Inter-Metz-O

I am in Metz once again. Still contemplating many things and none. FNAC has been invaded and I have managed to exit with minor damages. This city is fast being adopted by myself... I somehow fit in very nicely... and I love the people remarking about my lovely accent (especially the shop assistants).

Christmas shopping and freezing conditions are optimal for meditating on where you are at in life. I never believed in pressies but it is one of the social obligations that I never really managed to wriggle out of. Meanwhiule I keep meeting kids. Most of Melanie's friends have them. Kids. And they are fascinating in their honesty and in their distinct inability to fully "conform" to the social mores.

Thus Benjamin believes that the toilet is the most fascinating part of the restaurant... particularly when the music is Enigma's Sadeness. Thomas is too eager to read anything that he can find and proceeds to demonstrate his Masters in Menu Deciphration. And then there's Theo. Theo who will endlessly repeat the word hamburger (it sounds strange to a French kid) and rejoice on every level change in Prince of Persia on his mum's mobile.

What they all have in common is their blatant honesty. They will tell you what they like and what they do not like without much qualms about politeness, social rules and political correctness. I miss their honesty when I am in the company of those who call themselves my friends. People living on hearsay, heardo and the latest hairdo. People building clichès about you and never knowing when to let go. The incessant race of bettering your neighbour. The false hellos, all is well and good bye. The "Kif Int?" generation which does not really care if you were dying of triple heart failure. The more time passes the more the masks of society are burdensome and irking.

The worst part is that having seen through this long ago I do not really care... I have stopped trying to play along to their amusing acts. Spades will always remain spades in my corner of the world. I just want to play....

Life.... If it's in the game...It's in the game.

INSERT COIN.

OFF TO DO MORE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING.