Soothe My Heart

10. The Dream Solo Trip

Bela finally reaches Paris, it was a long journey, she took her bags and came-out for a taxi or a vehicle to reach her restaurant. The city looks dreamy and people too cool to bother. She somehow gains the courage to ask a taxi driver for a ride, she says, "Jamepple Bela.. Je suis..", the taxi driver replies, "Its Okey madame, I know English little bit, Where you go?", "Oh, thank god! XXX please", says Bela with a big relief "Okey madame, sit insidee." replies the driver. On her way to hotel, she chitchats about the place, food and things to do with the driver. The driver, very sweetly answers her questions and makes her feel at ease. 

She finally gets the destined hotel. The driver refuses to take extra tip, but she forces him and thanks him for his kindness. It was the best way to start a solo trip. It indeed gave Bela a lot of confidence. She then checks-in to her room, has some light dinner and drinks and goes back to sleep. The usual Bela would make a plan for the days a sorted schedule, but this time she didn't wanted to do any of those, she just wanted to relax and have fun time. She has a list of places to visit and things to eat, but she is okay if she misses one or two of them. 

The next morning, she wakes up a little early, gets her food, she heard a lot about pizzas. She orders one and eats it all, later she goes for a quick walk around the hotel, it looks magnificent. After staring the views for an hour, she then goes back to sleep again. She wakes up around 11:00 again gets ready for the outing. Her destination is the most obvious visitor attraction, the Eiffel Tower. Oh the number of times she has planned to go there, the pictures she'd take, the dress, the people with whom she'll see it. None of this is going as planned, Bela is happy because finally she is getting to see in live, her dream destination. 

She sees it finally, although she could see it from half the way there, she finally is seeing it closer, taller and much beautiful than any pinterest pictures. She stares at it for a whole fifteen minutes, captures a whole lot of pictures and videos. Something seems off, maybe its the fact that in the selfies she couldn't bring the whole tower. She tries her best to get it and decides it is best to seek someones help. She looks around and finds the most decent looking old grand-pa figure and asks him to capture a picture or two for her, even though he barely spoke any English, with his expressions and gestures Bela felt that he is ready. She then hands over her phone to him and after clicking a picture or two the person asks her to take pictures without the luggage or bags. She agrees with him and gives him her handbag and the little bag she bought for picnic. The moment she hands over them he dashes off with the bags. 

Bela starts screaming and running behind the man, she says, "Please, HELP. SOMEONE. THIEFF!!!", the brain again refuses to give her any french words which meant thief, her duo lessons didn't help. After following him for two streets, she tries to give-up, just then comes a flying kick from first floor of a building, it lands directly on the shoulder of the man and he falls down. The man tries to fight back but the kicks continue with boxing punches on his face, he rushes away from there leaving Bela's bags. The person who helped her gives her the bags, "thanks, si-r" Bela says looking at a stranger in hoodie and mask covering their whole body in it. Just then the stranger pulls back the hoodie, unmasks and starts speaking, "ma'am. Its a mam." 

Bela feels pleasantly surprised looking at a women, she adds, "Thanks really. You saved my life.", "Oh! thats okay. Careful next time." replies the lady. 

"Sure, Bela and you are."

"Bela? Indian?"

"Um, Ye-es"

"Main bhi. (Me too)"

"WHAAAT!!!" Bela says in amusement 

"Haan(Yes) I live here, but I used to stay in India a long time ago. Its been a long time since I met an Indian"