Home Base

French Cafe

 

Today I took the train home.

Bittersweet.

Such an unexpected week, Sacha all to myself.

________________________

 

Arriving early at the Gare de Lyon, I waited for my train

a young man passing by said (in French), "Hi Beautiful!"

I laughed.

He proceeded, "Want to sleep with me?" 

"What? No."

He went on, "Can I ask you a favor?"

"No."

"Are you afraid of me?"

"No."

"Can I ask you a favor?"

"Listen whatever you ask I am going to say no."

It lead into the craziest conversation. He kept talking, asking me random questions. Sometimes I answered, sometimes I laughed, sometimes I said nothing as I stood waiting for my train. It did not bother me in the least that he carried on. At one point he said, "Do you believe in God?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

He pointed to a medal I was wearing.

"Oh. Because I am wearing a religious medal you want to know if I believe in God?"

"Yes. If you believe in God you would do me a favor."

"I am wearing this medal because I think it is pretty."

"You don't believe in God?"

For some odd reason I found the entire encounter assuming. Even though he took my casualness for God knows what, maybe he thought he was making his way into my heart or purse or whatever.

So I asked him, "Do you want money? Because if you do I honestly do not have one euro on me."

"Do you have a credit card?"

"Seriously? I thought you were finding me beautiful and wanted to sleep with me! And to think all you wanted was a couple of Euros? Gee, what a let down."

He went on, "You're crazy."

"I know and don't forget, beautiful."

Then my train arrived and I said, "Goodbye."

 

 

 

 

 



Comments

22 responses to “Home Base”

  1. Jacklynn Lantry

    That sounds a little scary…

  2. odd-don’t you wonder sometimes “is it just me or does this stuff happen to other people”…..because if you have ever wondered that- let me tell you– IT DOES HAPPEN TO OTHER PEOPLE…ME! I really could write a book-good bad weird and scary encounters like that-somebody once told me I just have that kind of face-I said what do you mean…the reply “a face people will talk to”-I don’t know-I just think I draw the short straw many times, but inevitability I think to myself-this has got to happen to other people-and now I know that it does-glad you are home safe and sound

  3. I’ve found that you can always guarantee encountering weirdos at train stations in Europe. I normally avoid them or shut them down ASAP so I do admire you going along with your weirdo. I would have loved to do Pere Lachaise with you…can never get enough, so beautiful and restful; did you take Sasha with you?
    Meanwhile how are things going in Cassis…can’t wait for an update! X

  4. Hahaha…it happens to my mother too. I always tell her she has “Talk to me” tattooed on her forehead. Her specialty is single older men and the intellectually challenged. Sometimes when we’re at a cafe or having lunch somewhere and the tables are full we often get asked by older people if they can join us? Once before we could even respond we found ourselves left minding someone’s confused elderly relative. I told my mother that we should talk loudly about a herpes problem should someone approach us in the future!
    ; )

  5. That was quite a conversation. Glad you made it home, but had a wonderful week with Sasha.

  6. becky up a hill

    Dirty Rotten Scoundrel!

  7. I have found that unsolicited anything is of suspect. Not a.ways bad, but definitely trust and verify.

  8. Hilarious, well done you for being brave enough to carry this along.

  9. Teddee Grace

    Even panhandlers are romantic in France! So funny.

  10. Diogenes

    Oh my god this is so funny.
    “Do you have a credit card…” lol. I LOVE the way you handled the whole situation.

  11. you have made me laugh seriously this morning…I can totally relate– except I draw widely across the board– young- old.. but have never been asked if they could join the table… instead they just stand there talking me nodding or whatever until my neck hurts from looking up from a seated position-I think I have the same tattoo as your mom-

  12. Great replies to his boldness! I love it!
    I am known to my friends and family as a “Weirdo Magnet” If there is a weirdo lurking, they find me!
    Sometimes it is scary (when they seem to be strung out on drugs, or mentally unstable), sometimes just a kick in the pants!
    The other day at the grocery, a man and his son (about 4yrs old) called out “Candy!”, they had a box of it beside them. I said “No thank you!” and as I walked by I hear the boy say, “Oh come on! You’re too beautiful to say no!”…..
    Have a great rest of your week Corey! karen…

  13. It wasn’t. I usually am nervous about stuff like that. But I wasn’t. Superman movie must have done something to me.

  14. Oh I know what you mean. I think I have that nice old lady look, or easy sucker look. He didn’t bother me.

  15. All is good. No Sacha did not go with me to Pere Lachaise. Yes train stations are usually okay, too many people, so you get a bit of everything. Cassis is advancing beautifully!

  16. He was a needy person, and strange. But harmless.

  17. No not really just a lost soul.

  18. I would agree, but there are many down and out folk. He wasn’t bad, just lost and odd.

  19. Brave, or figured he was harmless and tried to listen to his craziness.

  20. Oh they always try to pick up women. I guess a warm bed with someone is better than the street.

  21. lol, thanks David. I think I got a boost of superhero calmness for once.

  22. Karen I hope you and I are never in the same area together!! What chaos would occur!! LOL.

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