stars hollow

Sometimes I feel like I live in The Gilmore Girls. While Poix may not have a street called "Sores and Boils Alley," as in fictional Stars Hollow, it does have one called "Street of carrying the lame." Like Lorelai, I dream of opening a gîte rurale, though perhaps not on that particular street. There are certainly the town crazies - from the goofy kids who ride around on their bicycles inebriated (just a suspicion, but I wouldn't be surprised) to the man who yells incomprehensible things to me when I pass him on the sidewalk. Every time. And there are the friendlier sort, like Alex's grandfather that I see on the way to the store, the woman from the bank who is always happy to see me, and Mr. G., a police officer in neighboring Grandvilliers that I swear is following me, so often do I see him around town.

Mme L. has the shoe shop, and while I was there dropping off my shoes to be repaired, her son walked in and stopped dead in his tracks. He certainly wasn't expecting to see his English teacher in his mom's boutique. The next day, his twin sisters said, "Madame, you went to our mom's shop and you saw our dog!" On the way home from picking up the shoes last Tuesday, I ran into the twins and more than a dozen other sixièmes who were having a snack before they went in the parish offices for their catechism classes. When the school bus drove by, it stopped just in front of us. The kids said it paused so everyone could wave hello to me, but really there was a car stopped in front of it.

This morning, after baking a lasagna and doing some school work, I decided I'd better go check out the profession de foi that the 6th graders were preparing. I'd never seen the church so crowded, and although I confess it's been a while since I've set foot inside the Eglise St. Denis, I was happy to recognize people...and for people to recognize me. When I went up for communion, I could hear the students on the altar whisper, "Voilà Meesse Robeensonne!" and while they were posing for photos after, several smiled at my camera, and Charles and Amandine (cutest twins ever!) worked their way through the crowd to come say "Hello" and give me la bise.

"Madame, did you go out in a carriage yesterday? You drove past my house!" "Madame, I saw you walking with Suzanne. My dad and I drove by and I showed him who you are!" "Madame, when are you going to be in my neighborhood so you can meet my dog?" "Madame, you saw my dad at the movies!" Living in a small town has its disadvantages for someone who likes to be anonymous from time to time. But it's also reassuring that the poyais notice I'm around.