. I remain, after living in New Orleans for over ten years, a tropical climate body and I have to laugh at myself as I walk around in France in July wearing fleece and… I hesitantly admit..
It feels good to be tucked up and warm. I took an outing away from the land of Les Battees last week. My first excursion on my own since arriving in France. I was like a little baby bird being kicked out of the next. It was time. The three of us arrived in Chalon and I was escorted to the tourists office. I was armed with a map, a bus schedule and a schedule of the events for the street theater. I looked at Roy with the eyes of an abandoned child and left to allow them some privacy for their date.
The best cure for that? So I set out to enjoy my day in Chalon. It was a coolish rainy day as I wandered around a bit seeking the best direction. I saw a few colorful characters that reminded me of my days and times living in New Orleans. And then, while walking around in the center of the city square it seemed that someone was following me… It was a woman… and when I moved to the left… she moved to the left. When I moved to the right… she moved to the right. Yes, she is following me, I thought with my suspicions protective lens.
So I decided to test her and made a sudden u-turn in the square only to greet her friendly french face and discover… that she was… part of the festival…a mime of sorts. And she was following me. She handed me a harmless red foam square and did her best to explain her project to me in her modest English. It seemed they were handing out the red squares to people and inviting them to leave them in a public space… anywhere… and take a picture of it and then send the picture and why they placed it there to their website.
Following my nose and the crowds led me to a small stage just outside of the center of town. A band was setting up so I settled in, ate a little lunch and waited for them to perform.
