Another day, another demonstration! There was a great big one off in the distance. My heart sank as I drove up to my corner and saw a large police presence and a long yellow ribbon blocking access to my street. I had heavy bags to carry. I stopped a way off and said to the first cop I saw, "I live down that street." He was a young man who visibly had been screamed at by too many people already that day. "You can't go down there." "But my garage is right there." "Yes, Madame, I know. I know that j' emmerde tout le monde. All the same, you can't go down that street. There's a demonstration. Circulez!" A few years ago, I would have taken him at his word, driving off to park miles away and walk heavy-burdened back to my apartment. Not any more! I drove fifty meters up to the long yellow ribbon and spoke to the even younger cop there. "I live here, my garage is just around that bend." "Passez, madame," he said, lifting the ribbon so my car could slip underneath. I'm sure he thought the other guy had given the okay. By the time the first cop saw what I was doing and started yelling at the second one, I was already free and clear! And off I went to my underground parking place in peace. Oui, je suis une vraie parisienne.
