I almost collapsed….laughing. I’m in Santa Monica at the gas station with my French girlfriend. We’re filling up the rental. Monique is driving and I’m the tour guide from Seattle to LA. As usual, we are yacking as Monique pulls away from the gas pump. Suddenly, we’re being screamed at to stop the car!

Oh whoops, the gas hose is still pumping and we’re on our way. We are shrieking, doubled over as the gas station guy is having a hernia.

Suddenly, I have to go to France! Having had a 16 year stint of living in Paris, it makes sense. And now suddenly, I’m longing to go back, so I booked it for October.

After a day or two of walking the streets of Paris, smelling the metro, watching the Parisians strut their stuff, and reading the Herald Tribune from the terrace of Les Deux Maggots on the Blvd. St. Germain, Monique and I will head South.

We will pretend we will only speak French, for my practice and benefit, but that will last maybe 10 minutes before we switch to English. Our friendship began in English, thus it’s where we are most comfortable.

This will be fun, and what doesn’t feel like fun, rest assured, we will turn it into fun!

P.S. Our tribe member of the month Globe Pequot Press is the publisher for both Wandering Paris and Rendez-vous with France, as well as, Create the Space You Deserve.