They say you have to live with a man before you really know him. You have to live with a language before you relaly speak it. So today's verbs are:
* renverser
*ecraser
*percuter
They are all rather common 'er' verbs. I just never knew them because I didn't need to.
renverse: fell down, collapse where you were standing
percute: hit from the front and knocked over
ecrase: smashed flat
I have learned these words because at 11am today I left my house in Vaison for the market in Carpentras, it being a Friday and all that. It was late for market, what with the 50 minute drive, but I figured traffic owuld have thinned out and I would find parking. I was craving orange-lavender confiture that you can only buy at that market.
As I approached the town wall, I remembered a truc that my old boyfriend Jacques had taught me, a way to get around the one way system in town and cut back and behind. Then I got to a rond point and took the wrong spoke. I knew this rather early on, but there was no place to turn until I found a tiny street, just wide enough for a U-turn.
There in the ditch, alongside this back town road, with travaux in progress, I saw a shaggy dog. So this is a shaggy dog story.
To cut to the chase, as we say:
* I could not leave her to die;
* Although she had no collar, most French dogs have chips, as required by law -- at the least, they have a tatou. I thought her family could be easily found;
* she was a she
* she was the right size to fit into my late dog Sam's kennel, which happens to be in Paris in my friend Dinny's cave. Not that I was thinking of taking her to America or anything.
I named her Bonbon in honor of the berlingot which is made in Carpentras and the fact that it was a good day for both of us that I could save her life. It would have been my faather's 92nd birthday today. I drove her back to Vaison to my trusted vet. I cooed to her in English and French.
The vet then informed me of the laws regarding such things. The vet was not allowed to do anything. I was not allowed to pay for the ver to do do anything. The dog was the responsibility of the mayor of Carpentras. I must wait ten days to hear if she is claimed. That should be around Easter and we will see if she is risen or not. She cannot stand up, so the rising part will be difficult.
She has one broken leg, no internal injuries (they allowed Xray) and open wounds on two other legs. She should be fine.
Part of me hopes she has a fmaily that has registered her missing and will be happy to find her alive. The other part of me wonders how much Air France charges for a one-way dog ticket to San Franciso and what Toffee and Junior Mint will think of a little Bonbon.