Mondays

The same gaggle of leaves blows up and down rue de la Republique depending on the gusts in the Tramontane. The stores are shut because it’s Monday. In town only one bakery, one pharmacy and two of six green grocers are open. Franck’s La Noisette has all the tables and chairs inside and the blinds are pulled. The painting on the wall still promises ice cream, sandwiches, tea, coffee and sangria.

Small businesses close Sunday at noon and reopen Tuesday morning. The feeling is sad without neighbours exchanging greetings. No old women carry baskets filled with carrots and cabbages over their arm. They stocked up. Tuesday the bustle will be back and for the Wednesday marché the bustle will be doubled.

Still I like the downtime. There is something nice knowing the people I deal with have time to do laundry, clean their houses and maybe put their feed up and read a book.