(Monday night)

Plus ça change...

Had another jolly fine Welcome to France today, as I came home to NO ELECTRICITY. Yup, I had had the hubris to hope for internet, so here I am back to square one!

I went downstairs to l'Amuse-Gueule and eventually made friends with the proprietor, Jf, who called the electric company for me, ("Je suis restaurateur, il y a une jeune fille désespèrée dans mon restaurant, elle est américaine..."). He also gave me matches, and trays of ice so that my refrigerated stuff wouldn't get too warm...he'd offered room in the restaurant's fridge too but this seemed easier... Offered candles too, but I still have some of Mo's from LA, so I didn't need to take him up on that.

I sat and read happily about mood and modality and tense for most of the evening, over a couple of beers. It was a rather quiet night at the Gueule. Talked with Jf some, speaking mostly English but some French, he spoke slowly for me. I tried to ask about colloquialisms: "So, if Jacques Chirac were on TV, would he say 'Qu'est-ce que c'est ça?' or 'C'est quoi?'" (Answer: both. And he would say 'n'est-ce pas' too, apparently!) Anyway...it turned into a conversation about Jacques Chirac. Which was quite delightful, for me anyway. Jf said that Chirac did lots of "conneries" (he asked if I knew that word, and I helpfully supplied the translation "f**k-ups," yes, we know all about presidents doing those in America!)...but that he (Chirac) was a real person, an interesting person; and he (Jf) would be absolutely delighted to have him in the restaurant, but ah well, Chirac is too busy.

Oh, and he (Jf, not Chirac...hmm, I have a feeling this would be a lot easier in Finnish) brought me a warm chocolate cake for free. I knew it was for free, and wouldn't have insulted him by trying to pay for it, but "I offer you the cake," he said later, to make it clear, which seems to be standard franglais for something being free.

So now I am blogging by candlelight; it's not too cold, and I'll try calling the electric company in the morning. Jf offered to help with that too, though I think I'll try it myself. He did ascertain that the problem was not that they didn't get my payment or anything, but rather this problem with the electricity, whatever it was, that my landlord was sposed to deal with, I gather now that it's just that someone has to come by and install something, but no one ever told me that. Anyway, if it's just a matter of making an appointment, I can handle that; if it gets more complicated, I'll need Jf or someone else to help me.

Oh, and the landlord's voice mail says he's away until Wednesday, so he's no help. It's his fault this happened in the first place. I should charge him for the beers tonight.

But hey, for coming home to no electricity, it turned out to be quite a serendipitous evening. I certainly got to feel at home at the Gueule real quick. :) Shame I can't do the usual drink economy thank you of buying Jf a pint or two. All I can really do is to write a thank-you note and bring people to his restaurant, so that's what I'll do.