Paris: the dramatic conclusion to the door mystery.

Okay so where did we leave off? Oh the knock on the door... that’s right. Who was it? Why Jane Marie and Caroline of course... just checking to make sure I was awake. I was not.  Here is the exchange:

Me: “Oh, my gosh!!!”

Caroline: “It’s okay... let us in.”

I threw open the door and gasped, “Oh, my gosh!!!”

Clothes go flying everywhere and the only words I can manage to say are “Oh, my gosh!” Caroline shoves things in my backpack, and Jane Marie literally puts deodorant on me as I brush my teeth (true friendship eh?) Somehow I manage to make it downstairs (with a little help from my friends) dressed and ready in four minutes... not looking my best, but hey I made it. The entire tube ride to the train station I was in complete shock, and I had not even seen my hair yet. We arrived at the station with about an hour of time until boarding began, so what do I decide to do? Wash my hair in the sink. Now, most of you are probably thinking I am insane or being silly, but girls with the curls will feel me. There is nothing you can do when it reaches a certain point, except wash it. So, I threw my head over that bathroom sink and washed it.  A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. I finished washing my hair and joined the group to walk over to security. I am not sure if it was the soaking wet hair or maybe the frantic look from this morning had not left my face, but I was of course the one to get randomly searched. As they pulled every last item out of bag (and I mean every last item), the only thought going through my head was, “Of course this happening, at this rate why should I even be surprised.”

Needless to say as I walked away towards the rest of my group, I was little defeated. I was still in shock. I was tired, cold, and all around exhausted. But, I was determined to not let this get to me... I was spending the weekend in Paris... who gets to say that?! So I shook it off and boarded the train with a new attitude. Little did I know it had only just begun...

We arrived in Paris around lunchtime, so our tour guide pointed us all in the direction of Brassiere near the Eiffel Tower. I picked out a sandwich, and reached into my purse for my wallet... only to find a granola bar and some gum wrappers...What??? How was my wallet missing...where did it go? Was is pickpocketed? Wait, I haven’t been anywhere except the train station... I couldn’t have been pickpocket... or could I? My thoughts were going a million miles a second. I have this tendency to think that when I lose things they are gone forever, so I often times freak out. Well, until somehow my mom finds it... sidenote how do moms do that? Literally I can spend hours (probs ten minutes in reality) looking for something, and Tonj walks in and finds it in two seconds. How??? Anyways back to the story, the wallet was gone...

At this point, I literally could not believe my life... and the tears started. I could not help it; all the stress from the past 4 hours caught up with me, and they just began to fall. Jane Marie turned around gave me hug and responded “Christine, the devil is attacking you. Do not let him Win.” In this moment, I could not have been more appreciative of her words; they were exactly what I needed to hear.  I made the decision to not let him win, I am in Paris with some of my closet friends… I am choosing joy.

So, I told my house manager and professor in residence about my wallet and lack of funds. Oh man, were they wonderful!! Dr. Robinson quickly offered to lend me some money for the weekend, and Katie had a friend come check the Daniel House for my wallet (which was safe and sound on my dresser). What amazing blessings they both were!!

The rest of the trip went pretty smoothly... well except for the time we tried to eat a traditional French dinner, and oh wait that time we got denied at Club Rex (discrimination), and well maybe that time we missed a train to Versailles. But, hey... we were in Paris, and we were together! Things happen, choose joy.

Well, that is the dramatic conclusion to the door mystery... hope it lived up to all your expectations.

Here’s to choosing joy!