A Surprise Encounter with “Monsieur le President”
Having stuffed our “caddie” with our weekly shopping from our much-loved bio store “Naturalia”, off “Place de Mexico”, we made our way down “rue des Belles Feuilles”, where we hopped over to buy our nicely roasted chicken at “Rôtisserie Fillion”, then crossed over to the opposite side of the street to our favourite “Fromagerie Lillo”, where we picked our delicious, fresh “chèvre” cheeses.
Having reached the cross-section opposite “Brasserie Stella”, a favourite with the Parisian locals, we skipped over to the absolute perfection of the amazing “La Maison du Chocolat” boutique, where among whispers to each other, admonishing ourselves NOT to over-indulge in the exquisite delicacies of their myriad chocolate creations, we left with one of their chic chocolate coloured boxes, which was filled with our “sinful action of the day” fabulous round, square, and triangular chocolates.
After, having enjoyed our usual and regular “express et croissant” at our very own local “Boulangerie Béchu” (see earlier post), and read what’s going on in the world in our daily “journal”, before we left, we did not forget to get our “baguette aux céréales” to devour with our Lillo’s chèvre, washing it all down with an elegant Bordeaux wine.
Oh… not forgetting “Basire”, the most efficient and dynamic pharmacy on “Avenue Victor Hugo”, if not the entire 16ème arrondissement, where we got our usual necessary vitamins, as well as some Homeopathic granules, to combat a persistant “bronchite” (flu) – Voila!
“Après ça”, we meandered down the charming and romantic little alley, “rue Mérimée”, down all the way to the cobbled street, through which we navigate to and fro daily, passing a large police van, which stands outside former French Président Valéry Giscard d’Estaing’s discreet residence, keeping watch over his home and protecting him and his elegant family from harm’s way.
As we were approaching his home today, we suddenly saw a tall, frail looking, but distinguished and elegant man coming out of the iron gate of his “maison particulier”, with two security men at his side.
It was Monsieur le Président Giscard himself.
As he commenced to get into his car, he stopped for a minute – turned around – looked us in the eye – then nodded, smiled, and eloquently said – “bonjour”.
Irresistible.
The man – can still – make two women have a flutter of the heart.
What a man.
Vive Giscard…
a.