i was sitting at an outdoor café by the seine. high noon. drowning myself in sun, words, and café au lait. people-watching. a man walked by. looked at me. doubled back.
guy: vous êtes très jolie.
me: okay.... merci.
guy: you are english?
me: no. american.
[uninvited, he sits in the chair next to me.]
guy: i lived in new york.
me: oh really?
guy: yes, when i was 19. i lived on the upper west side... you know, right by the museum of natural history... wow, you are really beautiful.
me: you've said.
guy: this is the first time i've been attracted to a black american girl.
me: and you lived in new york?
guy: yes, but i was wasting my time there...
me: clearly...
guy: ...dating a jewish girl. a 'jap'. it was a phase.
me: seriously?
guy: you're amazing. i'd really like to sleep with you.
me: yeah. uh-uh.
guy: i'm very direct.
me: i appreciate that. but that's not going to happen.
guy: open your mind.
me: i can open my mind without opening my legs.
[he laughs. somehow, i steer him to the safer ground of the european union. he tells me that england, thatcher in particular, sabotaged the eu by insisting that the borders expand to include eastern countries. tool though he may have been, i am fascinated by this argument. i question him about this. i'm interrupted just as i'm about to bring the balkans into the conversation.]
guy: you're excited.
me: i'm not sure excited is the word i'd use.
guy: you're curious.
me: you're curious.
guy: you're entertained by me.
me: endlessly.
[i'm already thinking about how i'll blog this.]
guy: this exchange is kinky.
me: this is escalating at an alarming rate. we were only at excited just a minute ago.
guy: we'd be great in bed together, i think.
***
so, while i will not be sexing it up with any strange men in france, i will be out and about. tomorrow i'll connect with an old high school friend who happens to be running the menswear fashion trade show of the summer. sunday, is the solidays music festival: 3 days, 80 concerts against the AIDS epidemic. monday, i'll board a train to the south of france, james baldwin style... and the journey continues!!
8 comments:
I'm don't mean to make light of an uncomfortable moment but, omg, that was hilarious! Please tell me how that creeper left you alone.
Wow.
That's not terribly unusual in France. Guys are so bold. When I was over there guys thought it was a pick-up line to tell me I was from Martinique or Guadelupe...Have fun a Paris.
Many years ago, while on college vacation, myself and three female friends in London were approached by an Arab who came directly to us and invited the four of us to go with him.
At first we tried to ignore him but he insisted so we had to firmly tell him to go away.
You should have seen the look of shock on his face.
Bold men abound all over.
Saludos,
Ana
Wow...hilarious story! Good to know it's not just Italian men who are that bold. Must be a European thing...the the exception of English guys.
I know there's something for everybody but still who would find talking about the shortfalls of the EU sexy?
I think talking about the shortfalls is kinda sexy. It shows analytical abilities, which I like. I, however, am also weird.
Nice blog. Why don't you drop by www.homecookingbarcelona.com when you get back.
American Trini
Barcelona
@olen yes, creeperton did eventually leave me to enjoy my first morning back in paris in peace...
@KB the fact that this situation is typical in france was the point of the post, ma. in fact, i almost named it, 'this is how you know you're in france'.
@ la mocosa, i'm with AmericanBlackChickinLondon on this one. but even if you don't find a conversation about margaret thatcher's evil plans sexy (which, i kind of do), you have to admit that it's a much better approach than 'i'd really like to sleep with you'.... lol!
@American Trini not only will i stop by your blog, but i'll be back in bcn for a few days in the end of july. let's link up!
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