Alright, alright...
For those of you who I have been talking to on a constant basis, I THANK YOU and boy do you have a treat of delicious French macaroons from Laduree coming to you!
So if you don't want to continue reading (because I'm going to complain again, you can stop). The post is self-titled so I'm warning you that it's going to get gross.
I take the RER A every day to work. It's like being herded into a cattle car and it smells like one too. Actually the smell is the sour stench of human sweat. It's disgusting. The only way I get through the 5 min ride from Champs Elysee to La Defense is to douse my scarf with perfume and put it over my nose as I am trying to avoid my head from being in some dude's armpit.
Maybe you don't believe me, but trust me on this. I've imagined that this might be the transportation that hell provides to its newly condemned population.
Today, I got on the train. It was crowded as usual and I positioned my scarf in the usual way, but GOD ALMIGHTY there was a smell that could have stripped you naked and left you shivering. Not until most of the people got off at La Defense, did I get to see what the stench was. It was not the sweat of morning commuters, it was vomit---a lovely parting gift that had dried on to the inner door of the train.
At the very moment that my eye glanced upon it, I was flabbergasted. I hustled my way to the next car and thought, "My god - what kind of person would do that?' but moreover I thought of all those people sitting in the train and standing next to it like there was nothing wrong with it! 'What kind of people would accept this as a part of their daily lives?'
I decided to banish the thought and lock it away forever, but then it happened again. I saw more vomit on the platform at Champs Elysee on my commute home and then more on my way to see my friend.
What is going on with this country? Why do people just lean over and vomit? Why are people okay with it? France just seems to be one huge contradiction after the next. It has wonderful glorious museums and to-die-for baked goods but then there's dog shit and vomit everywhere. I just don't get it.
Expertly avoiding dog shit (and now vomit)
Your truly,
Susan
