Cold Pizza, The Rights Of Children, And Au Revoir

“See, now you have to eat it cold,” the man at the table next to me said, proving his point. My 45 minute discussion with the man and his friend had left my French pizza waiting. Of course, the whole conversation started with the man pointing out that if I kept working during lunch, my pizza would get cold.

Ironically, a cultural difference I self-identified and wrote about just yesterday was pointed out to me deliberately at lunch. The nice man’s point led to a much lengthier discussion about work, lifestyle, family, culture and eventually perceptions of France, America and Europe.

But the important part – and the heart of the matter – is that if you don’t stop and take even ten or twenty minutes to just eat your lunch, you’ll spend your life eating cold pizza and letting the beauty of life pass you by.

My lunchtime friends reaffirmed many of my views of the French. They explained how Americans work too hard and have their priorities wrong. After a certain hour, turn off the cell phone. Just be at home, with your family. Give your kids your time. They’ll remember it – and in the end, when you’re gray and old, you won’t remember how amazing the emails on your PDA were, but you will remember the times with your kids.

In about seven or eight different ways, they made this point clear. They also feel that England and America don’t get it – life has to be more about living and the quality of life. “England doesn’t know anything!” the man said. “We’re always at odds with them,” said the other.

But these French gentlemen weren’t unappreciative of the value of work either. They have businesses. One said that because he owns his own store, he works more hours than anyone in a company would and that all the laws about the maximum number of hours in a work week don’t pertain to him – he has to work to make his business work.

“But there’s a time to stop. Saturday, Sunday – you give them to your children. After 9 pm, turn off the phone – no one needs to be calling you about work. You have to have a time when it all stops.”

I explained that I worked through my lunch so that I could finish earlier and go walking about Cannes during my limited time here. That won me some forgiveness.

These work-life balance advocating gentlemen also loathed the European Union. “People think they can just merge together all the countries of Europe. It can never happen, it’s not possible! It makes sense for trade and business, but not for government.” And they asked me if Americans understood that – because it was important that people outside Europe understand this.

These men are tired of footing the bill for Greece and Portugal and feel that France was and maybe is better off without the Euro. This was the third or fourth time I’ve heard this sentiment.
For my understanding of their points, my answering their questions on American points of view and practices, and my avid French conversation (one guy spoke no English at all), they bought me a limoncello to drink with them. For them it was their after-meal apéritif, for me it was a pre-cold pizza palate cleanser.

The good news is that the cold pizza was excellent either way and that French mozzarella takes mozzarella to another level. Bravo, French cows.

It seemed like a fitting experience for my last full-day in Cannes. These gentlemen summed up everything I believe the average, level-headed French person would think right down to the after meal drink.

After cold pizza and finishing my work, I did my shopping, walking and sunset routine for the last time. I walked along the streets I’ve come to know so well and thought how amazingly comfortable I’ve become in Cannes. I came here to “wait” for Emily. I hadn’t actually to expected it to feel so home-y to me. It wasn’t last time was here. But maybe between last visit and the two weeks I’ve spent here this time, I’ve come to really know Cannes and see it in a different light. I have had a little glimpse into the community and life here – and I’ve liked it very much.

I headed to one of spots that’s best for sunset viewing where I noticed a sculpture I hadn’t given much attention before. “Children Have Rights” – and it listed them. My favorite – they have the right to be helped first in an emergency or disaster. The sculpture stands right next to a large playground.

The French I’ve seen are very tender with their children. I’ve been impressed how nice people are to any child and I’ve especially noticed the sweetness and care I’ve seen parents and grandparents give their children. It made perfect sense to me that France would honor children’s rights.

My last full-day in Cannes had something very much in common with my first – they were laundry days. I waited until yesterday to bring my clothes to the laundry so that I could get the most clothes possible cleaned here. The clean laundry comes back perfectly folded, packaged and smelling like rosewater.

Nice smelling laundry had a price beyond what I paid for the service. It meant the pickings were slim in the dresser drawers. So, for the first time since I arrived, I went out not only not in jeans, but in shorts (Cannes Dress Code violation 1a) and sneakers (DCC violation 2b).

Because I had my sweatshirts laundered, I took along my jacket – meaning that by the end of the day I was wearing shorts, sneakers, a polo shirt and jacket. On my first day, and really for the first week even, I would have been mortified. I could have been asked to leave and I would have, in shame.

But yesterday, I went out boldly and assured. I was not some visiting tourist. I was Cannoise – and people around town have come to know this. So, I could have laundry day and still be allowed to eat my cold pizza, drink my limoncello, buy my wife presents and stand around for sunset near the fishermen who were dressed better than me.

As I leave France and hand over my Cannoise identity along with the key to my studio, I can say that I feel enriched. I may not have bought anything at any of the expensive clothing stores on the Rue Antibes, and I didn’t stay at the Carlton – the best looking hotel in town – but I feel wealthy. I am walking out Cannes with everything I wanted from it. I have always wanted to live in the south of France and I did, for two weeks.

Now I head very happily back to Istanbul and back to my wife – who makes anyplace she is, my home.

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