Finding Paris

First Day of My Life

A few minutes past four in the afternoon, we went out to stroll around the neighborhood until we reached Le Jardin du Luxembourg. Families were all around with the children clumped over at the Grand Basin reaching for their sailboats, whose colors danced in the pond water. There were old couples and parents sitting over the green metal chairs basking in the warm and crystal rays of the sun as they watched people pass by or tourists’ camera flash right before their eyes.

We pulled two chairs near the Fontaine de Medici, sprawled ourselves over and watched the scenery change as people walked by, as children ran, as birds flew over our heads and the air made the leaves sway in sweet rhythm. We watched the leaves fall in the Medici Fountain generating ripples on the water.

“This is nice,” he mumbled as he stared straight into the fountain.

"Thank you,” I said and I looked at him and saw him smiling and nodding.

“I’ll go anywhere with you,” he said as we continued to watch the fountain spewing water as if it hypnotized us and we can’t look away. For a while, it felt as if we were in a trance. We were just staring straight ahead, children’s voices filling the silent air upon us. I saw him reach for his jacket pocket and pull out his iPod. He gave me one ear pod and selected a song.

This is the first day of my life. I swear I was born right in the doorway. I went out in the rain suddenly everything changed. They’re spreading blankets on the beach. It was Bright Eyes’ First Day of my Life. I leaned over to him and he covered both of us with the blanket he brought. As the sun started to set and the sky was turning orange, the song played once more and I started to sing.

This is the first day of my life. I swear I was born right in the doorway. I went out in the rain suddenly everything changed. They’re spreading blankets on the beach. Yours is the first face that I saw. I think I was blind before I met you. Now I don’t know where I am. I don’t know where I’ve been. But I know where I want to go.

And you said, “This is the first day of my life. I’m glad I didn’t die before I met you. But now I don’t care. I could go anywhere with you and I’d probably be happy.” So if you want to be with me, with these things there’s no telling, we just have to wait and see. But I’d rather be working for a paycheck than waiting to win the lottery. Besides maybe this time is different. I mean I really think you like me.

I felt his hand search for mine and we clasped our hands together as the sky burst in orange, as the song continued to play in our heads.

I mean, I really think I like him.

I heard him mumble something which I didn’t hear because of the song that was once again playing.

“What,” I asked him. As I looked up to him, I knew that I really did like him in more ways than one. I like him for everything he had done for me though we’re not relatives or even friends to begin with. I like him for bringing me out of the dark place I let myself plunge into. I like him for dancing with me to Edith Piaf’s La Vie en Rose.

“I do,” he said as he looked back at me. “I do like you.”