Last night, I couldn't sleep. Maybe it was the chocolate I had at 9 PM... mistake... or MAYBE it was that my upstairs neighbor was listening to the TV or radio or whatever, really loudly, at 1 in the morning!!!
First, I tried closing my door really loudly. This was for two reasons: 1. I thought maybe she would hear it. 2. I thought it would help my frustrations . Well, it didn't help either. I then resorting to crying because I was tired. But this didn't even help (and I always feel better after a good cry). So then, I did what any girl could do at this point. I walked up there in my pajamas and glasses and hair a mess (and I wasn't being brave, I was SHAKING).
I knocked on the door, and waited.
I heard some moving. I started to think of french words to say, realizing I didn't know how to say what I wanted. Even if I did, I would forget it, as I do in any situation in which I become overwhelmed. (What sucks is I always get overwhelmed, forget the words, walk two steps away, calm down, and remember what to say, verbs perfectly conjugated... DARN). But anyway, this woman opens the door.
I say, "Bonsoir, um, c'est dificile pour moi de dormir avec..... avec...." (Good evening, its hard for me to sleep with....)
"Ah le radio?" "Oui, je suis desolee"(Yes, I'm sorry). This neighbor, who Beatrice knows well, and who, I know because she told me earlier, she had plans with to go swimming with today, was super nice. Apologized, and I immediately felt bad. I sat in my bed thinking, did I ruin their friendship? Will Beatrice be mad? Was I rude? Is this not ok in France? What would I do in the US in this situation? Besides speak english and be really smooth about it... obviously.
Beatrice is really good friends with her neighbors. I am actually going to be eating dinner with two of them while Beatrice is out of town in two weeks because she feels bad leaving me to eat alone every-night for a week, so they are passing me off, every other night, awkward... I digress.
Anyway, the radio was turned down, I fell fast asleep.
This morning, I was DREADING telling Beatrice what happened. When I woke up and came into the kitchen she asked me how I slept so I told her what happened. She didn't hear any of this, including me and my blind eyes fumbling with the locked front door. She told me not to worry.
My morning went by and at noon, I could hear Beatrice and Catherine talking in the building hall after swimming. "Dont come in, dont come in," I prayed. "Meghan?" Beatrice said. "This is Catherine." And that's how I awkwardly re-met the neighbor who got to see my in my pajama boxers with pickles on them at 1 AM.
But all is well. We are going to work out a system where she turns on the radio and I tell her what is too loud.
Oh, french people.
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