“La vie nous a enseigné que l’amour ne consiste pas en regardant à l’un l’autre mais en regardant à l’extérieur ensemble en même direction.”
- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The entire Eiffel Tower sparkled with a million little lights, casting the crowd of admiring faces below in its glow. Enthusiastic tourists ooh-ed and ahh-ed and took videos of the most popular attraction in Paris, but one pair remained silent to try and admire it at its fullest. Leaning back on the cool grass, the young man glanced sideways at his pretty companion whose expression was quietly dreamy as she stared upwards at the spectacle. The man tried to be a good sport and pretended to be enthralled as well, even as this show continued for minutes on end without variation. Perhaps there was something off about his capacity for cultural appreciation, but he simply wasn't that impressed.
Finally, the illumination extinguished, leaving the giant iron silhouette dark against the purple sky. That was it, really. Or as the French would say, c'est ça. Spectators picked up their things and left, but the woman wanted to linger a bit longer.
She massaged her strained neck and smiled at her husband. "Wasn't that something?"
"We can check it off our list, I guess."
Her eyes crinkled. "Heh, that's all you have to say about La Grande Dame de Paris?"
"Honestly... It wasn't as amazing as I expected, just kind of like one big firework... without the cool explosions."
After a moment she grinned widely and admitted, "I know, right?"
"You agree?!" His face twisted in a groan.
"You seem disappointed."
"I just didn't want you to be disappointed. This whole trip has been missing the mark. Our tiny table at Cafe de Flore was flanked by smokers. The Louvre was so crowded we couldn't get close enough to feel the Mona Lisa staring at us. Some scary policeman chased us away before we could put a couple's padlock on the bridge... And now we're drinking champagne out of paper cups, for crying out loud."
"So?" she smirked.
"Haven't you always dreamed about this place? Paris has always been your Disneyland. I wanted you to feel like this city finally became real."
The wife cast a long, tender look at her husband. "Who said Paris has to be all those things? Those... clichés?"
"Well, it would have been cheaper to just go to Vegas and see the fake Eiffel Tower. We could visited the fake gondolas of Venice while we were at it, too. AND everyone would have spoken English." he grumbled.
"Mon cher..." she chuckled and rest her head on his defeated shoulders. "You've made Paris more fun than I could have ever had on my own. Remember when you wore a Breton striped shirt on the first day so you could 'blend in'? Your face when you tried escargot? And how you freaked out when those men kissed me on the cheek, and even worse when they kissed you? Hilarious! As for almost getting arrested, everyone needs a little danger when they go abroad anyway."
"I don't see your point."
"Why do you think I've waited so long to come here, despite raving so much about it ever since I was little? Because I wanted to have someone to share it with. That's where my husband comes in. Now, even though this light show was a little boring, it's okay - because I can remember sitting here with you. The food and art and atmosphere... It's all been wonderful by itself, but you've made it special."
The tender-hearted man rose with a renewed heart and pulled his wife to her feet. His confident smile had returned. "It's getting late. We should sleep early if we want to have time at Versailles tomorrow... Alonzy."
"What...?"
"Alonzy." he repeated as best he could. "Let's go."
She burst out laughing and took his arm. "You've picked up some words, haven't you? Oui, allons-y."
"Haven't you always dreamed about this place? Paris has always been your Disneyland. I wanted you to feel like this city finally became real."
The wife cast a long, tender look at her husband. "Who said Paris has to be all those things? Those... clichés?"
"Well, it would have been cheaper to just go to Vegas and see the fake Eiffel Tower. We could visited the fake gondolas of Venice while we were at it, too. AND everyone would have spoken English." he grumbled.
"Mon cher..." she chuckled and rest her head on his defeated shoulders. "You've made Paris more fun than I could have ever had on my own. Remember when you wore a Breton striped shirt on the first day so you could 'blend in'? Your face when you tried escargot? And how you freaked out when those men kissed me on the cheek, and even worse when they kissed you? Hilarious! As for almost getting arrested, everyone needs a little danger when they go abroad anyway."
"I don't see your point."
"Why do you think I've waited so long to come here, despite raving so much about it ever since I was little? Because I wanted to have someone to share it with. That's where my husband comes in. Now, even though this light show was a little boring, it's okay - because I can remember sitting here with you. The food and art and atmosphere... It's all been wonderful by itself, but you've made it special."
The tender-hearted man rose with a renewed heart and pulled his wife to her feet. His confident smile had returned. "It's getting late. We should sleep early if we want to have time at Versailles tomorrow... Alonzy."
"What...?"
"Alonzy." he repeated as best he could. "Let's go."
She burst out laughing and took his arm. "You've picked up some words, haven't you? Oui, allons-y."
