‘’I've heard you are writing a book. I did wrote one and know many publishers,’ Leni tells me. I just met this lady 5 minutes ago. Marcella gives me a smile. How is it possible that always when I go to France I randomly meet people that also wrote a book and have tips for me. Is this my sign: Chantal move to France! No, it’s more like the universe screaming to me: publish your story!
It’s the beginning of January 2022 and I’m visiting Marcella and Patrick with Roos. They are from the Netherlands but I met them while I was traveling on my own in Parc National Ecrins in France. I remember the day I met Patrick. I felt a bit sad and was writing in my diary wishing to go sportclimbing there one day. I did do hinking that day, but needed more adventure then that. But how?
And then a couple of hours later I met Patrick and he asked me: ''hey tomorrow we are doing a Via Ferrata and afterwards we will go sportclimbing. Have you ever done that? We have stuff with us, well actually only climbing shoes size 38 and a belt size S which will fit you perfectly. What shoe size do you have?’'38 I said… the rest was history.. The next day I climbed my first Via Ferrata ever in Ailefroide and it was amazing! Allthough I'm afraid of highs, I enjoyed every single second. And after that adventure we went out for sport climbing on the walls of Ailefroide. Now that was scarry! Really scarry, but cool as well.
All this happened again in France. I feel like when I'm in the mountains I manifest everything I desire in only hours. And here in the Netherlands it takes me months or years.. I mean damn for how many years am I waiting for MM. Maybe I should move to France to speed up this romantic love story. Or maybe I just keep on writing, training, taking analog pictures and hug my daughter as much as I can and then let’s see if our pats will cross again.
Okee so Patrick and Marcella live in France. Did you know you can buy a house over there for like 30.000 euro’s or even less? You will have a house and land and fresh air... and nothing else. No grocery store, no bar, no mountains.. as it’s in the north of France.
And I definitely want to live in the mountains. Not even specific in France. Just surrounded by beautiful nature. It feels so poor to live in a house with no beautiful nature close by. How can people feel rich in big houses and fancy cars and working in a job they don’t even like but just to pay these things?
I think I’m just different. I mean, it’s not to judge them, everyone likes life on it’s own terms. It's just not my way. It was a few years ago when I was having a relation with a really handsome guy. Both we had good jobs, earned a lot of money, had a huge house and a big car, fancy clothes, lots of parties, every week we went to restaurants.. but I wasn’t happy.
He even bought me super fancy and expensive heels. And I.. I just longed for the mountains.. and he definitely not.. (after me he soon married a women who liked Chanel bags.. which is fine, but I mean.. I was glad, he found someone that likes stuff like that.)
Single
So after 7 years I broke up with him, shortly moved back to Spijkenisse and then I moved to my own apartment in Rotterdam-Crooswijk. It was the first time of my life being single, so that ended up in lot’s, lot’s of partying till the next morning and lots and lots of juicy stories about men for my friends. I think I just liked the adventure. Like going into the city and not knowing how the night would end up. I just loved it very much.
I felt like I was on fire wearing my leather black motor jacket, high heels and red lipstick, I just felt on top of the world.. During the week I created stories for the newspaper and in weekends I created stories for my girlfriends and one friend called Joost. Who was just a friend for many many years knowing all of my adventures with boys. (never ever would I thought he would be the father of my child. Allthough at one point my intuition told me he would be and I know how radicicolous I thought this idea was.. I mean Joost was just Joost, not Joost the father of my child.)
So he knew all my stories like all my girlfriends knew all my stories and asked me many many times to write a book about this episode of my life. Which I definitely never ever will. (most I’ve been forgotten anyway by drinking way to much beer and wine during these nights).
Coffee Shops
But maybe I will write a book one day: how to find handsome men in Rotterdam. Step one: always work in coffee shops (not the ones where you buy weed, but where you actually buy a cup of coffee..) and just live your life on your own terms (guys like that you know) My favourite one was Coffee Company Meent that doesn’t exists anymore. It was my second home for many many years.
And I remember always talking with the handsome guy behind the counter who gave me many free coffees. Sometimes I was dating men and he knew my story about MM. So when I started dating a guy he always asked me the same question: Is his name Mountain Man? (ofcourse MM has a real name that I'm not going to mention. I mean would it be fun if Carry from Sex and the City would have told us Mister Big's real name?)
So this is how that conversation with Dex went.
Me: Uhr no, his name is not MM, but…
Dex interrups my voice: I will give this guy zero percent chance.
Me: That’s not fair, I must give this guy a chance! I say offended.
Dex give me a smile. Well okee, let's give him a chance…
And then all of a sudden....Dex: Uhm Chantal isn’t that MM entering Coffee Company? What!? I turn my head and look straight into MM blue eyes. He never comes to Coffee Company. He hates this place and thinks I need to switch to another store ‘to get out of my comfort zone..’ But the truth is, I like my comfort zone here because I know I will not randomly meet MM on a bad hair day for example.
WTF is he doing here? MM: ‘Oh I just saw you sitting here and thought I could quickly see hello. Are you doing okee?’ Yes I was one bloody second ago, but now I’m not okee, I want to reply to him, but ofcourse I say I’m totally fine. Writing this super interesting article about.. Uhm about.. sorry can’t remember.. And you?
MM: Totally fine as well. Super busy preparing a new trip to the mountains. It’s going to be so cool! I feel a tiny bit jealous wishing I had an uber cool answer like that. ‘You should join one day Chantal!’ Dex walks by and answers: Yes Chantal you should join MM one day. I give him a quick ‘shut up look’ and he walks by laughing.
MM is not aware of what is going on. To busy in his mind. Well see you again, bye! And there he goes again. I want to grab him by his arm and say: nooo let’s talk for hours. But I don’t dare.. I’m just a girl.. sitting in front of the boy… Well this is definitely not like the movie Nothing Hill, isn’t it. I should stop watching movies like that. They give you false information about our love lives.
Damn how did my article turned into about a text about MM again? Well man always have been a hot topic in my life. They just fascinate me. And especially mountain man. Who can relate? Please tell me you do to!
Okee so the life goal: make an extremely good business with my analog mountain pictures, poems and articles about adventures in the mountains. Inspire many many people worldwide to just do you and go more outside. I mean it is way more beautiful then any fancy material thing, I promise. The only material thing I will buy is a jeep, a lovely wooden cabin in the France Alps for me and Roos and then one day have MM standing in front of my cabin asking me to love him..
Lot's of love,
MW
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