One of the big events of the year—at least for those participating—at the high school in New Jersey where I work as an English teacher is the annual trip to Paris for the French Club, which is composed of students who have taken French for two or more years.
The cost of the six-day trip in May after all the student discounts is around $1,000 each, which is usually paid by the parents or by the students with money they earn. In addition to the French teacher, Ms. Manet, usually a couple of parents go along as chaperons and any other teachers who want to—as long as they are willing to pay their own fare. I had always volunteered as a chaperon since I loved Paris, and this was the least expensive way to go.
This year, twelve students would be going, eight girls and four boys. One of the students was Michelle Baker, a beautiful long-haired 18-year-old blond of about five-foot seven who also was the top student in my English class. Ms. Manet happened to mention to her that I had already been to Paris seven times since I once worked as a travel writer, and as a result, Michelle gave up her lunch half hour many days to eat a sandwich in my otherwise empty room and hear about Paris.
I told her about walking around Montmartre, where Van Gogh had lived; I told her about the Latin Quarter; I told her about the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomph; I told her about the Paris Opera House; I told her about the Bateaux Mouche boats on the river Seine. She was enthralled.
"I would love to take you on walks through these places," I said, "But most of the trip is on a tight itinerary."
"We do have one free afternoon," she said, "Could you take me someplace then? Just the two of us."
"Sure."
Since the trip to Paris was scheduled in May—just before the high season—Ms. Manet was able to get a good rate at a little hotel, the Hotel Tour Eiffel, from which you could see the Eiffel Tower from all of the front windows. The girls would stay four to a room, and the boys the same. The chaperons naturally were given the best rooms in front. I have never liked having a roommate, so I paid a little extra to get my own room. When I walked out on the small balcony, I could look right up the street and see the Eiffel Tower.
The students had spent the first day on a bus-driven sightseeing tour of the city. I opted out of that since I already had done plenty of Paris sightseeing. But I did join them in dinner that night at a nearby restaurant, Vielle Paris.
I think everyone was very tired by the time dinner was over, and I was expected them to hit the sack early. Rules had been laid down before we started on what they could and could not do after dark, and basically it was: nothing outside of the hotel until the last night, and even then you had to have a chaperon with you.
So it was around 10 p.m. when I was sitting on the bed in my pajamas reading a book and enjoying a glass of chardonnay from a bottle I had bought at a nearby grocery store—when I heard a knock on my door.
Who the hell could that be?
I got up, walked to the door, and opened it. It was Michelle Baker, clad only in a thin pair of white silk pajamas and barefoot.
"Can I ask you a favor?" she asked, clutching her arms about her.
"Sure."
"Can you see the Eiffel Tower from your room?"
"Yeah, there's a small balcony in front. You can walk out on it, and the Eiffel Tower is right there."
"Can I look at it? Our room doesn't have any view."
"Sure, come on it."
She trotted in quickly.
"You look cold," I said.
"I am. I didn't bring any robe or slippers, just pajamas, and they're thin."