Up the pole

A week later and it was my time of the month to see my unemployment advisor. We had our usual discussion and I explained that I had had an interview the previous week.

He disappeared and made a phone call. Ten minutes later he returned. The panel had decided upon the town post, but had not made any decisions yet about the other posts available.


We continued our chat, and I explained about my lack of medical / social charge cover. I also said that the only solution that I could think of, other than paying loadsa medical insurance money, was to become set myself up as an autoentreprenneur.


He disappeared again, reappearing another 10 minutes later with a phone number of an organisation to contact. They would have a chat with me about my business idea and if they thought that it was a goer, there would be training available and help with the various steps of setting up a business, e.g. publicity materials etc.


He typed up my progress report and said that he would not make an appointment for a next meeting. After I had met with the business people, I could contact him to keep him up to date with my progress.


So, cast adrift once more, I wended my weary way homeward.


I was mid siesta at 1.30 pm when a trumpet fanfare dragged me from the land of nod. It was a few seconds before I realised that it was my mobile phone, which of course I had left in the other room.


I staggered from the bedroom, picked it up and said hello. The line went dead, so I went back to bed.


The phone beeped. I had a message. So I tapped in 123 and waited for the voice to tell me that I had a message on my repondeur and that I had to tapper 1 to listen to it.


This I duly did, but as usual the voice spoke very quickly. The lady was obviously making the call while eating her lunch. I decided that it was too difficult.


Quarter of an hour later, I listened to the message another 4 times, trying to make out what it was all about. French people always assume that you know who is calling and why, so it’s not so much what they say, but what they don’t day that is the important bit.


It seemed to be about the interviews the previous week, but none of the words rang any useful bells. However the lady had left her phone number and said that I should contact her as soon as possible.


I phoned up C from my French family and took my mobile round for her to listen to, and see if she could pick up anything that I had missed.