What You Think of Me --- Day 5/349

Walk: No
Distance: 0 (legs still kind of shot), Nice Long Yoga 



So if you read yesterday's CIWT, you might have been thinking "Why in the world would Ciwt care what the Parisians think of her clothes?"

The answer is Ciwt remembers her only previous trip to Paris. The Parisians were acting so arrogant, dismissive - gratuitously cruel actually - to tourists that the other Europeans refused to go to Paris and the tourists who were there were given packets of  "Courtesy Cards."  If someone in Paris was even the slightest bit kind to you, you could decide to give them a courtesy card, which apparently they could accumulate and redeem.  The point was the Parisians had to be manipulated and bought into being courteous because their rude behavior was causing their economy to suffer.

The French still have a wide reputation for coldness and arrogance.  In fact, in surveys the French themselves agree they are the continent's most arrogant people.  Ciwt found the Parisians she dealt with to be younger, not so instantly withering. But part of the better treatment Ciwt received was because she was very, very careful in how she approached and handled them.

She was abruptly reminded to take that care on the flight over when she was on tiptoes with her suitcase almost but not quite in the overhead bin.  Standing beside her was a pleasant looking Frenchman, and she asked him if he could help her nudge the suitcase all the way in.  And then there it was - the cold, "please die," glare . And total refusal.  "The flight attendant can help you," he said as he literally slid his own bag into the very space Ciwt couldn't quite reach and sat down in his seat.  Lesson learned: If possible, you do not ask the French for help - or you do it very, very skillfully with no expectations.

So, for Ciwt, it was just easier to dress in a way that didn't court that Parisian contempt.  And, even when standing face to face, to remember CoCo Chanel's words which sum up the Parisian attitude:"I don't care what you think about me. I don't think about you at all!"
           
PS - Ciwt DID enjoy her trip, a lot!  She's just enjoying debriefing out loud.