She Loved Paris

She was a virgin on the way to Paris but not on the way home

This is a true story about a young woman I met and treated to a trip to Paris to see two museums she was interested in. It goes on for quite a few pages before even hinting at sex so unless you are willing to suffer though my feeble attempts at being a tour guide this probably isn't for you.

*

I'm Chuck Langdon, a thirty-two year old artist and finally decided to take a couple of weeks off and just relax. I wasn't taking any paints, brushes or canvas; it was just going to be a mini vacation from everything I do week in and week out. A few years back I invested in a small log cabin up in the woods of Maine for just such a holiday and I was on my way.

I was on a plane heading for Portland, Maine from Philadelphia and the plane wasn't even half full. An hour into the flight I accidently made eye contact with a very pretty young woman sitting in the same row I was in but she was in the middle row of seats. We exchanged smiles but when she got up to use the lavatory she stopped and we chatted a minute or so about the bumpy flight. On her way back to her seat she stopped again and since there were two unused seats next to me I invited her to join me. Who knew where it would lead.

She introduced herself as Amy and was twenty-four and was heading up to her sister's place in a small town halfway between the airport and my cabin. She was going to rent a car but when I offered to give her a ride in my rental she cancelled her idea of renting one and chose to take me up on my offer of a ride.

Our conversation ranged all over the place and when she heard I was an artist she went a little bonkers.

"I love art and am taking some art courses in college and am hoping to get a job in that field when I graduate."

"That's great. Just keep plugging away and you'll make it." I answered.

One thing led to another and she asked if I had ever sold any of my work. To an artist that is subject better left unasked. But I had sold a lot so I just had to brag a bit and answered in the affirmative.

She asked my name and every passenger anywhere near us had to hold their ears for the screech she let out when I answered her.

"Chuck, you aren't going to believe this but a lot of your work was shown in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City last year and I attended the show. Holy shit, what a coincidence."

"Well, I hope you enjoyed the show. It was very well attended and I was able to sell almost every piece."

"Oh my God, meeting someone as famous as you in the field I am studying is going to be in my memory forever."

She was getting me embarrassed and I just laughed a bit.

She wasn't going to let up on this conversation about art and when I asked her if she had ever visited Paris to see two of the most famous art museums in the world ; The Louvre and the Musée d' Orsay, she almost flipped out.

"Oh how I wish I had. They house some of my favorites." And with that she began to list the pieces she was in love with that were on display in those two museums.

"Why don't you go and see them?" I asked. She just looked at me and gave the universal sign for money by rubbing her thumb and index finger together.

"I went through the trouble of getting my passport last year but then found that I was too short of cash to make the trip. I still always carry the passport with me hoping that someday I'll win the lottery and get to go over to Gay Paree."

The plane was in its landing pattern and I asked if she would like to grab a bite to eat before we headed north in my rental car. Just in case she was short of cash I said, "My treat"

She almost jumped out of the seat saying that she would love to.

We grabbed our luggage from the carousel and I signed up for the rental car and were on our way to a little restaurant a few miles from the airport I had enjoyed on another trip.

While waiting for our food she began to rattle off the names of the paintings and sculptures that she loved that were on display in the Paris museums and it was obvious she knew more about them than I did and that gave me a huge kick.

When we had finished eating and were sipping our coffee I made an offer:

"Amy, as I told you I had sold almost all of the work I had on display at the MOMA show and came away with a ton of money. Your love and knowledge of art has encouraged me to make you an offer but I'm hoping you aren't going take what I'm about to say the wrong way. I would be happy to take you to Paris to see those museums and the art work you have been talking about. The whole trip will be on me, airfare, hotel, food etc. etc. I'll even throw in a thousand for you to get any clothes you might think you needed for such a trip."

The look on her face led me to believe I had just made a huge mistake . She looked down at the table and when she brought her face up to look at me there were tears pouring down her cheeks.

"What you just said tells me you think I am some kind of whore. I'm not. In fact, I'm a virgin."

I knew I had made a terrible mistake but it really was unintentional so I tried to solve the problem with,

"Amy that came out all wrong so let me try and make my offer clearer. I said I would take you to Paris and that must have made you think I wanted you to accompany me as if we were boyfriend /girlfriend. Nothing could be further from the truth. I simply thought that if I were with you I would be able to explain some of the things the artists did to get the effects they had mastered. Just to clear the table of the negative connotations you read into what I had offered let me make it simpler. I would be happy to fund a trip to Paris for you without me being along. Your interest in art has me fascinated and the only thing I would ask is that when you return from the trip we get together and have you tell me all about your visit to the museums."

"Why would you do something so generous?" she asked as she was wiping away her tears.

"Well, since I am in that field and it has been so good to me financially I thought it would be sort of a payback from me to a new artist. If you would rather not go just forget I even offered and let's go jump in the rental car and we'll be on our way."

We were well on our way without another word coming out of her.

Finally she asked,

"When do you think we could go?"

"Well, the sooner the better. I was planning to be up here for two weeks but I could easily cut that short and only stay here for a couple of days and then head back to Phila. I have spent a bunch of time in those museums and don't think you could spend more than two and a half days in the Louvre and a day and half in the de Orsay without being bored out of your mind. But since we would have already made the trip across the Atlantic it would be a huge waste if you didn't also stop and see some of the other touristy things Paris is famous for: Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Sacré Coeur, a cruise on the Seine, the Arc de Triomphe just to name a few. I'd say if we allocated five days for the museums and seven for sightseeing plus a couple of days for travel two weeks should more than be enough.."

I have plenty of time off so that's not a problem." She answered.

"Well, how about I drop you off at your sister's and then I'll continue up to my place. After a few days I'll come back and pick you so we can fly down to Philadelphia to let me clear up a couple of business things that need some attention. We should be able to catch a flight to Paris from Phila. a week from now. I'll leave a credit card with you here for you to get the clothes you think you'll want. How does all of that sound?"

"It sounds great but I still can't believe your offer. It's like something out of a fairy tale."

"Well believe it. In a few weeks you will be the expert in all the art you will have seen in Paris." I said laughingly.

"Chuck, I am still not sure what you expect out of this. I told you I am a virgin so if you are thinking I am going to pay you back with a lot of sex you are wrong."

"Amy, you won't have to pay me back for anything. If you want to have sex that is an entirely different and separate matter. OK?"

"I still think I am in a dream." She said with a bubble in her voice.

I phoned my secretary from the cabin and had her make all of the flight arrangements as well as getting me a suite in a Paris hotel I had stayed at numerous times on earlier trips. I told her to get a suite that had a bedroom with TWO queen sized beds but I didn't want to see that fact on any of the reservation documents I was going to have her leave at my condo.

The trip up to my cabin and then back down to pick her up and the flight to Phila went fine. We had arrived back in Phila at nine AM and our flight to Paris was at six that night so I had plenty of time to pack and take care of some business stuff and then take her to grab one of Philly's famous cheesesteak hoagies. They are unbelievable.

Our flights were going to take us from Phila up to LaGuardia airport in New York and then a change of planes to Charles de Gaulle airport in France. The flight from NY to Paris is a little over six hours so we will be dragging when we arrive unless we can get some sleep on the flight.

The flights went perfectly and we both got some sleep and the hotel had their shuttle waiting for us at baggage claim.

Now was going to be the interesting part when I had to tell Amy they put us in one big suite together but it had two queen sized beds in the bedroom area. I was going to tell her there apparently was a music festival going on in the city and every hotel worth a damn was booked solid.

When the shuttle dropped us off in front of the hotel I had her take a seat in the lobby while I went up to the desk to check us in. I spent more than a usual amount of time at the front desk before going back to her and giving her the made-up story about the suite they put us in was the only one available but it had two queen beds. I told her it was a two room suite and if us sleeping in the same room was a problem I could sleep on the sofa in the sitting room and give her the bedroom for herself. She assured me that as long as there were two beds that it would be OK. Whew, one major potential problem handled.

After going to the room and unpacking I suggested we go out to a nearby restaurant that I loved and have breakfast. We could then plan our trip.

The maître de recognized me as soon as we walked in the door and that impressed Amy to no end. His name is Jacque so when we gave each other big hugs Amy went ballistic.

She laughed saying "the next thing we know he'll ask for your autograph."

"Oh hell, I gave him that on one of my earlier visits." And she punched my arm while laughing.

We had finished breakfast and were sipping our coffee when Jacque came over to the table with a lovely woman in tow.

"Mssr. Langdon, I just had to tell Marie what a famous artist we had in our restaurant this morning and she begged me to introduce her to you. I hope you won't be angry with me."

Amy was almost choking with the --- I told you so look all over her face.

"Not at all Jacque. It's very nice to meet you Marie." I said as politely as I could.

"Permit me to introduce both of you to Amy. She's a very important art student in the States." and with that Amy's blush started at her neck and went all the way to her hairline in a second. She nodded politely and Jacque took her hand and gently kissed the back of it in true French fashion. That almost had Amy stuttering.

Well, the visit from Marie only lasted a few minutes and Jacque finished it off with "Mssr. Langdon would you please favor Marie with your autograph?"

Playing the big shot to the hilt I said "No problem. Marie, if you have a camera you could have my good friend Jacque take your picture with me."

She almost messed herself running back to her table to get her camera and Jacque was beaming with my 'Good friend Jacque' statement.

Amy was smiling up a storm and said, "That was a very nice thing to do. She'll remember it forever.'

"Yeah but it costs me a lot to have people come over and ask for my autograph."

Amy roared and that earned me another punch in the arm from her.

I suggested, and she agreed, that for our first day in Paris we would take a cab over to Notre Dame and after seeing it we could casually walk along the Seine to the Eiffel Tower and go up to the third landing and see the city from that level. I had been there before and it really provides a spectacular view of the city.

There is a fantastic first class restaurant on the second level, Le Jules Verne, that I planned to surprise her with for dinner. After dinner, if we were still able, a sightseeing boat cruise on the Seine would be a perfect end to the first day.

She got a big kick out of Notre Dame and loved the walk along the Seine especially seeing the booksellers along the wall of the street level. We had lunch at a little place on the street that runs along the upper level of the Seine and enjoyed the ambience and conversation and she was almost speechless as she saw the cruise boats on the river. I promised her we would take a cruise but it was far better to take it at night when all of the floodlights are on at the various buildings along the banks.

The elevators at the Eiffel Tower whisked us to the top with no delay. I had been there a couple of times before and had to suffer with long lines of tourists waiting for the elevators. Not today; right to the top with no problem.

We took one of Paris's Metro trains back to the hotel and I must say I am impressed every time I get on one. They are spotless without one iota of graffiti.

"Amy how about having a glass of wine or something stronger in the hotel lounge before we go up and dress for dinner. I'd like to hear your impression of your first day in Paris"?

"Great. I'm busting to tell you Mssr. Chuck." She said enthusiastically and with a devilish twinkle in her eyes and her French accent doing her imitation of Jacque.

As soon as we went into the hotel lounge I ordered drinks and then excused myself. I quietly went to the concierge in the lobby and asked him to make reservations for two at the Jules Verne restaurant in the Eiffel Tower for seven- thirty. About ten minutes later he walked through the lounge and gave me a thumbs-up when Amy's back was to him. Great. My twenty Euro tip had worked its usual wonders.

We had more than one glass of wine but listening to Amy talk about all she had seen that day was enlightening. She got a big rush out of the maître de at the restaurant recognizing me and then making such a fuss over me with the other woman. I never bothered to tell her I travel to Paris at least once a month on art work so I do get to know a good few of the locals.

Notre Dame impressed her but the Eiffel Tower took the cake. She couldn't stop talking about the size of it.

It was almost five by the time we made it up to the suite but we still had plenty of time before we would have to leave for dinner.

It was time for me to tell part of what I had planned. "Amy, I have a little bit of a surprise about dinner. I won't tell you all about it right now but I will say that I am going to have to change out of my jeans and polo shirt and put on a shirt and tie along with a pair of wrinkle proof slacks and a blue blazer. That will give you some idea of what you should think of wearing."

"You rat. C'mon help me out. What should I wear?"

"OK but you have to promise not to ask for my autograph." I joked.

"I saw you unpacking and I saw a nice pair of black slacks as well as a very sleek grey turtle neck that would look great with the burgundy jacket I saw you hang up. Voila, there you are. I won't charge much for my suggestions."

We really did look pretty neat when we hit the hotel lobby and the concierge gave us a nod of approval.

When the taxi dropped us off at the Eiffel Tower and I steered us over to the private elevator for the restaurant she had her eyes raised a mile and said, "But we were here today. We didn't have to come back before dinner."

"Hush, just smile and look pretty."

When the private elevator let us off at the Le Jules Verne restaurant and the maître de welcomed us by calling me by name and then saying that he had seen some of my works at one of the cities art galleries Amy almost flipped.

She almost stuttered as she said, "Chuck, I never dreamed you were as well known. I feel as if I am having a date with a real celebrity."

"Amy to tell the truth I am more than just a little embarrassed. You see I have never been to any of these places with someone else. How about we just forget all of that crap and just be Amy and Chuck?"

"Wow, you are making me feel real special." She let out in a very low voice.

"You are real special." I replied.

She just stared at me.

Well, we were seated at a window table and the view was terrific and the food and the wine were great so I'd have to say the dinner was a complete success.

It was almost ten by the time we were finished with dinner and as we were going down in the elevator I said that while we could go over and take a Seine boat cruise right then but I thought it would be better to save that for another day. We could walk over and watch the boats dock and undock but we'd had a long day and after a little while we could get a cab back to the hotel. We could finish off the day with a cognac at the hotel's lounge. She gave my hand a squeeze and said she thought that was a super idea.

The walk over to the boat launching area is really short and I noticed as we took our first steps in that direction she had reached down and took my hand. Who knows where this is going to lead.

We did finish off the day with a couple of cognacs and then went up to the suite where everything went very well. The hotel is one of those that provide very warm and fluffy robes for the guests so they solved some of the privacy issues I knew Amy was thinking about.

The next day was earmarked for the Louvre. We had breakfast in another restaurant close to the hotel and then made our way over to the museum. She was in her glory as we entered the museum through the glass pyramid entrance. It didn't take her long to find the way to the Mona Lisa exhibit but she was sadly disappointed when we got up to it only to find that they have been so worried about vandalism that it is now behind a number of layers of bulletproof glass. The greenish tint of the glass spoils the natural beauty of the painting.

Amy had her heart set on seeing a few of the well-known pieces such as Venus and Winged Victory and she led us to them after gazing at the Mona Lisa but there are thousands of other works of art that captured her interest. I stood back on most of those and just let her look till she was satisfied. Keeping in mind that the Louvre has so many things on display that it is said that if you only spent twenty seconds looking at each of them you would have a tough time seeing them all in almost a year.

Well by lunch time I was exhausted and she was still going strong. We had a sandwich and a soft drink at one of the cafés in the place and she hardly said a word while we were eating but was concentrating on the guide book she had bought as soon as we had entered the museum. Oh shit, we had another half day here this afternoon and then another day and a half before we were finished with it and then we had the Musée de Orsay. I should have just let her visit these places on her own. I had to change these plans or I would be dead with exhaustion.

"Amy, I have an idea that will give us a break from walking this whole place in a couple of packed days. How about if we leave here now and go and see some of the art galleries the city has to offer. We could then go back to the hotel for a little nap before going to dinner at one of the sidewalk cafes the city is famous for. By then it will be dark and we would be ready for our boat cruise on the Seine. What do you say?"