You know things aren’t going well when you are in a bathrobe, dripping wet, standing in front of a municipal cop. He rang the bell, pounded on the door, rang then pounded, Châteauneuf’s own Barney Fife. The same who had our car towed and was determined to have it scrapped when we were in Asia even after MME D explained the situation. He said he was here about the Mazda and then Lascaux ran out the door. I grabbed her with the hand that wasn’t securing my robe. Then, looked down and Euro was outside. I picked him up with the other hand and then I was using two squirming kittens to keep my robe closed, a bad plan. I couldn’t set them inside and step outside because... I was in my robe, my hair was dripping and if I did the door would lock behind me.
He wanted to know how long the car had been in the public parking lot. Joe put it there last night. He didn’t believe me. I explained further and further and further and further. It was getting really awkward... I was in my robe and my hair was dripping. He told me the car needs to be moved every 7 days, the only thing he could say in English was ‘7 days’, so he said it three times. This pushed me over the edge and I said, “Why did you come here?” He replied, “Parce que vous habitez ici.” Translation - because you live here. Angrier, I said, “No, WHY did you come here?” He said to remind me that the car needs to be moved every 7 days. I said, “Really, and are you going to come back each week and remind me?” I told him I found his visit very odd and asked him if I could get back to my shower. This is not over...
Unrelated, I put off getting an eye test because I never really learned the French alphabet. There are three eyeglass places in Châteauneuf but today’s lesson is that none of them have an optometrist. You go to a doctor’s office, get a prescription and then the glasses can be made in 2-3 days. No problem, there is an optometrist in Châteauneuf... accept, he is not taking new patients. Ok, there are several in Orléans, less convenient but not too far away... accept, there is a 4-6 month wait for an appointment - to get an eye test. At least I will have time to study.