Doors. Doors. Doors.

Aix is wonderful. I love my classes, my profs & my host mammie...the only thing I absolutely am having a very difficult time with is this front door. Today I opened it twice without a problem...but those are the only two times I've ever gotten it open. Oui, c'est vrai. Je suis une idiote (Yes, it's true. I'm an idiot). Tonight I went out with some friends to see the city at night. And I was fairly confident the whole time that I wouldn't have too much of a problem getting into the house. But lo and behold I arrive home and can't get the door open. The lights in the hallway on are on a timer and they went off on me four times! I don't know what it is about this lock, but it has me stumped.

There's no handle for this door. You unlock the top bolt, and then the bottom blot, and then the door (supposedly, but only if you have the magic touch) swings gracefully open.  So I tried and tried (I felt like the Little Engine That Could, "I think I can, I think I can.") but it wouldn't budge. It's a good thing ML is a sound sleeper! So I walked outside to clear my head and to think about how to get into the house (at this time I also ruled out any residing urges to become a secret agent because I'm clearly not stealthy in the least bit and breaking into bad guys' houses would be near impossible). The first time I did this, because I had to walk outside twice because the hallway gets really warm and I didn't want to get too frustrated, I encountered this older woman who was walking back from the swimming pool (why someone would swim at midnight I don't know but I'm not judging, at least she can get inside her house) and I felt awkward asking her for help so she went on her merry way unbothered by the crazy American girl standing outside and breathing deeply.

So I tried and tried some more. And all to no avail. So I walk outside a second time. And there. On the second floor is Michel, my guardian angel. Michel was the one who got my wireless internet working in 5 minutes after I'd unsuccessfully labored away at it for over an hour. Well apparently he's just a good with keys as he is keyboards because he saved me! I walked outside, and he's out on his 2nd floor balcony (looking very angelic, but maybe that's my gratitude coming through) and he waves at me, cigarette in hand, and says "Bonjour Kate!" So I answer with, "Bonjour, Michel! Je ne sais pas quoi, mais la porte n'ouvre pas pour moi!" I think there was only one grammatical error in my request to be saved, and he came downstairs and let me into the house on his first try! Earlier today he'd walked by ML and me in the hallway with me struggling to open the door and ML patiently showing me again and again. Gettysburg, why haven't you taught me life skills like picking locks? So not only did he get my internet working, witness me struggling with the door while my 72 year old host mom made me look like I'm challenged by life in the simplest of ways, but now he's also let me into the house in the middle of the night.

It's highly possible that Michel is the greatest man in France. Actually, I'm cetain he is.