Film of Love

Finding Wonder and Persona

Autumn in France smells like sweet wines of Aquitaine and Burgundy and the rotting leaves in the vicinity of the Loire castles, filled with mild October sun.

This is the time when the French return from their holidays and many tourists conversely rush to the Cote d'Azur in eager not to miss the velvet season, but Aryn decided to still stay at home and to wait forever as she stares at her email inbox.

It has been a few weeks since they went to Caen and a little bit of something unexpected happened. Aryn did think about the whole thing between her and the old man back in the shop to her room.

"Staring at your screen will not help anything, Aryn," A voice from her side said with the sounds of chestnuts crashing between the owners' teeth. "Why do I feel that your process of application is taking way too long ? It means that they are giving you a choice to go to another city besides Paris."

Aryn glared at her friend, taking her comment a little bit offensive. "Doesn't matter if I wait for too long as long as I get the damn job, I'm fine with it,"

"But not your mother," wiggling her eyebrows as she replied. Aryn closed her laptop and set it aside and dumped her body in her bed, sighing.

"How about you?"

"What about me?" she asked, a little confused.

Aryn rolled her eyes, feeling tired at her friends' slowness.

"Ohh!~ I am actually, okay, here's why I am here…"

Aryn raised her eyebrows and motioned her to continue.

"I am going to Marseille," she can't help but to take her gaze away from her friend along with scratching her head.

"Okay,"

As fast as she could she snapped her head and looked at her friend. "What do you mean okay?"

"I mean why wouldn't I be okay? It's not that I am jealous it is in the process,"

"I thought you were gonna be mad," Dem said in her low voice. Aryn just shook at her friend and couldn't help but to chuckle. Dem stopped eating and stood up and drew the curtains, it is indeed a good day, Aryn thought.

“You want to go out?” Dem asked the girl who is now spacing out in her own dimension. She literally hasn't considered moving on the thought that still resides in her own mind. Sighs at the lady she went beside her.

“Let’s go!”

“Where?” Aryn finally snapped out her thoughts and looked at her.

“Freshen our minds,” she smiled at her.

“Morning market?” she asked. “The one behind the old church?”

“Yes and spread across the street to the harbor.” She went to the door as she picked up her tote bag. “Let’s have fun too in the evening. Moulin’s Mansion is opening again this evening.”

With eyes wide she asked. “For real?” Dem nodded and left.

Moulin is one of their blockmates back in college who has this gorgeous mansion just miles away from them. Not a typical college life Moulin is not a party goer it just happened that she was away from the states for a long time now and coming back. They are not that close, just blockmates with some of Dem’s subjects but Moulin loves to interact with people and she is one of them.

She never did feel the laziness circling in her entire body at that moment. She as well took the opportunity to go and be wasted for sometime. She needs something to take her thoughts away from her mind before she feels more exhausted waiting for a response. Hoping also that tomorrow will be as great as today.

“Dem!” she shouted from her window down to Dem who was just sitting and chilling in the hood of her car.

“What?”

“Black or Red?” she asked, she even let her dress out the window.

“Red!”

She yelled back and pointed at the right where the said dress is.Just that, Aryn went in and put away the other dress back to where it came from and fixed the other one to be its best and carefully laid it down on her bed.

“I can’t believe I’ll be going out again to party,” she whispered to herself while staring intently on the dress in front of her.

Blue knitted sweater from her birthday and a navy blue bell-bottoms partnered with a white rubber shoes is her outfit of the day contrasting the colors of autumn she don’t mind match it with the season. She went downstairs and saw the two new employees carefully entertaining customers.

—

“Johan is not here. Hmm!~” I murmur under my breath. I shrugged although I should have known where that kid go or else both of us will be in trouble. So, the only solution I have is to text the kid about his whereabouts, so I won’t go to Mr. Harold to ask for him.

I went out and went to Dem. I really didn’t know that Dem got her car now. It is old but still functional, she just doesn't go around it because it is, again, old to drive around but not today— I guess.

“Ain’t this cute Levi!” I said, cooing like I coo a child but reality it is just a car and it is named ‘Levi’.

“Don’t cook my child like that. You look ugly!” she teased. “Aww! What was that for!?”

“You deserved it!” I teased back.

“Whatever! Better go inside or I go without you,”

“Fine, stupid lady!”

She rolled her eyes at me and started the car. You can hear the age of her car from now on. I am excited and also nervous because of the ‘what ifs’ on my mind.

“Look who’s eager to go out today!”

I glared at her. “What?”

“You look eager to go out. I wonder why?”

“I am just finding wonders,” I replied. My house can’t be seen in the rear mirror anymore as we are getting far from it. Driving to the back of the old church will just take us some minutes depends if we going to be stuck on a traffic jam but it is definitely alright because blocks away we can’t bring the car to the market anyways— we still need to walk to get there.

“I am hoping not many people are in the market today,” said Dem.

I shook my head. “I doubt that Dem. It’s not like we are new here. We know this even if blindfolds on,”

“Yeah! You’re right.”

Traditional market or the main market is open every Saturday at the back of the old church or in the back of the Saint Catherine Church. It is France’s largest wooden church, built in the 15th century and covered in Chestnut shingles.

“Wonder if there are Chestnuts available in there,” said the Chestnut lover.

“It is autumn, of course there will be,” I replied. “It is harvest time anyways.”

“I’m excited!”

I can’t help but find her cute. Dem is naturally cute when it comes to chestnuts. Last time we asked for each other's favorite season, I always got it correct from just her favorite nut, which everybody seems to know now. Well, autumn here means the main harvesting time and we celebrate chestnut day in late october, where when that nut is fried and roasted its aroma envelops the streets of cities and villages.

Remember the things we did in our secondary year where we saved up pocket money to buy ‘Mont Blanc Dessert’ whenever the day came. It is much more delicious when the real season for that has come and it is much cheaper when it is seasonal, I believe.

A view of a gorgeous building that is built of pure woods with chestnut shingles, the ‘essenes’, the 19th century stained glass windows that is truly a sight to behold and its own beautiful bell tower that is abit built away and was built by sailors in the late 15th century. Its roof resembles an upturned boat as people observe. Ain’t quite connected that we are also near the waters? It is majestic!

“It is getting noisy!~” Dem sang. Looking to my left and saw that stalls full of products have already been set up and it is the main market— of course there are many people even though it is still in the morning.

“Damn! Let’s go there!” I said pulling her with me as I saw a stall of magical crafts, and classic books. It won’t hurt seeing some of those, they are rare nowadays.

“Bonjour, mes demoiselles!” An old lady with a hunch back greeted us cheerfully as the sun.

Dem looked at me and whispered in my ears. “Ain’t the lady too familiar?”

“Too familiar?” I asked confusedly. I do not remember encountering her or one like her whenever we go on trips or walks.

She looked at me with a ‘Are you serious?’ face, and I just responded with ‘What? And Why?’ face.

“Disneys,” she said. “Snow white, and Poisonous apple..” Dem continued giving much more examples when the first word she said made me get what she was saying.

“Okay, enough!”

“Are you guys not buying?” the lady who was looking at us for a long time now spoke.

“Ahh yes!” I forced a smile.

I pinched Dem’s waist to make her stop blabbering gibberish things. I am continuing this embarrassment while the lady just gave back a smile.

I pointed whatever my eyes can see and my heart feels. It is something in a dusty old tote bag and I know it will be magical.

“You have a great taste!”

“Oh! Thank you!” I replied. “But what is in there?”

The old lady put the bag down for me to see what’s inside of it.

“Ah yes! These are from my daughter who loves to give a glimpse in the dark night sky to see those lights above beautifully and clearly, not a naked eye can give,”

“Can I get a hold of it?”

“Sure! You are free to give it a try or to assemble it,”

“Thanks!” I said and started to assemble this majestic telescope. It is a metallic brown and the lens can be adjustable with the lens that is packed neatly in the wooden box with a metallic flowery design. The brand is engraved but it is now covered in dust as it is old.

“Hey! I thought you had one in your house, Aryn!” Dem spoke pointing at the telescope I have in my hands. “She finished talking, ahuh!”

“Really? I never know,”

I looked at the woman and gave her a half smile. “Will you still buy it?” The woman asked me with a hopeful voice.

“Of course. How much is it?”

“€8 and 50 cents for all of this,” she said.

I looked at her not believing that this whole set cost only that much so I gave her a 10, that's all I can give because I am broke too. ‘I really need to find a job and work my ass off’

I thanked the lady and bid her goodbye. I hope she can sell more today. We went around to some more stalls to buy something, it is more of a random thing for Dem than for me. I actually stopped buying after I spent €25 of my savings. For Dem, I really don’t know, maybe she spent more or less €50 for some decorations.

“I am starving!” she said.

My mouth twisted as I thought of a restaurant nearby the market. I feel the craving of my stomach on seafood.

I elbowed her on her side gently and suggested. “What if we go there?”

“Where?”

“There at the ‘Seafood House’,” I pointed at the long stall with a variety of orange shades with less than 10 people going around the stall. They also have tables and chairs set up behind the counter where they cooked the seafood.

“I should be eating ramen today, but damn! You are making me crave seafood!” she pouted when I ruined her cravings for today. Well, I can’t help that they are cooking it so good that the aroma of it is pulling towards their stall.

“That’s what I do.”

We both went to the stall and a blond lady greeted us good afternoon. She also introduces us to the fishes they are serving for today.

“We prepare fresh, fried and smoked fish, you just choose in here if what are your ordered fishes and what way do you like your fish to be cooked,” she instructed and gave us a paper where we could write what we want. “And feel free to sit. Thank you!”

“Thank you too!”

We both went and chose the seats beside this wall with plants on it. I put my attention back to the long, thicker menu I am holding to see their options, so that we can eat because I am feeling hungry too.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“Well…They have here a Salmon, Tuna, Oysters, Scallops, Mussels,” Dem pointed out the menu. I think we look like lost hungry girls for not being able to choose easily, but I saw Dem having a hard time too and her eyes kept on sparkling and salivating at the pictures.

“Hi excuse me! Good afternoon to you mademoiselles!” We are greeted by Alejandro who is, I believe, one of the crew in this stall or maybe a chef.

“So do you guys want to have a little tour over the seafoods of Normandy?” he asked with a little high energy here and there. He looks like he has so much energy and it is as expected when the sun is still up anyways.

“Oh really?” My eyes beam in surprise and anticipation on what will be happening next. “But how?”

Mr. Alejandro takes that as a green light to pull out his iPad out of his apron which makes my surprise doubled. “There was a long deep apron pocket there. He can be a human doraemon, if ever.” This would be listed in a random thought list because of how random it is.

“Let’s start, shall we?” Both of us nodded our heads after he set up his iPad on our table and went into some things there and we are now watching an introduction to their cuisines serving in the house.

“We don’t only have seafood cuisine coming from Honfleur but all the other cities in different departments of Normandy, we are also bringing and serving here,” he began.

“We have Shellfish like clams, scallops and crabs from Granville of Manche. Also still from there, we serve Granvillaise Galette with Scallops and Cream. From Honfleur, we, of course, do have the ‘Petite Grises’ or the small but really tasty shrimps. From Saint Vaast and Barfleur we do have their French Oysters and Mussels, respectively, as good and as fresh as the customers want..”

The guys keeps on introducing us some more of seafoods from different communes. It seems like we are in tour but more focusing on the food section. The same man went back to us and he finally serves our food.

We left immediately when we felt tiredness going up our system after we ate a bit too much(?) of seafood.

—

“Hey what are we doing here..like again?” I asked. Dem and I were back again in the place we went in the morning— the difference is that the sun is now setting and the moon is already can be seen from where we stand. Actually, we are now in front of a boutique.

“Well, if I will be speaking to you frankly about your chosen dress, I’d say that you should level up please,” she said with her puppy eyes, begging something from its owner.

“And why would I do that?”

“I mean please find yourself different. Give yourself a glow-up, maybe?” she suggest.

“For what?”

She looked at me like I am sort of playing games and tricks at her when I am not. “Like..please don’t tell me that you forgot?” She waved her hands in the air like she is meant something.

“You mean the party at Moulin’s?” I asked. I totally forgot, ain’t it valid that you forgot it so quick because you really do not think of it as an important celebration? I mean for me, maybe, yes.

She sighed. “Yes, the party tonight.”

I nibbled my lips and nodded while releasing a small sigh as I look up to the signage above me that is open bright and shines where it is.

The bell rings at the same time Dem open the door. The boutique is so bright and painted in pastel colors. Each section have its own color and gold accent, like for example, for shoes it has a color of pastel green.

“Hi! Good evening!” I heard Dem said across the room. She left me in front this rack full of different style of dress as she go to the front desk to get whatever it is.

“Hello ma’am!” A cheerful lady approached me as I scan the dresses. “Yikes! I don’t have a money and not in the condition to buy something. Please go back where you came from, Lady!”

She is still smiling greatly although I give my forced smile at her.

“What can I do to you?”

“Oh! Sorry, I am just looking!”

“What are you looking for? Dress that are pre-made, or our one service is that we will give you the time to think and a paper and pen to fill up our form of your dress that you want or you imagine wearing,”

“What is that? A customizable dress?” I asked.

She smiled. “If that’s what you are familiar with, then let’s go on with that.”

I nodded my head and never knew that I will be entertaining her assistance when I should be on Dem’s tail, following her around.

“But the difference in here ma’am is that we made dresses to compliment, and to give a person a persona they want. Some shop made for money, while us is for the meaning and character,” she explained. I am awed at the purpose and behind of their own creation. I am really learning things when I am with Dem, and surprisingly never knew this because I am not fond of doing around shops alone, mom will never let me too.

My smile faded when I remembered that I can do that right now when the party is literally hours from now. “But I am sorry because it seems like I can’t be able to do that though.”

The lady frowned and asked. “Why is that?”

“The party where I supposedly be wearing that dress is there is a time is tonight, like, literally hours from now,”

Her smiled faded but quickly restored and said. “That’s alright. There will be a right time for you dress and I also forget to mention that we do not rush a masterpiece in this shop.”

With that a smile on my face appeared and giggled when she sent me a wink. How fun to meet new person another wonder and feeling. It is great in my heart and mind too, I get to get a friend who works in this beautiful and unique shop.

Dem finished her errand in the front desk or the counter and asked me to choose a dress. It seems that I look good in some fitted knee length dress in black so Dem bought it for me and went back to my house to start something…new again? Maybe.