On the lam with half a plan

Si l’on habite près d’une gare, cela change complètement la vie.

On a l’impression d’être de passage, rien n’est jamais définitif.

Un jour ou l’autre, on monte dans un train.

Patrick Modiano, Le Petit Bijou

If you live by a train station, it completely changes your life. You have the feeling of passing through, nothing is ever definitive. One day or another, you will get on a train.

When we first lived in Montpellier in 2020, when we decided to stick ourselves where we got stuck at the beginning of the whole Covid debacle, our apartment overlooked the train station. It might as well have been a million miles away. That was when I first came across the above quote. In those impossible days, it stuck in my craw, uncomfortable. Now I read it and feel light, not to mention ready!

The day has arrived. Our bags are packed: 2 carry-on sized rollers, plus one medium and one small backpack. Light and mobile. If need be, the backpacks can be strapped to the rollers and only one of us need handle the bags. We live 5 minutes from the train station. A waltz out the door and we’re gone. Outta here. On the lam on a lark, destination: half known.

We moved to France because 1) what the hell and 2) we weren’t getting any younger. Now we’re gearing up to leave it for the longest stretch of time in nearly 7 years. Same reasons apply. Friends are asking us when we’ll be back and it’s strange to say we don’t know. But I want to stay in this not-knowing place, without firm edges. The only thing we’re committing to is staying open to outcomes; whether that be saying enough, or onward.

Next stop: Paris, where we have friends to see and things to take care of before plunging on to Scotland.

Cheers,

Maer