The wishes of the mayor
The French don’t really send Christmas cards, they go in for New Year’s carrds where they send you their ‘wishes’. Some are very explicit and go on forever wishing everyone including the family pet health, wealth and happiness. Most people, thankfully, just shorten it down by saying, "Happy New Year, all my wishes" which renders it quite banale and meaningless but quicker nevertheless.
Yesterday I was invited to the town hall to hear the wishes of the mayor. Like any man of politics he used 50 billion (boring) words where about 10 would have sufficed.
He then proceeded to sum up the life St Jean de la Ruelle, our little ‘add-on to the big city of Orleans’ during 2006. Apparently the most exciting thing to happen this year was…THE OPENING OF THE BUTCHER’S SHOP!!!!! Yeah!! (sarcasm apart, note the never ceasing theme of food…) Seconded by the opening of the NEW MARKET!! Hurah! (Food) With these undoubtedly life changing events he then went on to say, and I quote, that St Jean de la Ruelle was a town where ‘we could live our destiny’. I am concerend, to say the least, that my destiny will include nothing more exciting than the opening of a shop selling animal carcases.
Happy New Year, all my wishes!
