Travelling Companions

These are my two traveling companions. Aside from the family resemblance, they are as different as East from West. And I couldn't have gone to Paris without them. Anna mapped our path and Charlotte watched my step. It took all three of us to move my luggage up and down countless stairs. (By the way, Paris is NOT handicap accessible.) The girls would go ahead of me down or up the steps, one would stay with the suitcases while the other came back for mine. They got their work out for sure on this trip. And because they are both very different, both loving, and very loved, we went places and saw things I on my own probably would not have elected to do.
But we were all in agreement that the first site to see was the Eiffel (see entry for Tues March 28th: Eiffel is an Eye-ful). Under Anna's direction we picked our way through
the Metro and streets until the Eiffle came plainly into view. On our way we stopped to admire the handiwork of a painter. Anna particularly like the Eiffel in blue. "Combien?", "How much?" I asked. "Soisantes Euros.." Sixty dollars. Now I'm a soft touch for a hungry artist...especially the tall ones with the wavey dark hair and blue eyes, but I learned my lesson with the Dish Net sales guy... no more impulse buying for me! Seeing the pupils tighten in my eyes, the painter offered, "Cinqante Euros." Fifty Euros. Ok. now I've done this before. I have haggeled with an Arab Baptist in Bethlehem over a silver cross and won the it for half the original cost...and he threw in the box chain to boot! Then Charlotte piped up, "Oh Mom, we could do this. If I pay half and you pay half." The painter plodded, "How much will you give for it?" Already my mind had done the math, at half I'd go 40 Euros and no more. After all, this was our first day and we had a whole week of unkown expeditures ahead of us. The painter flashed the canvass again. I could see the light in Anna's eyes, and Charlotte already to dive into her purse. "Forty Euros," he said as though he were selling his grandmother to the Gypsies. But he was very pleasant about it and with as much relief and satisfaction, Charlotte and I bought the painting as a keepsake for Anna who tenderly rolled it up with joy and appreciation. Of all the photos we took, I only regret not getting one of our nameless artist.