Day Two (Kind of): The Swindle

5am European Time (October 14, 2008)

According to the rustic map on the back of the airline seat in front of me, we'll be on the ground in less than an hour. After disembarking and going through security, I'll need to find an ATM to get some Euros and find the stop for the RoissyBus—this is a bus that will take me from the airport into the center of Paris and drop me at the Opera metro stop. From there, I can get on Metro line 8 and ride to Commerce. The apartment is just around the corner from the metro.

11:15pm (same day)

Took me a little while to make my way around Charles DeGaulle airport; they're doing some renovation work and certain areas were closed. Finally found the ATM and got my money; then wandered over to the information desk to find out where the RoissyBus pickup was located.

After I got the info, I passed by a young woman looking at a map. She asked whether I spoke English and we started chatting. She was going to be in Paris for only a day as she was on her way to London for some job interviews. Found out she was from Virginia; the Bristol area. What a small world! I told her about the Roissybus and showed her where the stop was; she thanked me and said she would be back for the next bus as she needed to get her own stash of Euros. The bus arrived; I boarded and gave the driver a 20. He almost snarled at me as he had to make change.

At 8am, it was still dark outside, so I didn't get a real good sense of the Paris suburbs as we were flying by in the bus. Since it was the height of rush hour, I did notice the cars, though, right away. All much smaller than what we have in the States, even the vans and trucks were built on a much smaller scale. What the bus driver lacked in niceties, he more than made up for in driving skill, maneuvering the bus down tiny Parisian streets. I was impressed. After I got off at Opera, I did not get my bearings right away and walked quite a bit before I was headed in the right direction of the metro.

I stopped on a corner right across from the Opera and tried to figure out where the darned metro was; a few people walked up to me to ask directions. Surprisingly, I did help THEM, but at that point, couldn't find my way out of a paper bag.

A few seconds after this group walked off, an man in his 50s stooped down in front of me and picked up a ring that had fallen to the ground. He asked whether it was mine; I said no, maybe it belonged to someone in the tourist group. After some back and forth, he gave me the ring and said I should keep it; then he started walking away. After what I found to be a well-rehearsed pause, he turned around and asked for food money. (The red flags should have gone up at this point!!!) After some haranguing, I gave him some money, then he said it wasn't enough, and stupid me, I gave him a few more dollars.

Now, if I'd been in my warrior mode, as soon as he complained about the amount I had given him, I would have snatched the money back and started off down the street. But I didn't; guess I'm a con man's dream on either side of the Atlantic. Funny thing is, I didn't even make it to the end of the block before a younger woman stoops down in front of me and, heavens to betsy, if she doesn't find a gold ring that had somehow fallen at my feet!!! It was my lucky day! Can you believe it??? I looked at her and told her I'd already been taken once today and to move on. (I saw this swindle happen later in my trip, too, and thankfully, a Frenchman warned the tourists in time to not lose any money.) I still have the ring I got from the first man; I am keeping it as a physical reminder to be on the lookout for these kinds of swindlers no matter where I am.

Finally, thanks to the help of a nice young man handing out fliers, there was the metro; I clunked my luggage down the stairs, bought a "carnet" (a ten-pack) of tickets, got on the metro and finally began to relax. When I came up out of the Commerce Metro, I recognized from pictures the park, then the Passage des Entrepreneurs, then the house! Yay! I had made it; the codes all worked smoothly, the key fit in and unlocked the door, and I was finally at my temporary home!

The apartment was small and cozy; I unpacked and crashed. I thought I might get out to discover a bit of the neighborhood and get some groceries, but I was so tired, I gave in to the overwhelming desire for sleep.