Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The Spanish frontier ?




This morning the conversation at the cafe under the arcades uncharacteristically muted . Everyone , beer and absinthe crowd included , avidly watching the television above the bar . Three soldiers shot dead last week and now three children and a teacher . This sort of thing doesn't happen here in deepest France Profonde .

To everyones surprise the BBC's news report , carefully dubbed into French, describes Montauban ( our departmental capital and the scene of the second shootings ) as a charming little town on the Spanish frontier. Geographically, this is a bit like saying New York is just down the road from Canada.

Despite the sombre mood Wilf still gets his half croissant and hair tousle from the waitress.
On our way home a quiet walk in the sunshine . Here by the river the days dark shadows seem a long , long, way away . The only sounds the woodpeckers, the squabbling finches and a foreigner chatting away quite happily to a small, white , polar bear trotting along by his side.

20 comments:

  1. So sorry for the loss of your neighbours. Please God, they will catch this person soon.

    Love to you and your wee white polar bear

    ReplyDelete
  2. When caught out on a geographical error, one wonders what else is not correct or maybe biased.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sadly, nowhere is totally immune from the world's troubles. But the image of you happily chatting away to Wilf, with birdsong in the background, is just as much part of reality as those dreadful shootings.
    Gail.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Heard about that on the news. They some times get the news right....but usually get the geography wrong.

    Love the visual of you and the Polar Bear walking home.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

    ReplyDelete
  5. Was thinking of you all when Toulouse hit the news. Terrible tragedy. Glad you are more likely to be Presbyterian than Jewish....

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wilfie we hope they catch the troublemaker soon. Shocking to shoot innocent children. Be careful of people on black scooters while out walking.

    Julie and Poppy Q
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Like the others, I thought of you yesterday when the 'Today Show' reported it as I was getting ready for work. Like everyone, I'm hoping those responsible are quickly found. It's times like this that you wish you could be Wilf, and be oblivious to things like this happening.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sometimes it's nice to balance out the cruelty of man with the serenity of nature.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wilf knows, given all he's been through, that there is strength within his family in the face of tragedy. Our canine companions have everything to teach us.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I felt heartsick when I heard those reports yesterday morning. The story was just hitting here when we were waking up.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am so sorry to hear about the unprecedented recent events in France. Let's hope they catch that madman/men soon. What a tragedy. Be safe.
    Sending lotsaluv to you all
    MAXMOM IN SA

    ReplyDelete
  12. I always find the quiet world of nature to be a gentle solace when the human world turns violent. I remember the morning of 9/11, being glued to the TV watching the horrors. But then I stepped outside to the sound of birds singing and squirrels chattering. They seemed unaffected.

    I'm glad that your small polar bear is feeling good.

    ReplyDelete
  13. shocking and so sad. Seems like no area is immune from crazy people. Sorry about the little ones, it seems our world is crazy when one must worry about the children even when they are at school. Shaking my head.

    ReplyDelete
  14. We too thought about our friends so close to the terrible shootings (as if there are shootings that are not terrible).

    As a contretemps to the tragedy, I was wishing I could eavesdrop on the conversation between the foreigner and the small white polar bear. I always chat with each of the Boyz on our walks, sometimes sing silly made-up songs, and hope no one besides the furry ones are listening.

    Scritches to said bear!

    Joan

    ReplyDelete
  15. senseless violence with our morning coffee and the news.
    it touches us all in spirit wherever we are.
    which means i love the foreigner and his wee white bear even more for a glimpse of peace and beauty always! and on the best of days... the driest most delightful humour in the form of happy characters that seem made up from a book in france profonde!
    you wear many hats angus.
    a bear hug to the tiniest of polar bears and his wise man,
    tammy j

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sorry to hear of the tragedy. Sadly, violence is all around us, no matter where on this green earth we are. Give that sweet delightful polar bear a long hug from us and may I just add the last picture of Wilf is the best yet! What a face! Keep on going Wilf!

    With love from your Canadian pals,
    Dianna along with Tor, Willow and Tucker

    ReplyDelete
  17. Our thoughts are in France today with such dreadful news. Hard to imagine such evil.
    However, I am struck by how wonderful Wilf is looking and this cheers me up no end.

    ReplyDelete
  18. What sad news to hear from the deepest France Profonde. Was thinking of you all when I first heard it. Hope they catch the bad people soon.
    Glad to know I'm not the only one who talks to the dog when walking !!

    ReplyDelete