# I love you, Paris! (1)

- Good afternoon sir!
- Good afternoon," Alfred replied, not looking at who had just greeted him.
- Let me sit down? He asked.
- There is! Say it?
- I asked if you let me sit down.
- Yes of course! The words were not very expressive.
"Forgive my invasion, but I've seen you here since morning, and they're already ...- he looked at the electronic panel before him - ...21 hours! Are you okay?
- Say it!?
- There is! Do you feel well? Can I help you with anything? Do you want a glass of water? You want me to call somebody?
- A glass of water is fine.


Arthur got up, returning almost immediately with a glass of water.

- Here you go, sir!
- Thank you! Alfred said, holding the glass with his left hand, resting it on the table, his gaze locked in the distance.
"I'm sorry for my insistence, but I've been watching you, since morning," he repeated, "it's late, you know!" He paused. "Wait, anybody?"
- Yes! He replied.
"Are not you going to drink your water?"
- Yes!
- Hmm! "He's looking at you." "The waiting person, do you know if it's going to be late?"
"Well, I can not say that!" His gaze remained fixed on a point that pierced any barrier, any obstacle, any distance. It was a deep, distant, nostalgic look. A look more than thirty years away.

- Sorry to insist, sir! But do you feel well? You want me to call somebody?

Alfred looked at the boy in a slow, languorous headless roll.

- How old are you, son?
- I? He looked surprised. "Twenty-seven, sir!"
"I'm fifty-nine, son!" Fifty-nine years. He murmured.
- It's a beautiful age. Said Arthur, as he thought. "Fifty-nine," he said, "eighty-nine," he continued,  - fifty-nine is a lifetime of knowledge.
- Hmm! He murmured. "And suffering, and joy.
- Sorry for the question ..." Alfred looked at him uncertainly, - are you married?
- Married ...- he had his eyes locked again on a far horizon - ...no!
- There is! Arthur felt that something was happening with that being that was there before him, well dressed, but with a face that was very old, demeaned, worn, tired. - What a lack of education, I did not introduce myself. My name is Brown, Arthur Brown. He held out his right hand in Alfred's direction.
- Alfred! He answered without looking at the boy, and without noticing that he kept his hand stretched out in his direction, awaiting a response.
- Pleased to meet you, Mr. Alfred. -  Said Alfred, taking his hand. - How is it that such a showy person is not married? - asked the question.
- Many years ago,-  he began, Alfred, without looking at his interlocutor, - I would have been twenty-one-twenty-one years old, I decided that I would raise some money to travel to France. I was curious to know Paris, Marseille, Nice, Lion, Bordeaux and Toulouse. My family did not have many possessions; My parents could never afford such a dream. The solution would be, therefore, to work, to save some money and then to advance in my dream. Since my family lived on the threshold of the money my parents earned monthly, I sought a job, leaving my studies for later, so that I could help my parents and add some value to my travels. Since I loved mechanics, assembled and dismantled things, I had no difficulty getting a job in a car repair shop. He worked every day, except Sunday, from eight in the morning to nine at night. - he took a deep breath. - Every day. He made about two thousand pounds a month. I would give 1,500 to my parents and the other 500, I would keep three hundred and fifty, and the remaining one hundred and fifty had to give me to govern during the month. There were months when she could only save about a hundred pounds. Over the years I've been saving and working and saving and working. I almost forgot my dream. Almost, but I did not forget. She fed him every day, but she did not speak. I thought only of myself. I spent about six years working and saving. My parents always questioned me about girlfriends and marriage and they wanted to have grandchildren and things like that. But I wanted to know France. Throughout these years of work, together with my parents, we managed to move house. We left the basement where we lived so many years, almost without seeing the sun and moved to a small apartment in the Rose Quarter in South London. When I was able to raise more than fifteen thousand pounds, I told my parents that I was going to make my trip to France. I spoke with my boss and he accepted that I would take a month's vacation, followed. After all, she had never been on holidays since she'd been in the workshop. I made some clothes purchases and left for France. My first destination was Paris. When I got there I looked for a place to sleep. I did not want anything expensive, but I needed a place that would give me confidence. I arrived in Paris by train. When I left Gare du Nord, I marveled at the station's atrium. Already on the street, I looked for a taxi. I asked him to take me to a hotel that was not too expensive. The taxi lord took me to the hotel "Le triumph". A hotel with fantastic service and a good price. I set down my suitcase, and after setting up, I walked around the gardens around the hotel. I ate and then and then I took the Metro to the center of Paris. When I left the Metro, I realized that I was standing by the Eiffel Tower. I was amazed to look at it. I do not know how long I've been there. I awoke from a strange trance when someone came against me. I dropped some maps I had in my hand, and when I turned around, I had a visited.

(to be continued)