We took a family outing yesterday morning (with my cousin, minus Zari) to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. We hiked the Sentier Littoral while Eric spearfished and then met at Place Passable for lunch.
During our hike, we saw a man pulling a crazy stunt: slacklining between two outcroppings with the line going waaaaay far over the sea. He had on some kind of harness but still...this guy had guts.
Once he made his way out over the water, he started jumping on the rope, doing flips around it. I wonder how he got the rope on both places in the first place.
This easy hike--more of a pleasant walk than a hike, given there was no elevation gain--wore me out and I had to take a nap in the afternoon. Stupid Covid.
So yeah, I was tired and didn't write an update last night. Today I had my usual walk to & from Cimiez...which reminds me! I have a hilarious story to tell about my walk home.
So I was walking back home listening to a podcast. I passed a man, probably around my age (give or take who knows how many years). He made eye contact and said something to me as I passed him, enough that I stopped and took out my earphones.
"Do you speak English?" he asked me both French and English (with a West African accent).
I replied in French: "Yes, I speak both English and French."
He then launched into a spiel about how he had seen me before (which doesn't surprise me--I walk the same route every Sunday) and how I was so beautiful and he just had to talk to me.
Okay...well then. I kept trying to respond in French but it became evident that his English was far better than his French.
Inwardly I was laughing because was this guy really trying to hit on me? Or what else was his intent? He kept talking, complimenting my beauty, which of course just made me laugh even more inside because when anyone starts talking about my beauty, it just makes me roll my eyes rather than feel flattered.
So I just let the conversation go on without taking the easy way out (you know, mentioning overtly that I was not available aka I have 4 kids at am married, that kind of thing). I was wondering, "Okay, when is he going to say what he really wants to say?" Because I am curious that way, I guess.
I asked where he was from (Gambia) and we had a short conversation about why I liked being in France more than in the States (fewer problems with racism, better social security, less divided politically), about his name (Suleiman, but it's easier for English speakers to say Solomon), etc. He still wasn't getting to his point and I wasn't going to make it easy for him. I was really curious to see what his point was after all of this effort.
Finally he asked a question to fish out more about me: "Do you have a family?"
"Yes, I have 4 children."
"And do you have a husband?"
"Yes."
"And is he here in France with you?"
"Yes."
Next thing he asked:
"Can I have your phone number?"
"No."
"But why not?"
"I prefer not to give my phone number."
"But you are so beautiful. Can I have your phone number, just for you and me?"
"No thank you."
I have to give it to him. He kept trying. It was a valiant effort but doomed to failure. I thanked him for his interest and, with a smile, wished him a good day and continued on my walk.
This reminds me of when I was in Amsterdam back in 2016 and another man approached me on the street and did his best to try to get to know me, to invite me out to lunch, etc. Even me mentioning being married with 4 children didn't dissuade him all that much. They both get an "A" for effort.
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