Eight Months in Provence, A Junior Year Abroad, 30 Years Late
For thirty years, Diane Covington-Carter dreamed of living in France and immersing herself in the country and language that spoke to her heart and soul. At age fifty, when she set off to fulfill that yearning, she learned that a long-cherished dream can become even more powerful from the waiting. Order the book.
Today's Word: le flouze
: cash, dough, moolah
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE…by Kristi Espinasse
Last night I was startled to hear our doorbell ring at an unusual hour. The sonnette, which is located at our front gate, was buzzing with insistence and its shrill coursed through my body like a bad vibe.
The first thought that came to mind was, Oh no! This can't be happening! Not again!
All alone in the house, I feared a prowler was using The Doorbell Scam–a way of checking if anyone is home before attempting a break-in. This happened to my neighbor and when she did not come to the door (or so much as turn on the porch light) the unwelcome guest entered her home! It was only when she called out for her petit-fils (believing it was him walking down the hallway) that the robber fled.
Having come face-to-face with an intruder last March, it seemed the same nightmare was happening all over again. Rebelote! It was, again, pitch dark outside and, once again, my husband was 45 minutes away in Marseilles (watching le foot just like the last time!).
And, pareil, I was tucked into bed watching a video on YouTube! But this time all the shutters were latched and secured–and a light was purposely left on in the downstairs bathroom (experts [criminals…] say an indirect light is best–it leaves burglars guessing). And there was my fearless mom–even if she was in the room below me (accessible only from the outside of our house. But Mom wouldn't have heard the doorbell and so I was on my own).
When I heard that buzzer I was chilled, but wasted no time in letting whoever was out there know that somebody was home!
That somebody hurried down the stairs in her mismatched pajamas, floppy socks, and some Nike pool slides (I lost my pantoufles. Borrowed these from my daughter). Summoning our groggy golden retriever, I threw open the front door and, over Smokey's menacing barks, demanded to know who was out there. QUI EST LA?!
C'est les pompiers, came a meek voice from behind the metal portillon.
Yah, right! Just this morning another neighbor shared a theiving tactic wherein the bad guys throw on a fake municipal shirt and act like they are here to inspect or to help in some way….
Charging up to the front gate, a limp in my stride (those loose socks and pool slides…), I narrowed my eyes: Les pompiers?Pourquoi vous êtes là? I demanded, scrutinizing the man on the other side of the fence (whilst Smokey was suddenly a ball of docility. Where'd my killer dog go?).
C'est pour le calendrier… the stranger answered.
Oh…The annual Firemen's Calender….wherein the firemen go door to door for donations. I stood on my tiptoes to look over the gate, and get a good view of a nametag and uniform. Well, it looked legit… And the young man looked so kind and innocent.
Don't fall for it! I reminded myself.
C'est très tard pour sonner chez les gens. It's very late to be ringing doorbells, I growled–unaware it was only 8 pm, but when the sun goes down in winter, it seems like midnight to me.
Oui, the young man replied. But I've just now finished my shift. Sorry to bother you. In addition to looking innocent, he was very humble. I followed my gut which was telling me to chill out, all's well you can let down your guard.
Well, I said, my legs still shaking in fear as they had the last time, sorry for being so aggressive–c'est juste que je me méfie. I thanked him for his service (un grand merci to all the firefighters out there!!) and hurried to the house to look for some cash–or flouze (a funny word at this point in the story to lighten things up), feeling kind of floozy myself barely dressed in my PJs waving a tip.
FRENCH VOCABULARY
la sonnette = bell
le petit-fils = grandson
rebelote = same story again
le foot = soccer
pareil = the same
la pantoufle = slipper
qui est là? = who is there?
le pompier = firefighter
le portillon = gate
je me méfie = I'm cautious
collecte = fund-raising
flouze = cash
Related stories: to have sea urchins in your pockets.
Discover more from French Word-A-Day
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Hi Kristi,
Wow, if those are photos from the calendar…I’ll buy one! hahahahaha
Our garden club did a photo shoot in my little lavender field for the June page of a 2019 calendar. I was thinking we could be a bit racy like in the movie Calendar Girls but we ended up wearing purple boas and holding glasses of wine.
I loved Eight Months in Provence! Great book!
I’ll Kristi! Where can I get my own copy of your calendrier du Pompiers?
You were right to be cautious. Our house has been burgled four times in the past twelve months, so each night I put on beams to detect invaders. It’s an awful way to live, but here in South Africa we have no choice. Those who do such things are rarely brought to justice, thanks to crooked politicians. Enough. I’m about to visit my daughter in New Zealand and you will be with me in spirit, Kristi.
I wish you un joyeux Noël.
Oh, Mike, I am sorry about this! I wish you could move to New Zealand to be close to your daughter. But I understand that this is home to you, and a beautiful place, too. Happy holidays to you and your family.
Kristi,
A suggestion, which I think many maisons en France have, is to put a camera by your gate. They can be remote and you can use your phone to access them. Also, sensor lighting so that when a person passes by inside of your fence, the light goes on.
It is unpleasant to have to live by surrounding yourself with gadgets for protection,but that is what the world has come to.
Also, unfortunately Smokey is not a guard dog and fortunately he isn’t! Otherwise he would bark at every passerby .
Kathleen
I’m glad it was the good guys at the door and not the bad guys!
The initial barking of Smokey would most likely detersomeone who was intent on burglarizing. If the person stays when the lights come on, a dog barks and someone comes out, it is likely they are ok. I just can’t imagine that crime of any sort is very high there. Here in California we think of the fire fighters as angels. It has been a tough couple of years for the fires here. Here is one you can tell Jean_Marc. One of the breweries near the fire in Northern Cal. are making a special brew (I think they are calling it Butte County IPA) and all proceeds will go to helping the victims. But even better, more than 1000 breweries world wide are doing the same and sending them the proceeds. These are the things that this world is made of I fully believe.
Where can I get that calendar!!!!
Bless les pompiers! So glad you were not being burgled again.
I’m with Kathleen, Kristi. A camera WITH A SPEAKER installed at the gate and sensor lighting are the way to go. That way you can see who is there AND answer without having to open the door or go to the gate. It is so sad we have to worry about break-ins and burglaries and personal assault, but it is better to be safe than sorry. I took a personal self-defense class after my house was broken into in the wee hours of the night (and two prior mishaps in an apartment building!), and it made me feel a little bit better about being alone and having to defend myself. Anything to give you more control and self-confidence. No time like the present!! Give yourself a holiday gift or two and feel less vulnerable.
Joyeux Noel et Bonne Annee!
It’s too bad we have to turn our homes into a fortress to protect ourselves. The big deal now is people stealing UPS Christmas packages from doorsteps and foyers. Last night in Chicago, a person ordered a pizza which was delivered by an Uber driver to her apartment. Unfortunately, a “friend” of the driver who was in the Uber car used the occasion to steal packages inside the “buzzed in” area of the apartment building while the driver was delivering the pizza. Bon appetit and Bah humbug!
So glad to hear it wasn’t anything bad. It is so hard at times especially at night to feel comfortable when the doorbell rings. I am so glad to have a loud barking dog, even though she would probably kiss them LOL
Please stay inside, do not unlock or open the door….. I had a very bad experience with a 14 year old who pretended
to be selling the local news paper, at 2;00 pm, in Los Angeles.
He pulled out a knife and threatened me. Luckily, l escaped out the back door and ran to my neighbor’s.
I identified his photo at Police Station.
Turns out he had done this twice before. I was the lucky one who got away, but had nightmares for many
years.
It is just not worth the risk, Kristi.
Stay safe!!