The impasse that we live on does not have a street sign, though it is has a name that nobody in our village knows of. Instead they refer to it as, "Where Monsieur Dupont use to live." To complicate the matter the post man did not know our street, and yet the postal service insisted that we use it.
After living here for as long as we have, we are known, we do not use our street address, and the street sign is still missing.
Yesterday at the antique fair French Husband spotted an old street sign that read: Avenue des Papillions or Avenue of the Butterflies. I had to have it. French Husband doubtfully added, "But there are no butterflies by our house, and we do not live on an Avenue.
You see the French in general, or maybe just my husband, are oriented towards things being exact. They are mindful to details. Lunch at 12:30, coffee at 2:00, cigarette after a meal, sugar and salt don't mix.
Avenue des Papillons isn't meant to be an impasse without butterflies, because that would be another name.
I had to remind him that our impasse has a name that isn't French, and that nobody knows how to spell, "I think it was made up. It isn't even listed on the city chart at the city hall!" I begged with made up reason.
French Husband countered with, "No that is not true. But we cannot just stick the sign on our impasse, and claim it Avenue des Papillons."
"Why not?" I tilted my head for stubborn measure.
"Because we are French, and it doesn't work like that." He shook his head to remind me that I am not French.
"Pooh. We can put the sign up, like we can put a pot of flowers outside on our step… it doesn't mean we are going to change the name or start using it as our address." I weaved my way, "… it is just something sweet, a little note of sweetness on our impasse that is all."
"Cute." He teased.
"Yeah Cute." I nodded.
We bought it.
If you could change the name of your street what would you call it?
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