Dating is like traveling: it’s filled with excitement, beautiful places and possible pitfalls. You hope to be prepared for anyone, or anything, that might cross your path. But just like getting on a plane, train or any other form of public transit, you just never know who you might meet and what you will learn. There was a quote on the refrigerator in my childhood home: “Strangers are just friends you have not met yet.” And much to my parent’s delight, I took that statement to heart, especially while wandering around the world.
Several years ago, when I was living and working in Paris, I was walking back to my apartment after the French had just beaten Brazil during the World Cup. People were partying in the streets, and while I was wandering home on boulevard Montparnasse, I somehow ended up speaking to a guy wearing a Jewish star around his neck. We instantly connected, had a lot in common and planned to meet up again. He promised me a tour of Paris — all the touristy places and the locals’ favorite ones, too. I was intrigued. A few days later, I called my mom in Arizona and told her I had met an interesting French Jewish guy.
“That’s wonderful, where did you meet him?” she asked. I answered matter-of-factly, “On a street corner in the middle of the city.” “What?” she exclaimed. “Mom, seriously, he’s fine, we’re going out tonight,” I responded. I could hear the discomfort in her voice. “Where are you meeting him?” she inquired. “He’s picking me up in his car.” Suddenly, the line grew silent. I sensed her trepidation at being thousands of miles away from me, especially now, when I was going on a date with some random person I met on a street corner. I admit it sounded scary, but my instincts told me he was a solid man. “Could you call me when you get home?”
“Mom, are you serious?”
Gislan Solomon came to pick me up a few hours later, in a beautiful blue convertible. We had dinner at a fantastic restaurant in the Marais area, otherwise known as the Jewish quarter of Paris, right off rue de Rosiers (Street of Roses). After dinner, the warm summer Parisian wind blew through my hair as we drove up the Champs Elysées with the car’s top down. The stars seemed to twinkle in the velvety blue night sky while we circled the Arc du Triomphe. A few moments later, we stopped the car and silently gazed up at the stunning Eiffel Tower. We spent hours driving around the magical city, stopping at places like Notre Dame and the Louvre, eventually ending up at one of the hottest clubs in Paris. About 3 o’clock in the morning, he dropped me off in front of my building. I calculated the time, and as it was midday in Scottsdale, I shook my head with disbelief, started laughing and dialed my mother’s number. “Hi Mom, I’m home.” My mom breathed a sigh of relief and asked if I had a nice time. “Amazing,” I said. “This city is spectacular, but seriously, I can’t believe I’m calling you from Paris to let you know I got home from my date safely.” I giggled. She was pleased, both that I had a good time and was home safe.
I was happy too, but also ready to see my pillow. “Mom, I had an amazing night, straight out of the movies, but it’s really late and I need to get some sleep,” I told her.
Our beautiful evening was no major love connection, but it was meaningful, memorable and turned into a friendship. A few weeks later, I returned to the United States and Gislan eventually left Paris and made aliyah to Israel.
Masada Siegel is the author of “Window Dressings,” which can be found on Amazon and at masadasiegelauthor.com.
