This is the story of a girl who has been living with another girl for six years. Her name is Lucie. Lucie is 30 years old and works in the fraud department of CAF in a small town in the south of France. She likes to travel by bike, collect bottles of beer from the countries she visited and the powder pink color. Lucie got a BAC L because she likes to read stories and in life, either we like to read, or we like to count, or we don’t know anything about it.
Sometimes, in the evening, she settles on the terrace of her apartment, she lights a cigarette and she writes stories that take her into other lives than hers.
After the baccalaureate, Lucie did a BA in applied foreign languages because she likes to speak other languages. Speak other languages and drink French beers with foreigners who come to his country.
But after graduation, she did not find a job. It must be said that speaking with strangers, for the past few years, has been a bit stuffy.
So she accepted a job because her father knew someone who knew someone. And that it was a chance that could not be denied. Luck can’t be denied.
Lucie said okay, and it wasn’t all that bad. The work was interesting, the colleagues friendly and the schedules were accommodating.
Everything was fine.
And then there was confinement.
And this girl with whom she lived for 6 years, broke her heart.
Maybe it was his way of never closing bottles properly. Or the cups of tea that she piled up in the sink. The pizzas she always forgot to take out of the oven. Or just the love that wears out and gets the hell out by slamming the door. Lucie doesn’t know. Probably because there is nothing to know, that “it is like that”, that feelings have the freedom to slip away without exit permit.
In the meantime, Lucie must explain to everyone why her roommate is moving. And also, why is she crying.
Six years that Lucie has been lying to everyone. Six years that she hasn’t presented anyone to her parents. Six years that she spends a lot of time with this girl, who neither does she introduce anyone to her parents.
Six years that family, friends and entourage have not given Lucie a hand so that she can free herself from this secret that eats away at her and prevents her from being loved on the terrace of a cafe.
How not to see the secrets of those we love ? Why look down on the obvious ?
So this is it. Lucie, who has said nothing for six years about her joy in being loved, finds herself sending messages to her family to tell them about her sadness. The one she can no longer overcome. She is so distraught that she has to come out now, when she has no one left to present.
I was told this story yesterday. I had just read this sentence on the Internet which said that 81% of women in France declare having been victims of sexual harassment in public places. Only 20% say they have been helped by someone.
And I told myself that therein was the problem, in this ability to pretend not to see. And this form of cowardice not to act.
By doing this, we leave people in immense distress. Whereas for us, it’s just an outstretched hand.
Here is a must see video. For his first message of course. But also for the general metaphor it contains. Let’s not pretend not to see the obvious.
It’s the story of a girl, but ultimately it’s the story of all the girls.
Article write by Sophie Astrabie.
