Whenever I walk through the streets of Paris, dressed in 95% all black like 95% of the population, I can’t help but feel like I’m on the cusp of being thrown into a spy thriller action scene. Perhaps this is largely due to the Bourne Identity, and Supremacy. Not perhaps, with great certitude. Well, my dreams almost came true today, almost. I was walking down Rue de la Paix in the 2ème arrondissement, y’know, the street with Cartier diamond necklaces and Rolex watches in the windows. The same street with doormen and security guards everywhere. As I look behind me, I can see the gilden, opulent Opéra building, ahead of me is the Colonne at the Place Vendôme. This is the stuff spy movies are made of. As I continue my walk, I can already see digital numbers in my head on bombs that are on the cusp of exploding that will certainly need an expert secret agent trained in the diffusion of such explosive devices to come and save the day. Then all of a sudden, what do I see? I see three very mysterious, and powerful looking Muslim women, hajibbed up to a T, one, whose face was the most exposed, had a metal veil of sorts that arched down over her head and flared out right at her mouth, almost as if to ensure no one could see what she saying. They were coming out of some sort of super expensive store, big, tan, middle eastern dudes were all around them. Then 5, count ‘em 1-2-3-4-5 identical silver Mercedez-Benz with the tintetedest of all tinted glass pulled up and they were quickly ushered into the middle one, right in front of my eyes. The big, muscular, suit-wearing, sunglass-sporting body guards were all serious as they shut the doors on the women. One car proceeded to drive off, then the following, then their car, then another car followed that motorcade, with one more hanging back, just chillin’. Then I proceeded to go to the post office, try to open a bank account (yeah, they do that here), where I was told I need to provide more documents to prove I am who I am and I live where I say I live. Another exciting day in Paris.

Whenever I walk through the streets of Paris, dressed in 95% all black like 95% of the population, I can’t help but feel like I’m on the cusp of being thrown into a spy thriller action scene. Perhaps this is largely due to the Bourne Identity, and Supremacy. Not perhaps, with great certitude.

Well, my dreams almost came true today, almost.

I was walking down Rue de la Paix in the 2ème arrondissement, y’know, the street with Cartier diamond necklaces and Rolex watches in the windows. The same street with doormen and security guards everywhere. As I look behind me, I can see the gilden, opulent Opéra building, ahead of me is the Colonne at the Place Vendôme. This is the stuff spy movies are made of.

As I continue my walk, I can already see digital numbers in my head on bombs that are on the cusp of exploding that will certainly need an expert secret agent trained in the diffusion of such explosive devices to come and save the day. Then all of a sudden, what do I see? I see three very mysterious, and powerful looking Muslim women, hajibbed up to a T, one, whose face was the most exposed, had a metal veil of sorts that arched down over her head and flared out right at her mouth, almost as if to ensure no one could see what she saying. They were coming out of some sort of super expensive store, big, tan, middle eastern dudes were all around them. Then 5, count ‘em 1-2-3-4-5 identical silver Mercedez-Benz with the tintetedest of all tinted glass pulled up and they were quickly ushered into the middle one, right in front of my eyes. The big, muscular, suit-wearing, sunglass-sporting body guards were all serious as they shut the doors on the women. One car proceeded to drive off, then the following, then their car, then another car followed that motorcade, with one more hanging back, just chillin’.

Then I proceeded to go to the post office, try to open a bank account (yeah, they do that here), where I was told I need to provide more documents to prove I am who I am and I live where I say I live.

Another exciting day in Paris.

Mar 4 2009

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