Crumbs

I was starting to feel a little strung out and in need of fresh air from the perpetual CNN-watching here.  So I walked down to the bank in between Zooms to get cash for the cleaning guy. 

Passing the newspaper stand, I noticed with relief that the headline had nothing to do with the election, but instead was about whether the cantons or the communes should pay for something-or-other.  In Switzerland, power and resources are generally devolved as locally as possible.  To wit: around 80% of the taxes I pay go to the canton or commune, and only 20% go the federal government.  If you asked a random Swiss person on the street who the head of the federal government is, chances are they would have no idea.  I couldn’t tell you who it is right now either.  (ed: It’s Simonetta Sommaruga from Aargau, member of the Conseil Fédéral (and educated as a classical pianist), who is currently serving her one-year rotation as President of the Confederation.) 

On the way back from the bank, I picked up a few things at the grocery store.  I still had a little time before my next meeting, so I took the long way home to pass by the Tour de Champel, where I planned on sitting and eating a ham and cheese croissant.  The tower itself is fenced off for renovations, and the lone park bench in the grassy area next to it was occupied by a woman, speaking animatedly.  As I approached, I could hear that it was an American woman.  “I’M SITTING THERE *CRYING,* AND YOU’RE TELLING ME OFF!” I heard her yell to the man who stood in front of her, indicating to her left with a straightened arm, as if she were making a left-turn signal while riding a bicycle.

My first instinct was to approach her and say don’t worry it will be okay the election seems to be trending in the right direction, but I quickly discarded this idea and diverted to the grassy area across the street from our apartment.  I sat on a park bench and watched the birds and ate.  I made the tactical error of removing the croissant from the small paper bag, so I ended up with crumbs all down the front of my jacket.