Train to Paris

It was Saturday. We left Lucerne by train to go to Paris. The four girls and I had a compartment along a narrow corridor. It seems like everytime we had an opportunity to relax on our trip, things happened that did not allow us to do what we wanted to do. This train ride was no different. There were some Portuguese soldiers on the train, which was packed with people heading to Paris. They were supposed to be in the economy area of the train, but they wandered into our section and stared at the girls through the glass door of our compartment. I locked the door and put my feet up on the latch. They were trying to get in the door. We called for the conductor to come and chase them away, but they came back. It gave us a real sensation of what animals at a zoo experience by people making faces at them and trying to impress them. I had been wearing a fake wedding ring on the trip that I used in a play in college. As one soldier was staring at Sandra, I pointed to the ring and pointed to Sandra. The soldier pointed to his finger with no ring and pointed to Sandra. It was getting pretty scary. The conductor came back and chased them away a second time. We were then able to go to the dinner car and have lunch. After lunch, we tried to sleep for a while, as the train went through the French countryside. Sandra put her head on my lap. As I stroked her hair, she looked up and mouthed the words "I love you". I mouthed to her "I love you too". She smiled and went to sleep. Maybe in Paris, we could be together. I decided that we would go to Maxim's in Paris. The fanciest restaurant I knew. I was so looking forward to our time together. They made the announcement that Paris was coming up. The girls awoke, and we saw the Eiffel Tower in the distance. It was very romantic. When we got to the hotel in downtown Paris, it was in a wonderful location. It was on the Place d'Opera. At the other end of the street was the Paris Opera House. A few blocks away was the Louvre. Close by was the Tuilleries Gardens. As we were unpacking, Sandra called me to come to her room. She had a problem. When I got there, she said she had broken a tooth, and it was cutting into her cheek. She was in some pain and needed a dentist. Since I was fluent in French, I asked the concierge where we could go, and he suggested I call the American Hospital. It was Saturday night, and they didn't want to talk to me. I told them that it was an emergency, and they told me it wasn't and hung up. We were in France, where Americans weren't liked as much as some other countries. I found a dentist in the phone book and called him. I tried to tell him it was an emergency, and he said it wasn't, but he told me what to do until she could get back to the States. She could put some candle wax on the spot and eat soft foods. So much for our dinner date at Maxim's. After she got some wax, the four girls and I went to an ice cream shop a block away from the hotel. The shop workers weren't nice to us either, but at least we did get some ice cream. We walked around a little afterwards and did some window shopping. Then, we went back to the hotel and to sleep. July 21st was my father's birthday, and maybe it was the beginning of a new love for both of us.