goodbye paris

In just under 2hours I will step on to the train at Gare du Nord.

Yesterday my alarm went off early, despite the late last night at work and everything that goes with it. I had my coffee, read the paper and felt disgusting – not because of the champagne of the night before but the killer cold I have gone down with.

I had so much to do. I thought. I got dressed and headed of to town. In little over an hour later I was back again, I took the laundry back and biked to the laundrette. I got home and started cleaning. Kitchen done. Bathroom done. Back to the laundrette and back home.

I checked the time. TEN TO. I was supposed to have lunch in only ten minutes. I jumped on my bike and rushed to the restaurant. I sat down to the table I had booked and took out my phone. 13h. And we were meeting at 14h. Excellent. No wonder I had run out of time.

I got back home and started packing. As the pile of clothes rose towards the sealing also the level of confusion in my mind increased exponentially. An hour later I was back in the restaurant and this time – so were my friends. I had a hot wine. It is supposed to be good for the cold - right? Well at least it was really good. And afterwards I could almost taste my lunch.

Few hours later I was back at home. It had started raining when we got up to go. I wonder…so I made a cup of tea and carried on packing. Then vacuum cleaning. Then had to wash the floors. Then write a note to the girl who will be moving into my flat to explain where the iron is and where to find all the linen from and how everything works and everything else she needs to know when habiting my little burrow. And then I had to leave again.

It only took me few minutes to get to the bar where I had my next meeting. My friend was at a hysterical state. Her hair was going frizzy because of the rain and everything else was just going horribly wrong. We ordered two white martinis and sat down. A bit later I watched her disappear around the corner and with her, my bike. She promised to look after it well. I am sure she will. But still.

I walked from the Marais to the canal and up. I had just enough time to get to the cinema on time. The canal was buzzing as usual. I had to wait for a bit so I sat down on the side of it and watched the little boat going between the two cinemas – funny.

On the way back the canal was still buzzing but the sun had gone down so we could see the light playing on the water. I said good bye at Republic and took the back alley way home. I climbed up to my little flat, closed the window and got into my bed.

Only four hours later the alarm went off again. I am drinking coffee and just finished reading the newspaper. My bags are close to the entrance, all ready to go.

I have a one way train ticket in my pocket. This usually makes me very happy. But I feel a bit sad.