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Looking at Paris in this light, she felt quizzically enlightened, satisfied, at peace. From her spot at the Place de Concorde, she regarded the sun. It was slowly dipping behind the line of famous monuments that began where she stood and stretched to the horizon.
Irritated Parisians skirted round her on their way to and from places among the monuments. They glared harshly until she nodded her apologies, backing out of their way and mouthing
"Excuse moi" in her best French.
She turned and made her way back to the metro. Like everyone else, she rocked slightly in her seat with the motion of the subway. Like everyone else, she stared blankly at nothing. At her stop, she ascended to the streets again. They were crowded with the same Parisians who moved with the same manner and purpose as earlier.
She made her way to her quiet side street. Madame Guston greeted her as they crossed paths at the gate of the apartment building.
"Ca va?" Madame asked politely. She switched to lilting English. "And the room? How do you find the room? It is good, no?"
The young woman smiled as happily as she could genuinely fake. "Yes, thank you. It's great." The older woman looked slightly confused. The young woman tried again. "Yes, it's good. Very good."
The French woman nodded, satisfied. She opened the double doors to the building. The young woman could see through to the elegant tile floor and columns in the foyer. "Bon soir," the older woman called cheerily as she entered.
The young woman smiled tight-lipped. She walked to the back of the building and climbed wrought iron stairs four stories to the top. She avoided the stench of the tenants' shared toilet and delayed the loneliness of her room with its cot and broken sink. Instead, she stood on the narrow, metal balcony. Looking at Paris in the fading light, she felt peace and satisfaction nudge softly as they returned.
END
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