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AN AMERICAN ACCOUNT OF PARIS : LIVING, EATING, AND TRYING TO SPEAK FRENCH

Friday, November 11, 2011

JUST LIKE IN THE MOVIES

Well as I'm sure you can guess my surprise was a huge hit! Who wouldn't love for me to show up unannounced on their doorstep? Ingeniously planned, my boyfriend was home waiting for our friend, Seth, to show up (who of course was only a patsy) and instead was surprised by a knock at the door. I put the box of Pierre Macaron up to the peep hole to get the full "SURPRISE!" effect when he swung open his door. And boy was he surprised!




Flabbergasted I think would be the most appropriate word to describe his reaction. With a grin stretching so wide across his face I thought he would break it he kept saying, "Oh my God!" His hands wouldn't stop trembling and for hours he kept staring at me as if he was convinced that I was a mirage and would soon disappear. It was quite surreal. It's been seven months since we'd seen each other. It's been seven months since I've been back in Denver. It's been seven months since I've seen my pets. All of it was a lot to handle. But it was marvelous!




Surprises rarely work out as smoothly as you plan. But frankly this couldn't have gone any better. Being so ecstatic to see me that he felt like passing out was something I was hoping would happen but I wasn't going to bank on. After saying our hellos and embracing for an hour I finally had to pry apart his arms and assure him that I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. I was going to be here for two weeks. And beside that, I needed a drink of water.




It was also so wonderful to see my pets! I've missed them so much and I was extremely concerned that they were going to forget about me. Ellie, or German Shepherd, most certainly remembered me. She was so excited that I was there and kept staring at me just as Grant was. Whenever I went into another room she would follow me in there to make sure I wasn't going to suddenly disappear and according to Grant she's been acting a lot more playful and giddy than normal. My cat, Olive, on the other hand, had a slightly different reaction.


Ellie and me rolling around on the floor together. 


For the first night she was obviously pissed at me. How could you leave me alone with this dog? She seemed to say with her beautiful green eyes. How could you abandon me, we've been friends for so long and you just do me like that?! So when I picked her up and tried to love her against her will, she wasn't having any of it. She twisted and contorted until she finally squeezed her way out of my arms. But the next morning I awoke and she was laying next to me on the bed nuzzling up to my hand. I really did miss you. Pet me please! ...oh, and when's breakfast?




Olive and I couch snuggling.



I've only been here for two days but it's been wonderful. Grant had the same reaction to the Pierre Herme macaron that I did and insisted that I should make those in my own shop. I love that my family and friends and people who love me think that I am so awesome that duplicating these perfect macarons would be easy for me. Don't they understand that it took years and years for Pierre Herme to perfect this recipe and that millions of people try and fail to do the same? This isn't just like making a perfect batch of chocolate chip cookies. This is like recreating the Mona Lisa. It ain't no easy undertaking. And while I'll try and hopefully do an admirable job, I doubt that I will reach that level of heaven.




I haven't had a chance to see too many other people yet but have big plans to do so. I cannot wait to hear all about their lives since I've left and how empty they've felt without me around, how they had this giant void that they just couldn't fill. And meanwhile I look forward to sharing my adventures in Paris and coming off like the badass that I am. Seriously though, people get so excited to hear about what I'm doing I often feel like I have to amp it up a little bit with fancy words and hand movements in order to satisfy them. I really don't feel like I've done anything too exciting. But as I've said before, so many people have this dream of living abroad that they have expectations of what it must me like. I know that I did. And who am I to burst their bubble? So I'll go through the theatrics. God knows I love to. And while I'm here I'm also going to make sure and get some good American food. Burgers, biscuits and gravy, pizza, sub sandwiches, all my favorites. Nothing fancy, just things that make me happy. Isn't that what every really wants anyway?


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