2021 jump street

 Started with a bang! Or rather with a boom, all of us landing on the floor of the attic at the same time. The champagne is popped, and we're hugging and we're dancing. Then the good ole English got out the Union Jack and sang Auld Lang Syne. The neighbourhood must have heard us!

Then the lights grew dimmer, bodies got heavier, the cake was kicking in, an unspoken fog descended on the apartment as the energy softened into the earth. All that was left was the drips of events left to pluck from the air. A commitment to the self... Awareness of one's descendency... The parade on the floor... the performance of 'Ridin' solo'. The music got duller and trancier, reminding us of our bodies. Until? 

Can't sleep, won't sleep. This mind won't let me. This body wants to feel. Something other than discomfort.

A few goodbyes for the road, and a promise to survey the situation of Paris 2021 as we transition into the pandemic full swing:

I slipped out into street, adjusted my cap low and patted my pockets to make sure I had my keys. I hadn't brought my wallet, so too bad for thieves. Once I hit the corner, I saw 4 policemen on their bikes staring at me across the street. Shit! I turned and went the other way. Immediately, a few white men with tattoos came pouring out from the back of a (bar?), and one of them whispered to me: 'C'est qui? Le flick?' [Who is it? The police?] I hissed back 'Oui, ils sont la.' [Yeah, they're there]. And the few of them bunched up, looking tough 'T'inquiete'. [Don't worry] Sending them grateful vibes, I hurried up the alley. Fuck! I'm lost?! I took out my phone for google maps while two men watched closely from the shadows. 

Just as I thought I found the right path, 3 men came down the curb right into me and asked 'C'est ou la gare?' [Where is the station?] I mustered all my eye power and stared them down. Pointing down the street declaring 'Gare du Nord? Tu va tout suite' [The Northern Gate? You go right away] They looked amused 'Tout droite? or Tout suite? T'es sure?' [Straight down the road, or straight away? You sure?] They laughed, then let me go. Straight past a house of black people who whispered to me 'Bonne fete?' [Good party] I nodded and kept going. Just then, a Chinese house on the other side of the road popped up, and 4 of them came flooding onto the balcony and yelled 'Bon amie!!!' or 'Bonne annee!!!' [Good friend! or Good year!] at me. I waved. This road was safe. The black people hissed over at the chinese people 'bon amie quoi bon amie' [Good friend what good friend], and they all laughed. A few more plods and I passed yet another house of black people. This time they whispered impatiently 'Vas y, rapide' [Hurry up, faster], and the sobering cold suddenly seized me up. I hastened my pace as the soft laughter on the street was swallowed by the night. Where was I again? Toute droite.

Soon I reached the arc and who else was there but a popo squad lying in wait. I gave them a wide birth, and continued down rue du Faubourg Saint Denis. Like the last time, another group of Chinese came to the aid, they were a few floors up, but the 'Bon amie/Bonne annee!' rang out and settled my adrenaline spiked nerves. 

Almost there.. Just one street away.. and 4 homeless looking guys came bearing down on me. Not now! I'm so close! I crossed the street. They followed. I went back out into the middle of the road, they followed suit. Fuck. I stuck my hands into my pocket as though I was reaching for something, then shuffled closer to the side of the street to avoid being surrounded. The men looked warily at my pocket and began to walk past me. Not worth it. The one closest offered his hands to me upwards and said 'Mais no, montre-nous du respect.' [But no, show us some respect] So I said 'Oui, no, desole, desole' [Yes, no, sorry sorry] Seeing that we were talking, he came closer, and I backed the fuck up. 'Mais si tu a un petit piece...' [But if you have a little money] Time to bring out the chinese guns 'Mei you! Wo bu dai qian!!' [No, I don't bring money!] His calculating eyes gave me the once over, and he rejoined his mates in the middle of the street.

Home free.

This is going to be a fantastic year.

Published on
1/1/21 4:26 PM

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