Paris (April 28) -- One night back when the riots were going on I was sitting quietly in subway car that was taking me home from work. It was about 11 p.m.
Suddenly a group boarded the same car and started announcing something to the other riders in the semi-crowded car. The group was behind me, so I stopped myself from turning around to get a look at the group. They're probably taking us all hostage, I remember thinking.
As the announcement went on I strained to understand any of the instructions from our captors. Luckily, you say journalist the same in French as you say it is in English.
A wave of relief.
Then I remembered reading that the rioters aren't real fond of journalists.
I couldn't understand a word they saying until I made out the very clear phrase "Knockin on Heaven's Door."
One of the members then began strumming a guitar and the other two began singing the often covered ballad.
As I exited the car at my stop the crooners had finished the abbreviated version of the song and were asking for change from the audience.
An estimated four million people ride this system that sits under city like patch of varicose veins.
Being too scared to more than walk on the streets, I now have the Metro.
My carte orange pass costs around 50 euros a month and allows me unlimited rides through this wacky underworld.
Being a student of people, I enjoy the ride.
The Metro is a equalizing environment. The subway doors slam shut on the poor just as much as the rich.
Although, I have figured out that the train drivers have rear-view mirrors that allow them to see if they are, say, dragging someone who has their foot caught in the train. I haven't seen that happen, by the way.
The most I've seen is a kid get his foot caught in the doors. He lurched his foot out of the door and the train took off.
For such a laid-back city, people love running to the train as the doors are closing. I think it's simply for the fun of it since they always laugh when they make it and usually laugh when they don't. Besides the occasional Bob Dylan covers, entertainment
in the Metro is random. There is one guy on the 6 line who has some kind of puppet show set to Cuban music. He creates a stage by pinning a blanket to the pair of poles at the front of
the car. He then hits play on his boom box and the show begins. He walks through the car afterward collecting change.
Less creative citizens in need of spare change just walk around asking for money. Some of them are really well dressed. Others are obviously crazy.
One crazy lady was laughing in a bad way and talking loudly about something that required sudden slashing motions. I switched cars at the next stop after I heard the words "guillotine" included in her rant.
In addition to being on the cars, music is also prevalent in the hallways of the Metro. Every night in the hallways of the Concorde station there is a performer who has tried out for the right to entertain people of various sobriety levels as they walk to the next train.
I know they have permission to play because they display their performer badge prominently. I'm not certain they had to navigate a bureaucratic obstacle course to get that badge, but this is France and theydo love their paperwork.
The types of performers include a female karaoke singer who would probably make more money if she let other people sing and there is a guy who plays the accordion.
But the most common performer each night in the Concorde hallway is an Asian women who plays some kind of guitar apparatus. I am pretty sure she is playing different songs each night, but they all sound like a cover of "Sweet Home Alabama" to my ears. I'm sure she'd be flattered to know that.
Hope all is well and have a good Derby if you are lucky enough to make it that way.
Take care,
Brett
