Mercredi

n. – Wednesday
I suppose being the middle day of the week holds significance. In English, it’s called “hump day,” I suppose because once past it you’re over the hump and well on your way to the weekend. I was born on a Wednesday and as the nursery rhyme says, “Wednesday’s child is full of woe.” I always found this a bit unfair since the other children are either “fair of face” or “full of grace” or otherwise more fortunate. My mother felt the same way which is why she had a little cup inscribed for me with the revised description “Wednesday’s child knows no woe.”

In New York, Wednesday is matinee day. It’s always a day to avoid the restaurants on the early side of lunch near the theater district as theater-goers flock there to dine pre-show. In France, it is a day off from school for young children. For that reason, it is the day to avoid going to the prefecture. I know that because I was there today – Wednesday – all day. I had an appointment for what I thought would be my final round in securing my carte sejour or resident visa. As has been the particular pattern, there was to be a new twist, an unexpected surprise of which I hadn’t already been informed. I would get the card, but not until after I have a physical exam. The first appointment is at the end of June so erring on the side of caution, I decided to apply for a return visa, a simple stamp they place in your passport just in case you travel out of the country before the carte sejour process is finalized.

This is where my day came to a grinding halt. I’ve never seen so many children – running, laughing, crying, nursing, falling, yelling, eating, climbing. A child can make the simplest, and what would be to an adult the most tedious, task into something greatly entertaining. They enjoy repetitive motion. They never tire of jumping down the three steps and then jumping back up, jumping down, jumping up and so on. They may trip or fall, then cry, then recover and then start the process all over again. It’s fascinating and exhausting to watch. The parents have a range of expressions from amusement to fatigue. I needed a nap when it was all over. But I have my stamp and at this point in the day, am well over the hump.