When visiting the Eiffel Tower you just may see the stampede of gazelles (the people selling the unofficial memorabilia). It is quite the sight. As you walk toward the tower you pass their blankets covered with a wide assortment of souvenirs. You hear their trinkets clink. They offer you deals that you will not find in the Official Eiffel Tower Shop.
But their task is an illegal one. When they sense a cop, they raise their heads like prey sensing a near by predator. With a tug on one string their blankets gather all their contraband and the stampede begins. If one person runs then they all sense the oncoming danger. They race away and scatter to safety.
It is interesting to see pure instinct kick in when faces with consequences. It gets me thinking about the human's natural response to danger. In some people it brings out the heroes in in others it brings out the villains.
When in danger is your character heroic or villainous?
Also, you have until April 12th to enter and win a signed copy
of Michele Ash Bell's
Summer in Paris.
4 comments:
My character's been a villain lately. ;)
That's so wild about the vendors. I never knew that!
I saw the same thing happen in Florence, Italy with the guys selling high end knock offs like Gucci bags. They never bothered my husband and I and it took me forever to realize that it's because my teddy bear of a husband looks totally intimidating if you don't know him.
That is very interesting. I wish they cops would do the same thing outside of football games to the illegal selling that goes on. I guess they care more about that stuff in France.
So did you buy from the illegals or the legals or neither?
LT- Sometimes the villains are the best characters.
Melanie - It comes in handy to have an intimidating guy walking around to protect you. I would love to see Florence.
Cheeseboy- I actually did not by from the illegal vendors but I came out of the official boutique with a few things (which I paid for).
Post a Comment