It's Sunday, and I'm still sick. I thought I was getting over this cold, but it wants to stay for a little while longer. I decide to make some chicken in my slow cooker, but I want some rice to go with it, so I get dressed and go to the supermarket just behind my apartment to buy one bag of rice.
The sales clerk at the supermarket was a man from Africa in an annoyingly jolly mood (you know those kind of happy-for-no-good-reason people?). "blah,la,la,la,le,le..." he says to me in French with a big smile as I hand him my one bag of rice to ring up. "blah, la,la,la,la,le, luh" he continues with an even bigger smile. I give him my "I'm American, I don't speak French, I'm hungry, and I have a Cold" grouchy look with no words and no smile.
"You don't speak French?" he asks (in English) still smiling and beaming. What's he so happy about?, I wonder. "Je parle un peu français." I said in a voice that came out sounding like a cross between a frog and an 85 year old man. He looked shocked to hear my croak and replied, "Oh my!? You speak a little French. Here, these are for you! For Free! Roses for you! Okay?" as he reached next to his cash register and handed me a bouquet of 20 roses." His kind-for-no-reason gesture cracked a smile on my grouchy face. "Merci." I croaked as I walked away. "I hope you feel well soon." I heard him say as I reached the exit.
Walking down the street back towards my apartment with one bag of rice and a bunch of fresh roses, I wondered. "What cashier gives a grouchy looking customer a bunch of roses for free?" "Just another reason I really love living in Paris", I think to myself as I notice more men putting up more Christmas lights. I smile and take a few photos for the blog.
Lights!
Lights!
...and more Lights!Rice, Roses, and Christmas lights is all it takes to make me smile even when I'm not feeling well in Paris.
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