A Perfect Morning

As I've gotten older I've really come to appreciate the importance of moments.  A moment is some usually small but very memorable thing that happens while watching a movie, playing a game, or even walking through town. A few great moments can turn a mediocre film into a near masterpiece, a so-so game into an all-time favorite, or an early morning trip to a boulangerie into a completely magical experience.

Yesterday morning I was out of bed by 6:30 AM. I took a shower, got dressed, and since it was much too early to walk to work I decided to pay a visit to our neighborhood boulangerie for some croissants and perhaps a baguette.

It was dark in our hallway but there was just enough light for me to press the elevator button. A few seconds later I could hear the faint hum of the motor as my vertical carriage ascended the dark latticed enclosure. Suddenly, a light appeared in the black elevator shaft and it grew brighter as the elevator approached. It looked amazing, like a scene from a movie. Moment!

Although it was still a little dark outside, Bistro d'Edmond, right next to our apartment, was already open and serving bread and coffee to several older gentlemen who read the morning paper while smoking cigarettes. It was almost a Parisian cliche, but I loved it. Moment!

The boulangerie is just down the street from our apartment and the smell as I walked through the door was almost indescribable. I waited for one other customer then stepped to the counter and said, "Deux pain au chocolate... et un baguette, s'il vous plait!" (I discovered later that baguettes are feminine and I used the masculine "un" rather than the female "une", but I was still pretty proud of myself.)

Smiling, the owner placed my order in a bag and told me the cost. I'm not good with French numbers yet, but I could see the cash register total. I handed her 5 Euros, she handed me my change, and I said, "Merci, au revoir." She replied, "Bonne journée" (basically "good journey" or "good day") and I left, not having spoken a word of English. Moment!

As I headed back to our apartment I looked down Quatre-Septembre, which is a rather long and straight avenue, and as the Haussmann-style buildings in the distance faded into the early morning mist I could see the deep orange of a beautiful sunrise. Major moment! (Spoiled a bit because my phone/camera battery was dead, but I will always cherish my mental picture.)

I took my treasures back upstairs and shared them with Melanie at the dining room table. Another small moment!

All in all, a nearly perfect morning!