Rozier's Orleans Diary

At the caféA visit to the baker's
They are to be found at the far right handIn my mother's old village of Milverton in
corner; perhaps two or three, perhaps seven orSomerset, England, there wasn't a single baker's.
eight.In Taunton the county town, not too long ago, I
There is Eugene, very spry, served as atried to buy some rye bread. None. The English as
volunteer in the French war in Indochina. He likesa nation would appear to have the choice
women and they seem to like him. In ten secondsbetween, white or brown, sliced or unsliced, thick
he can get any woman smiling. There is Yves,or thin. And they are the nation that gave to the
used to run a drapery shop, likes women too, butworld the sandwich.
has slowed down since his last marriage. SpentI have five baker's within walking distance of
three years in the Algerian war. There is Alain, awhere I live. The best and my favourite is within
physics teacher, speaks a little English. Alwaysa hundred yards, as all good bakers should be.
looking for the perfect woman. He likes theThe baker is French, his wife Russian, and there
English. There is André, was with a Tunisienare three women who sell the bread. Two are
colonial regiment in Indochina, likes his MasonicFrench and one is Moroccain. They are all smiling
meetings, always at the theatre. But he has beenand friendly. It is a real pleasure to go to the
missing for some weeks. Is he at his apartment inbaker's. The Moroccain is like the waitress in my
Arcachon? But he had to go to the clinique for acafé, very pretty, polite and speaks
minor operation. It is a little worrying when friendsexcellent French. Not surprisingly she is the only
don't show up. There is Michelle, who talks littleone who speaks a little English and uses the
and Nicole who says even less. Ah! but there isInternet, so does her husband, so I shall be very
Jacqueline who with her sharp tongue makes uppolite here. The other day I had bought a
for both of them. Sadly Marguerite who has beenbaguette and on the way home it broke in two. It
part of the furniture for as long as I canwas very fresh, still warm, and half fell to the
remember can't make it any more, and there isground. I shall talk about French pavements
Daniel, Raymond, Jacques etc.another day. I went back to buy half a baguette
I am the only foreigner. They collectively don'tbut the shop refused to accept payment.
have enough English to read the first sentence ofThey also have I don't know how many different
this article, so I will have to translate it for them.kinds of bread, one dozen, two dozen? All shapes
Maybe one or two have a computer, none useand sizes, all types of cereals. The only additive
e-mail, internet or blog. Most are retired, a fewallowed is salt. English bread has about twenty
are waiting to retire. None are interested intwo additives I believe. I like my baguette a lovely
making any more money. I, though, am still verylight golden brown on the outside and properly
active professionaly and want to make a lot morebaked on the inside. I buy it in the morning to eat
money. I am truly a foreigner. However we all getfor breakfast and lunch and again in the evening
on very well together. Well, most of the time.for dinner. Fresh twice a day.
Maybe I am some strange kind of foreign pet.My friends in the café are always willing to
We have our favourite waitress. She is prettytalk about food, which ranks with the weather
and young and always smiles and makes us feeland health as main topics of conversation. I said I
welcome when she shakes our hands. She is alsocouldn't understand my sister-in-law at all. She
Moroccain. She is a very good ambassadress forbuys half a dozen industrial baguettes at the
her country. Ah! but what is her country?super market once a week and then puts them in
Today is the great day. The day when Francethe freezer at home. After all, one of the reasons
collectively stops smoking at the working place.for living in France is their bread which must rank
My café will still be full of smoke though.above politics and on a par with women. I am
The law will not apply to cafés for anothertrying to teach them British humour. It's not easy
year. The psychological shock of taking away thisin French and much gets lost in translation.
last refuge where smokers, leaving their office,There is of course Harry's bread in the
can seek drink, friends and tobacco, would havesupermarket for American visitors. That makes
been too great a risk for any government in anthem smile.
election year.