lost in the laundrymat

I saw her again on my way into the city this morning. As usual, Kate patiently waited for her bus to pick her up from the border to take her into town. Thought I could help her so I stopped. Kate raced to my car to greet me. ... Meet my friend of two days!


It was one of those Friday laundrymat encounters - worthy of a film script.

From her back leant against the window pane, I could have bet she was a young man reading a book. As I swung the super market bag of smelly French cheeses for my Swiss friends over my shoulder and then into the car, I checked out his grey running shoes. The engin was still running as I peered into the small laundrymat to ask where in France he managed to buy those American shoes. The only time I had found that name brand here, was in the seconds basket of a sports store. I bought them de-taxed thanks to my small "child" size feet. They were excellent running shoes.


The gentlemen turned towards me, asked me to repeat in a soft, feminine voice. This is when I realized he was a she and she was not French. Kate has been living here since September. Straight from Lancaster County, PA, she misses interaction with other Americans and still feels somewhat stranded here. "But, what about in Geneva? There are heaps of expatriates there!" I blurted out, fully oblivious to the fact that she didn't own a car. I drove her and her washing home - a good kilometer away from the horrible industrial washing machines. "Yeah, I have lost a lot of weight since I got here cause I walk everywhere." We exchanged telephone numbers and I warned her, I am not always available to hang out, but promised her we would hook up. Kate is the first American I have seen in this border dorm-town. It was a very unique encounter making it a special one for both of us.

This morning, she was waiting for another bus to go to church in town. As it turned out, she was going in the opposite direction. Still, we chatted until I told myself the kids would appreciate some set-up in their classroom.

We might meet up tonight for Shema. I told her I would pick her up - it would avoid Kate yet another bus trip and a walk!