"France" drabbles by Richard Hunt
Planning
France #16
“Le lit dans votre chambre est assez grand pour deux “
“Non, merci, elle est ma colleague, pas mon amante.” I said.
“Dejeuner?” She asked.
I thought that we would pick up a snack somewhere. “Non, mais diner ce soir, sept heures et demi.”
“So,” I said to Caroline, “the room is booked and I have booked us dinner tonight at around seven thirty.”
“Great, thanks.”
“So now I thought we would go for a walk along the beach, after we unpack and sort ourselves out. As I said, my Dad landed here, so its a bit of a pilgrimage.”
Our Hotel
France #15
The hotel was just down the road, on the right.
“Do they speak English?” She asked.
“Not a lot, but that’s OK, I speak fluent French with either a Normandy or a Paris accent. Do we want dinner?” I said as we went in.
“Why not?” She replied, “I’ll pay.”
The receptionist smiled, “ Bonjour Monsieur, Madame.”
“Bonjour,” I replied, “Reechar Oont”. That’s how my name is pronounced in Northern France.
“Bonjour, Monsieur. Votre chamber est pret.”
“Bon, est que vous ave une chambre en plus, pour ma colleague?”
“Le lit dans votre chambre est assez grand pour deux “
Arromanches les Bains
France #14
So I drove towards Arromanches, giving her a brief history the invasion.
On the left, a gap in the houses and a slope down to the beach.
“That’s where everything came up. There’s still the concrete road under the beach, leading down to the sea.” I said.
“What happened to the house that’s clearly missing?” She asked.
“A casualty of war, I think. Look, out there in the sea you can still see some of the caissons which were shipped here on the morning the invasion started in 1944.”
“Anyway let’s get to the hotel and find you a room.”
A plan.
France #13
“What time do you have to be at Le Havre?” I asked.
“Tomorrow morning at about 10:30. At least I can see Arromanches. Tell you what, why don’t we miss the Bayeux Tapestry and go straight there. I’d rather see and hear about a real battle than look at a bit of old cloth.”
“Suits me.” I said as she pulled her seat belt on, “we need to go to the hotel first anyway to sort out a room for you.”
“I’m not sharing yours?” She asked.
“Not if they have a spare room.” I replied, starting to drive off.
Disappointment
France #12
I pulled out the arial and gave the phone to her.
She looked carefully before she got out of her door.
The wind, from the west, was still quite strong and it was a delight to watch it playing with that cotton skirt.
“Hello, this is Caroline.” A pause as she listened, argued for a moment, then came back into the car.
“No, I have to get the boat tomorrow morning. Apparently he heard what had happened and went berserk. They’ve had to lock him in a cabin. He’s summoned the Union, and a lawyer.”
“Sorry, I must go back.”
A plan
France #11
“It would be nice to know where I stand, really. Then we could plan.” She said.
“Can’t you phone the office?” I asked, “they would be open now. I have a mobile phone which works from France.”
“Do you?”
This was before the days of everybody having one, and before they were so small. Mine was 8 inches long, 3 inches wide and 1.5 inches thick.
I worked a lot in France and needed it to keep in touch with home.
I pulled into a layby and stopped.
“Just put 44 before the number and leave out the first zero”
Food for thought.
France #10
“Unless I book a bit of holiday and you let me join you for a bit. I’d like to see a bit of France.” Those words rang in my head. Of course it would be great to have her company, but, other considerations apart, I planned to go to some ‘awkward’ places.
Like the nod beach down at the Gironde.
Like Cap d’Antibes
Like … well there were more.
AND I had only booked a single room for myself … and in some places it was a tent.
How would she cope?
How would I cope, more to the point.
A suggestion
France #9
“I plan to go to Bayeux first, where we can look at the famous tapestry, then on to the coast at Arromanches. There is a faster route south, but it distresses me, we would pass field after field of white gravestones. Not pleasant.” I said. “So when do you need to be at Le Havre?”
I glanced across at her, golden blonde locks of hair falling loose over that white blouse. Gorgeous!
“About nine tomorrow … unless I book a bit of holiday and you let me join you for a bit. I’d like to see a bit of France.”
A clearer understanding
France #8
“Ah, right,” she replied, “I work for the company who supply the ancillary staff for the ships. My job this time … we had heard that the barman was a menace to female staff, so I was sent, incognito, to investigate. And the rumours were right, he will find himself walking off that ship in Southampton straight into the dole queue.”
“I want to go back on a different ship, just in case there are any bad feelings on that one.”
“From Le Havre?”
“Yes, I know most of the staff on that ship.
Now things are a lot clearer!
A bit clearer
France #7
I got in, started the car and gently drove down the ramp on to a concrete road.
No passports, it is during Britain’s membership of the European Union. So off into France, driving, of course, on the right.
“So, what are you going to do in France?” She asked, shifting delightfully inside that light skirt.
“I plan making a tour of France, for Drabblers, to give them a taste of various interesting places that I know”
“So will you be able to drop me off in Le Havre in a couple of days?”
“Of course, why, what are you doing?”
A guest
France #6
“I’m going wherever you’re going.” she said as I watched them taking the chains off the cars nearest the exit doors. “If you’ll have me.”
“Bayeux first, then Arromanches.” I said, making, for the first time a plan for myself.
“Ok, then wait for me.” She ran up the stairs.
More chains came off but before mine did, she was back … dressed now delightfully in a white top and a flower-patterned white gathered skirt and carrying a bag and a case.
The chains came off my car as others in front drove off.
“Come on then.” She said.
Unexpected but not unwelcome
France #5
As the girl in the restaurant had said, the seas were calming. I could see the lights of the harbour through the front windows … and the spray.
I finished off my breakfast and made my way down to my cabin to pack for my continuing journey. Quite a long drive to Bayeaux to look at the tapestry, Then on to Arromanches.
I went down to the car deck and watched the chains being removed from the wheels.
“Can I join you?”
I turned … it was the girl from the restaurant.
“Where do you want to go?” I asked.
Cherbourg
France #5
This continued all night and was still going when I woke. I showered and dressed then went up to the ‘restaurant’ for breakfast. A rather cute young lady served me, otherwise the restaurant was empty.
Tilt, crash!
‘Full English, please, whilst I have the chance.’
‘To drink?’
‘Coffee. I have to drive when we arrive.’
‘Soon now, the seas are already calmer.’
Cherbourg. Reminds me of the time I came to France with a number of children, some teachers, bikes and a van driver. But that is another story.
Eat, entering the harbour.
I wonder how my car has fared
Reassurance
France#4
It’s then that I am grateful that I have inherited my Grandfather’s sea legs. I know that I shall not get seasick. I have crossed the Irish Sea many times in rough seas.
I am a bit worried about my car … what if it moves? What if another car moves. And crashes into it? I tell the bar man.
“Don’t worry, mate, they chain each car individually to the car deck before we leave.”
Good! One more drink then bed.
Rear up, Shudder as the propellers come out of the water … over and down CRASH into the trough.
The crossing
France #3
We start to make way and I decide to go to the restaurant for something to eat (and drink). It has a viewing window at the front, so I can see us pass the Isle of Wight on my right.
Then it happens!
The full force of the gale hits us and the ship tilts left until it turns into the wind … the full force of the gale. It is coming up the Channel and we shall be going head on into it.
And the waves.
The front of the ship rears up then crashes down into the trough.
The ship
France#2
So, I drive into the ship, down towards the front of the car deck and meticulously put on the handbrake, put the car into reverse gear (it’s not automatic) and find the way to the stairs.
Up, up until I come to the purser and ask where my cabin is - yes, I have booked a cabin.
‘Down three flights of stairs’.
It is under the water line. I have no idea if that is good or bad. But I go down and find it, complete with its own toilet.
I can feel the motors shuddering.
We are about to leave!
Apprehension
France #1
I am in Southampton. A foul night with a force 10 blowing. I am early, so I have parked the car and gone to a nearby cinema. A rotten film, but it deadens the sound of the gale.
But minute by minute I remember that soon I shall be on a boat, making my way to Cherbourg … where we shall land and enable me to start my tour of France, which is what this is all about.
“You’re not sailing on a night like this?” I ask as I check in.
“Got a living to make, mate.” He replies
