Antics of a Saturday

After recouping some sleep on Friday night, I woke up and decided that after 4 months of sleeping on the hardest pillow I've ever encountered, that it was time to buy a new one. I proceeded to the BHV (that's short for Bazar l'Hotel de Ville - a store that sells just about everything, located on Rue de Rivoli in the 4th arrondissement) to get myself a new pillow.

As I walked down Rue de Rivoli, I found that not only were there several parades/protests (in this town, how can you tell the difference between a parade and protest??) but it was also the last day of the semi-annual sales week.

Soon after walking into the BHV, I realized that the customers weren't the only ones going crazy over the sales-- so were the employees (let's just say that they would never survive Macy's Herald Square during the Christmas / Holiday Sales season). As I tested the different pillows, I nearly got knocked over 3 times by the sales guy, who while profusely sweating, was trying to place price stickers and restock the shelves at the same time.

I finally found a pillow, purchased it and headed toward the Metro (I'm no longer in the mood to deal with the crowds on Rue de Rivoli). Little did I know how crowded the Metro would be. As I stood with the masses, the first train rolled up. Some got out and the ones that got on DID NOT MOVE TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR (can you tell this is one of my pet peeves??), so I tried to lightly push, but unlike NYC, I got lightly pushed back (for the record, New Yorkers would move into the middle of the car or deal with one more person squooshed in). Then I hesitated, and the doors proceded to close on the corner of my brand new, moderately expensive pillow.

{ PANIC }

I yank on the handles of the pillow's case and they promptly rip off. The train has not yet started moving and I grab the main part of the pillow's case, and pull. HARD. This time it pulls free, and I find myself on the ground, with a bunch of stupid people looking at me like I'm crazy.

I guess there are a couple of things that I would like you to take away from this story:

1. It's probably best not to go shopping on the last day of a semi-annual sale [anywhere].
2. Be patient, there will be another train soon
3. Mostly, I just wanted you to picture me, feeling like a complete fool on the ground a Paris Metro station, because I know it will make you laugh. It certainly makes me laugh, now...