A single White Rose

I didn't end up being able to go to my Nana's funeral in Ireland on Tuesday and so instead I took myself out on a day trip in her memory. I endured a French mass on Monday evening and lit a candle for her next to the statue of St Augustine in my local Church and yesterday I went to Abbaye Royaumont North of Paris and I laid a single white rose at the ruins of the Church. I had a beautiful day which I will save for myself except to tell you of one incident on my way there...

Walking the 5kms from the station to the old monastry, headphones blaring, sun shining, just me, my thoughts and I imagine my Nana at my side, my peace is suddenly interrupted by an almighty barking. I see the glaring face of an Alsatian staring at me through the bushes. I do not see the flimsy fence that holds it in at first. It jumps closer to me and I close my eyes, jump out of my skin screaming and hit the barrier that stops me from running straight into the road. I look back as it barks and barks and see that the reason it hasn't as yet killed me is that there is a green, wiry fence between us. I begin to run away and scream some more. My first scream had been automatic and had done nothing to calm the beast, these ones were more desperate and like all French men, seemed only to goad the thing on. Shaking I ran along the path, the dog following me, jumping at the fence. I am convinced he will get through any second. I look down, I bashed my rose against the fence and a petal has fallen into my fingers. I cry. And then I look up and see a man in a white van and I laugh, in order to save face. And I look at my hands as I carry on walking and see they are shaking terribly. Wouldn't that be funny, I think, I miss one funeral only to make it to my own. I have never been more scared in my life.

I carried the broken petal with me and placed it in a different spot nearby the rose, so as to give Nana two options instead of one.