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"Okay" I pull out e numbers "You never told hs at that "No, I didn’t I am Modou Mjodi And I never learned your na"

"I know My name is Allyson, but Céline will know me as Lulu"

He looks perplexed "Which is correct?"

"I’s a little, takes my hand, kisses my cheeks twice, and then he bids me adieu

It’s only lunchtime when I leave Modou, and with no idea when I will see Céline, I feel oddly relieved, like I’ve been given a reprieve I hadn’t really planned on being a tourist in Paris, but I decide to do it I brave the Metro and get off in the Marais quarter and go to one of the cafés along the beautiful Place des Vosges, where I order a salad and a citron pressé, adding plenty of sugar this ti for the waiter to kick me out, but he leaves et a ridiculously expensive erine, like the last whispers of a sunset I eat it and walk, in and out of the narrow streets, through a lively Jewish section, full of Orthodox men with black hats and stylish skinny suits I snap a few pictures for my mom and text theet a kick out of it Then I wander around looking at the boutiques, gazing at clothing I can barely afford to touch When the salesladies ask me in French if I need help, I answer in French that I ao back to Place des Vosges and sit down in the park inside the square A with their babies and the old arettes, I write therandmother, one to Dee, one to Kali, one to Jenn, one to Café Finlay, one to Carol And then, at the last minute, I decide to write one to Melanie too

It’s kind of a perfect day I feel totally relaxed, and though I’m undoubtedly a tourist, I also feel like a Parisian I’m almost relieved that I haven’t heard fro up for dinner, and I’ ready to make my way back to the hostel when my phone chirps It’s from Modou Céline will be at the club after ten o’clock

I feel like thevibe of the afternoon disappears behind a storm cloud It’s only seven I have several hours to kill, and I could gofor dinner, but I’et to the club at nine thirty and stand outside, the heavy bass thu my heart pound She’s probably already there, but it feels like being early is so the stylishly edgy Parisians with razored haircuts and angular clothes filter into the club I look down at myself: khaki skirt, black T-shirt, leather flip-flops Why didn’t I dress for battle?

At ten fifteen, I pay o in The club is packed, and there’s a band on the stage, all heavy guitars and a violin screeching feedback, and the tiniest Asian girl singing in this high, squeaky voice All alone, surrounded by these hipsters, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so out of place, and every part ofme to leave before I make a fool of myself But I don’t I haven’t coht reet hilass of wine When I try to pay, he waves the bill away, and immediately, I feel better

"Ahh, Céline is there," he says, pointing to a table up front She sits, alone, watching the band with a strange intensity, the s witchily around her

I walk over to her table She doesn’t acknowledgeon the band I stand next to the open chair waiting for her to invite ive up I pull the chair out and sit She gives arette, and blows s Then she turns back to the band

We sit there, listening We are sitting right up close to the speakers, so the sound is extra deafening;It’s hard to tell if she’s enjoying theShe just stares and smokes

Finally, when the band takes a break, she looks at me "Your name is Allyson" She pronounces it Aleeseesyoohn, which makes it sound ridiculous somehow, an SUV of an American name with too many syllables

I nod

"So, not French at all?"

I shake my head I never claimed it was

We stare at each other, and I realize she won’t givefor Willeuns blazing, French spouting, butback to the coarette and blows more sood friends"

"He said that? No I aine in ay she would think she is even re two X chro alike?"

"I airls There are many of us"

It’s not like I didn’t know this about hi it out loud, fro elevator

"So you don’t knohere he is?"

She shakes her head

"And you don’t knohere I can find him?"

"No"

"And would you even tell oes up into that perfect arch as smoke curls out of her mouth

"Can you even tell me his last name? Can you tell me that much?"