26 oct

Talking about comunities. Went out for a late evening stroll. When I was approaching centre ville there was the welcoming sound of live music and lovely chatter. Turned out that Bar du Commerce had something of a party going. The friendliest music, which I did not reckognize and would describe as slightly Latin American, but the with french words to the songs. Well in fact there was not much text. Just fun music produced by a trumpet, a clarinet, a piano, guitar and drums. At one point they handed out drumsticks to the audience so everybody could participate in a song that was jolly, had an easy rythm that was interrupted now and then with the whole crowd shoutin ‘pain’, or something like that.
There were about a hundred people there. From babies to little kids and teenagers to grand old grannies. And everybody was dancing at some point. I guess everybody would have danced all the time except the dance floor was tiny and at the long tables people were still eating – it was after 11 pm – and chatting on.
The atmosphere was so generous and warm that I could not help to sit there with a big smile, drinking some beers. I mean drinking something of some beers. Everytime I put down my glass someone else would think it was theirs and happily take it away. The owner of the bar also had a great time, he came over to this unknown guest, shook my hand with his both hands, said some nice words, I think, and walked on when I said: ‘c’est tres agreeable ici’. I guess he had hoped for some more enthusiastic description than the word agreable, but it is the word that describes the gentle comfort that I felt.
I was also absorbed by the dancing. There was a couple that kind of hogged the dancefloor. They danced some kind of rock and roll, but with little joy and constantly struggling to count where they were in their dance, they were in mid fifties. He had long hair, at least the part of his hair that was still left. It was long and strung in a ponytail. He had lots of tatoos that might have looked good when he was in his twenties and still had some more muscles and a smooth skin.
She had a desparate look in her eyes. She probably dreaded the end of each song. With good reason. Her partner thought it a good idea to end each song with lifting her op, turning her around, waiting till her dress had dropped to the floor and in that way exposing some her bare legs and some pants (underpants) that would have aroused Hugh Grant in the Bridget Jones movies. It wass not a pretty sight, embarassing really, although nobody seemed to notice. But she knew. It didn’t help her that each song only lasted one and a half minute I would guess and her partner would refuse to go off the dancefloor.
But then, there were the cutest five year old girls dancing with their great aunts, lovely flirting between teenagers, laughs and laughs and laughs everywhere. The perfect way to spend a friday evening. Might have to go and look tonight if the band is playing again. I want to take Julie in her fancy dress. I know a great finale for our dance.