Act 1. Beautiful Stranger
Like every morning, I get out of my apartment and take a breath of fresh air before the California sun turns the heat on. My roommate and I walk silently towards the carport, waiting for the first caffeine shot to kick-in. Both interns in the same firm, we share an apartment and a car provided by our generous employer to spice-up our meager compensation. As I unlock the doors of the VW, someone passes by in a light blue Corolla. Despite the glare on the windshield I catch a glimpse of her face. My heart beats faster and I tell myself: “Wow! There are beautiful strangers in this apartment complex.” Little do I know that she thinks at the same moment: “Bummer, he is already taken!” My roommate Anne-Gaëlle is a female…
Act 2. Carport Poetry
After breakfast, I walk out of the apartment alone: Anne-Gaëlle recently bought a used car so she doesn’t have to abide by my schedule. In front of the building entrance, the Beautiful Stranger is leaning inside Her car, with only the lower part of Her anatomy sticking out: a lustful sight. As I get closer I realize that someone broke the car’s window. She extracts herself from the cockpit, looks at me with blazing guns in Her eyes, and erupts: “Can you believe this shit?” Having no idea what to respond, I just smile, shrug and move on.
Act 3. Dinner Date
The Beautiful Stranger is invited to a dinner party organized by her friend Ray, who also happens to be a fellow intern at my company. Ray wants Her to “meet some single French men”. She shows up for the dinner, has a fun time, but is not really interested in any of the guys around the table. Meanwhile I am sitting on a plane to Washington D.C. for my first business trip. I forgot to tell Ray that I couldn’t make it to his dinner party. Oh well!
Act 4. The Cat
My friend Jean-Noël, who also lives in the same apartment complex, is on a trip to France. His pet – aptly named “The Cat” – needs to be fed. Since I am allergic to feline hair, the burden falls on Anne-Gaëlle and a German neighbor called Annette. Unbeknownst to Jean-Noël, Annette delegates her duty to her roommate. Somehow The Cat’s caretakers befriend each other, and one day Anne-Gaëlle comes home holding arms with the Beautiful Stranger: “Cedric, I would like you to meet my friend Mai.” No lightning bolt, no thunder sound. In fact, Mai totally ignores me that night… but that is another story!
Cedric, 12/21/2011
(Mai and I met in 2000 and got married in 2006)
You must be logged in to post a comment.