1. Maid in France

April 1-5, 2002 I am now on my fifth day as a highly paid (I eat a lot) consultant for an antiques dealer in Paris. I'm staying in the guest room of Marc and Daisy's 300 year old home just outside of Paris. I know Marc and Daisy (proprietors of Marc Maison Antiquities) through my mom's antiques business. They offered me room & board in exchange for helping them with their web site. Having just finished 12 years at an Internet start-up, I had nothing better to do. So here I am. My bathroom features a gold gilt sink. Should you ever find yourself with a gold gilt sink, do not to leave the soap in the sink overnight. It results in less gold gilt and a very abrasive bar of soap. I love breakfasts here at the house. We slurp coffee out of bowls. I've been working each day at Marc & Daisy's warehouse near their shop in the Paris Flea Market. This market, known by its denizens as "Les Puces", features 2,500 antique dealers located back-to-back throughout a maze-like neighborhood on the edge of Paris. Pierre and Richard have a warehouse around the corner. Pierre and Richard are two antique dealing brothers that I first met 25 years ago when they were selling antiques out of a barn in Normandy. They are good friends of Marc and Daisy, and the five of usually have lunch together. The four of them tease each other, and sometimes me, using words I do not understand. Adding to the mix is Pierre's 20-something year old son, Alban, who also has a shop in Les Puces. Alban sells 20th Century decorative arts. 20th Century decorative arts are in fashion. As is Alban. Our gang of antiquaires has been busy preparing for this weekend's trilogy of antique shows (3 shows in 3 cities in 3 days) in the south of France. Marc, Daisy, Pierre, Richard, and I will be flying down. David and Christophe, who work for Marc Maison, will be driving the truck with the antiques to sell. And Alban will be taking the train with his girlfriend. We leave tomorrow. But today is my day off, and I'm home alone. Just me and a real-life French maid ... [To keep reading, use the menu on the top left of the page.]