My second night in the city was quite possibly the most eventful one I could have asked for. After getting much needed rest from hours of flying and the time differences of the east coast, Reykjavik and finally Paris I decided to meet a friend who lives in the area. She showed me first hand that I live twenty minutes from the Eiffel Tower. My first time seeing it was a very memorable and special occasion. It was lit, as it always is at night and sparkling, which I found out happens every hour. The first glimpse that I had was fortunately timed perfectly to see it that way. I didn't know that it didn't shine that way all the time and was surprised when I thought it did. I am glad that I didn't about the methodical way in which the lights came on. It lent to the charm that the tower and city gave off for me. Seeing it up close was another experience. The structure was immense and it was pleasant to see such architecture in a metropolis. It is art that you can be sure not to find in the west of America. I was enamored with it and hope to remain so no matter how long I live in close or how ingrained into everyday life it may become.
After we had had our fill of the awe-inspiring edifice, we searched for a place that was friendly enough for our wallets, which ended up being an empty classically French restaurant. Once we had our fill of the over-sized portions that have no way of being saved, we left for her apartment. Guests of her roommate eventually made appearances and soon everyone was sufficiently imbibed. The conversation was smooth and we laughed a good deal. At some point late in to the night, or early in the morning it began to snow. Being from a place where it doesn't snow, I and my friend (who is from the same sunny region as I am) ran down three flights of stairs and outside in a rush of excitement. The 'snow' was actually little more than sleet, but it thrilled us none the less. I was in such a hurry to get outside that I did not even make an effort to put shoes on and my socks were soaked through shortly after arriving outside. We were not the only ones to have darted out of the apartment. Two other girls, her suitemates, had come out too and one breathlessly suggested that we run to what she referred to as 'the center of Paris'. So we easy ran a long way down the block, not feeling any strain with all the adrenaline pumping through our bodies. This exhilarating feeling was coupled with one of pure bliss and attentiveness. As I barreled down the sidewalk I was intensely aware of the lights, everything I was speeding past and the feeling of pure happiness I had for being with these people at that exact moment doing what we were doing. Laughing wildly while sprinting down the street. It felt like living. We were in Paris living and I loved it. I had the sense that I would love every day in this foreign country that would not be so foreign for long.
We stopped once we reached the island in the center of the street that was apparently the center of Paris. We caught our breathe and after a short while decided to head back to the apartment. I and the girl who suggested heading out jogged back to the building while the two in the back walked at their own paces. We waited for the other two girls to meet us inside. I insisted on a picture of us all to commemorate what I was sure would rank at the top of one of my most unforgettable moments in Paris. Still energized by the joy of our run, we decided to take the stairs and forego the wait for the elevator.
Although our impromptu run was over, the night was not. The girl who I had been out that night with had asthma and was having complications. As luck would have it, she did not have medication in her inhaler. She had been meaning to get it refilled, but had not gotten around to doing so yet. Since she did not have her inhaler, she pulled out a machine that she had brought with her from the states that was supposed to stand in it's place. For reasons unknown, the machine would not turn on. All of us buzzed around her and did what we could with keeping her comfortable and trying to figure out how to work it. She was primarily troubled with shaky breathing and an inability to breathe in deeply. She fought off all our attempts to help her and assured us that she was fine. We watched videos and even called her brother who was in California to tell us how it worked, but all endeavors to do so proved ineffective. She happens to live across the street from a hospital, so when all else failed I went with her to be seen, but they were closed to our surprise and my incredulity. They recommended that we go to a pharmacy to get help from there. After not finding help from the hospital, we went back to her apartment to wait for it to open.
In the end, I fell asleep on her couch until she woke me up to go back to the hospital when they opened at seven. They told us that they could not help her because they only see to elderly patients. That at least is what she discerned from what they said, since it was in French. Despite not being able to see a doctor, she was fine. Well enough to go to Disneyland the next day.
Although being in Paris was a lot of what added to the magnificence of the night it would still have been among the best had it happened anywhere.
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