9.6.09

So, it’s morning, getting brisk, and I’m just sitting here listening to “Stacy’s Mom” in bed. Couldn’t get much better than this. It’s been a good weekend, met some good people, and drank a lot of cheap alcohol on the street.

On Friday night, Jeremy, Jenichi (who did end up getting his grove on) and I went to Place de la Liberation to celebrate the festival that I previously talked about. We met up with some other CIEF kids there, and just ended up getting wasted and dancing and talking in French all night long. GOD my French is so much better when I’m intoxicated.

Anyway, it was just a great night. SOME things I won’t post here, because that’d be all too inappropriate, but you get the jist. Now I like France much more lol. This Austrian girl, Victoria, asked me that night “are all Americans so fun like you??” and I have to say I was very touched. But don’t worry, I stuck up for us, and told her yes, for the most part, they are.

Last night, Jeremy and I went to a bar (with Jenichi, go figure. More on this later in the entry, I promise) and watched UN MATCH DE FOOT! It was France versus Romania, and it was a pretty big game because if France had won, it would have secured them a place in the World Cup, but they ended up tying, so their fate is still undecided. Apparently. I was more focused on getting drunk than on watching the game, so who actually knows what I’m talking about lol, I just got this information from the bartender in French, so it could be all wrong.

So. Jenichi. Let me explain, back to the beginning. And be aware, this is about to sound REALLY mean, but I think I’m also in the right a bit. Basically, he’s attached to me at the hip. He’s not really a BOTHER necessarily, but it’s just too much too often. He’s this old (57! He lied! He’s not 51!Veronique told me!) man who insists on doing everything I do…even going to clubs, bars, the same restaurants, everything. And he keeps me on a timer it feels like! I can’t count the amount of times he woken me up saying “elias, rendez-vous with Jeremy at 1, no? Maybe get up time now!”. It’s like, wtf? Are you COMING? And more often than not, he does. He paces in front of the door like a nervous dog with his fishing vest and money belt and combover, all afraid that we’re going to be a whole MINUTE LATE, stressing me out, and oh god I just can’t handle it. He’s also entirely helpless sometimes. He’s this world-traveling Professor of English (he lived in Philadelphia for 10 years), yet he can’t find his way home from from Rue de la Liberation, even after I give him very CLEAR directions and hand signals. (Also, it’s easy….turn left on Rue du Bourg, go in a straight fucking LINE until you reach the house. Literally, that’s it.) And he’s walked it with me HOW MANY TIMES? But nope, Jenichi manages to get lost. I just have these visions of him getting mugged and how helpless he must look with his pegleg walk. I asked Jenichi what he does for fun back home to other day, and he told me “work!” and smiles all unsure, as if maybe that were the wrong answer. Okaaaay. let’s try that again, Jenichi what do you REALLY do for fun? “I like to sit in café and watch people. Very (velly) European, haha”. Okay, wtf dude!? I KNOW you don’t do that, you told me you’d never been to a café before! If you don’t have fun, which is becoming very apparent, just TELL me. Why say you sit in cafes? I don’t get it. And half the time that we talk to each other in French or English, I’ll ask him a question and get these responses that are entirely unrelated to what I asked. Like seriously, an example:

E: “Jenichi, do you what time it is?”
J: “Uh, excuse me?”
E: “J’ai dit, ‘est-ce que tu sais quelle heure est-il?”
J: “Oh haha oui oui. We leave in hour to go eat.”
Wait. What? No. Why would you think that?? I just don’t get it. My patience is wearing thin. And he told me he’s never had sex. Well, actually I asked him if he’s ever had sex, but he told me no. I just can’t believe this. He’s never “had” a woman! Or a man for that matter! I get the feeling that the only woman who’s ever loved him is his mother, but I’m even starting to doubt that. It’s just, there’s something about him that doesn’t really translate to paper that’s very unnerving. Maybe he’s just lonely? I know he has no brothers or sisters, his parents are dead, he’s single, no children…yet, sometimes I just want to hit him. Seriously. Like, wake up call dude! And he asked madame if he could stay PAST September for a whole semester! I’d just fucking die, I don’t think I could do it. I decided that I just HAD to talk to her, and she was incredibly understanding. She said “he’s not too sticky with you is he?” which was nice, because it was then her fault for bringing up Jenichi! I asked her about the situation, and said that if she had to ask one of our other students coming to stay to find another home, could she please keep the Canadian, because I’m just going crazy. She’s said to not worry, that “c’est pas possible!” for Jenichi to stay, which made me want to cry tears of joy. She also told me that she’s been finding notes that he writes to me taped to my door, but that they’re usually unimportant and bizarre, so she throws them away. Thank god. That’s seriously all I need to find in the morning.

ANYWAY, today I’m going to the open air market with Jeremy (and probably Jenichi, knowing my life), and now that I feel like a sufficiently horrible person, I can go in peace.

Alright guys, I love you! Contact me!

Elias

P.S. Still have not paid Veronique. And I’m forgetting certain English words! Fuck dude. It took me forever to think of the word “pacing” in this entry. I didn’t know it in either language :( for almost five minutes. Shit yo. This is NUTS. I am really starting to like France. I just wish my money would get here. I feel so good out here. I need to make some more connections, and put myself out there more. You only have one life, there’s no time to be timid.