Mates and Dates

I met a man for lunch on Thursday. It was in Toulouse, he’d just got off a long haul flight, and we met up and had a bite to eat. I had not had much sleep the night before, so I probably wasn’t at my scintillating best!

I had got up early to drop Isla off at school, and pick Moses up to go and get his car from the airport. I dropped him off at just after 10am, and went and parked the car in a supermarket car park, and listened to my book for a while until I was due to go to the restaurant. The Fiery Cross if you’re interested – the book that it, not the restaurant!

So, we met up, went inside and started eating and chatting, as you do, when who to my wondrous surprise should appear, but Moses my mate, didn’t you hear! Sorry, I won’t attempt crappy poetry again!

We were chatting away when I clocked him out of the corner of my eye, drinking soup, trying to look inconspicuous! If you know Moses you’ll know that this is no easy feat – he is never inconspicuous – in fact the more conspicuous the better as far as he is concerned! Anyway, he was most restrained, and eventually changed seats so he had his back to us. We finished our meal, and went across the road for a cigarette. I think I got away without him noticing that someone I knew had walked in!

As we were having a coffee I got a text from Moses apologising profusely – he had though we were in another restaurant, and thought he’d try this one out as we had raved about it! Anyway, the guy had to get going as he lived a couple of hours away and had to be home by 5pm, so I texted Moses back to see if he fancied meeting up as he was still in town. He did.

We decided against going into the centre of Toulouse, and decided to drive out into the country to a chateau that I have driven by loads of times, Chateau Laréole, but never actually visited. It was a gorgeous day; in fact they are all gorgeous at the moment. We start off with mist, but the sun burns it away and leaves bright sunshine, blue sky and warm weather at about 18°C. Lovely!We had a lovely wander around the chateau, and a good laugh, and then he set his Tom-tom to take us home across all the tiny little back roads – we were travelling in convoy by this point!As we were driving back, I phoned S who was meant to be picking Isla up from school, just to tell her that I would be back in time, so not to worry. She said it was ok, as she was now picking Isla’s friend L up, and that we were all going to L’s mum’s house for a drink. Ok, fair enough.

I got home, and my mum and I took the dogs down the road for a little walk. When we got back, my dad said that S had just phoned in a massive panic. She had turned up at the school at 4.25 to pick the girls up at 4.30. She went to the gate to get them, and told the teacher who she was collecting. The teacher then informed her that both the girls had gone in the “car”. This totally panicked S, as she couldn’t work out whose “car” they would have gone in. “Car” actually means school bus, but S didn’t know this, and the damn teacher didn’t explain clearly enough to someone who doesn’t speak much French. You would think that, being faced with someone clearly in a panic about two children she had temporary responsibility of; she would have tried to explain calmly and simply, in easy words to understand. But no, as far as she was concerned, her explanation was sufficient. I have so many gripes with this teacher, it’s unbelievable, but that’s for another day.

As soon as my dad told us of S’s call, we jumped in the car and went straight up to our village, where the bus drops the children at the school there. Sure enough, Isla was there. We asked where L was, and she had got the second bus which took her almost to her home, where there would be no one to meet her. Isla wasn’t sure where the bus dropped her off, so we drove towards her house, went to the neighbour’s house (whose daughter is in the same class), found out where she got dropped off, and eventually found her – 20 minutes late! Luckily, the bus driver had waited with her until someone came to collect her, rather than just dumping her there and driving off.

It turned out that the teacher had let the children out early, the bus was there, and it left – before S had even got there. If it had been me collecting them, I would have missed them too. It wouldn’t have panicked me though, because I know what the “car” is, but that’s because I have a child of school age and know the right words. Anyway, all was well that ended well!

Then today we were out shopping, checked the time with a shop keeper, and discovered I had to be at the school NOW! I had completely forgotten! A quick zoom to the village and it was fine though – the after school woman let me off!! I felt like such a bad mother, forgetting about the end of school!

On a lighter note, I am going on a little break in a couple of months time. S is leaving France – in fact it is her house that I showed you a few months ago – September or October I think. So, if any of you want to buy a B&B in France, let me know! I’m driving back up with her, so she doesn’t have to do all the driving herself, and then helping her when all the furniture arrives a few days later. My best mate Joocey is coming down to join us, I hope, and between the moving in stuff, we should manage to have a good time. I’ve never been to that part of the UK, and I’m really quite looking forward to it, as it’s really pretty. I will take lots of photos!