In France

Ah, France, you are blue and green with stove pipes and electric wires, tractors for harvest and great, wonderful trees. You have construction cranes standing into clear skies. Bridges and fences, bushes and steps. Except that your men moan and your women coo - instead of grumbles and cackling in my land - we are not so far removed, you and I.


Stuck on the train, not moving. Close to 11, either before or after. Thirsty. Want to see Anais. She has to return to class and we've been sitting here for 10 minutes, Anais expecting me at the Angers train station by 10 to 1. I'm not bothered, but eager. I want to smell France, get out pressure-locked tubes and corridors. Let me sip a cafe in mild France. I have three months... but why waste time?


Putain! Still stopped. Waiting. Waiting. No idea of the time.
The baby beside me babbling and squeeling keeps me well entertained.
Un cafe, s'il vous plait from le bar. keep me up. Let's get going before I head back for Carlsberg.


Another train passes


They think there's a bomb on this train. Now I'm frustrated. Maintenance is one thing, but you know there is no bomb. It's after 1 now. We've been stopped over two hours. I've read, written, drawn, read some more, folded paper, had a coffee, used the toilet, walked back and forth, listened to some music, and sat. We still sit.


Quoi faire? Quoi faire?! Ou voiture pour mon cigaret?
The sun laps me. My day has not ended, but now we're moving backward. Whatever. Least we move. Get me to a train to take me onward! Putain! Probably, someone forgot their briefcase on the train. Merde.


10 to 2, moving from stop 1. Went 1/2 way to stop 2, stalled for bomb. Back tracked, doors opened, 5 French smoking at door, so I joined. "Welcome in France," a passenger told me. I tried in French to ask, does this happen often? "No. When it does, it's very difficult."
10 to 2, onto our second stop. Ou est Angers?! Bomb scare, but no one's afraid, just wondering when we'll get to where we're going. We're in this together.


The train is stopped again and the selfish baby wails, tired and restless. She just wants to sleep, be comfortable and sleep. As do I, child. You're not alone.


We went well while my eyes were closed. Now we're stopped again, going nowhere. Lady at le bar says Angers is 3 hours away. Pick it up France! Your first impression is struggling like my patience.


And now again we move, after another walk for coffee and a while in my seat. Another announcement. I have no idea what's going on. I just want to be to Angers.


Train man says Angers by 4h 30. It's 3:15. 1 hour 23 minutes now expected by roughly 7 hours without doing proper math. Speeding through countryside, bold green growing from pale green and living brown bushes and amber. Behind, crop fields being toiled or harvested. Wind turbines spot the landscape, grain cars parked at the mill. If everything I heard today wasn't French, I'd think the US adopted trains.


Poor girl makes me want to cry. On the wrong train since the airport. My heart sinks to try and lift hers, but I don't believe it can go low enough.


We're excited for each other! those staying on for those arriving to their destinations.


Swapped trains, free meal for inconvenience, 30 minutes to Angers. Called Anais.


Get my backpack. Thank you for helping me get here! to the girl from Brazil visiting her husband. A revoir! Grab my big pack, put it on, wait. I got up too soon. Train slows. Here we are. Finally! I'm here.