Tout va bien...

...all is well. I was yelled at by the boulangère today. I was beginning to think that everyone was being too nice to me here because they secretly knew everthing we were experiencing in terms of theft, prescriptions, the undelivering postal system, migraines, doctors appts, etc. And especially when you walk around with 2 beautiful blond kids - one of whom is blind - and who willingly say "Bonjour, merci, et pardon" in the métro and everywhere else; one tends to be treated gently. For example: the people that work the guichets (behind the glass and are supposed to give information) in the métro are notoriously curt and unresponsive. Amercains often have trouble buying tickets or a carnet of ten through the machines with a credit card because our cards often don't have the assumed electronic "puce." So last night, running late, trying to buy a carnet for the kids at tarif reduit - they get a discount - I was busy cursing at the machine that wouldn't read my CC. Absorbed in my own drama, there's Zelda standing beside me but repeatedly pushing the big red button that calls the information person out from behind their glass cage. Believe me - just like in America - one shouldn't press the big red button. By the time I had fought with the machine and finally convinced it to take my CC and la dame had come out to see the elfen Zelda yet once again push the big red button, la dame and my daughter had become fast friends. They knew each others names, were exchanging kisses and la dame had a smile on her face that I had never seen coming from the behind the glass of a guichet in the métro. So this morning, Bastille Day - le 14 juillet - I snuck down to the only open boulangerie on the street, to buy 2 croissants beurre ( you always want to buy those made with butter), 2 pains au chocolats and une baguette - pas trop cuite (in other words: not well-cooked) as I like my baguettes served "rare". A line had formed and la boulangère (whether she was actually the baker or not) was curt, unresponsive and un-smiling. Hurray! She handed me a bag filled with croissants and pains au chocolats and one baguette. The girl working la caisse charged me 11+€. So, I said, "Madame, there must be some mistake, I asked for 2 of each and une baguette pas trop cuite." The neighbour behind me verified my request. Oh, la, la...the world had exploded!! "Non, Madame! Vous en avez demandé huit!" (She thought I had asked for 8!) She continued to insist on her point, the girl working la caisse smiled at me knowingly and sheepishly returned some euros as la boulangère waited for me to agree with her mistake. "Je suis désolée, Madame, mais je n'avais pas dit 8!" (Nope, didn't say that!) French stand-off! Hurray, all is right with the world! Paris is normal - as long as I don't leave the appart with the kids...