Bernadette

I hitch-hike to Marseille on a rainy saturday autumn morning to see my old Brasilian friend and great musician Anderson Sena. I'm standing on the entrance of the highway when a little red car with a little old lady in red offers me a ride. She must be in her seventies, though her dynamic is very young. Elegant and cool at the same time. She wears great black sunglasses and has short red hair. Her lips are painted pink. Her name is Bernadette. "When you hitch-hike, my little darling, you should wear bright and very clear colours.  People need to see you. And when you hitch-hike by night you must pull up your paints, so people see you are a woman. That's very important. I always used to wear red clothes, a white shawl and a white bag. A real woman's bag. And at night I show my legs. I've hitch-hiked 45 000 kilometers in my life so I know what I'm talking about. I am 78 now and I've visited 33 countries. I've seen a lot. And all by myself. What do you want, I was 33 and divorced. I didn't have money and I lived in the North of France where it always rains. So I used to hitch-hike by night towards the South to spend sunday in the sun on the beach and at night I would hitch-hike back to begin work on monday morning. " "And you've never had trouble? When I hitch-hike alone I rather don't show my legs 'n femininity. They might think I'm a prostitute or easy to be laid." "No. You must never ask for money, nor cigarettes or food. And you must dominate the situation. Men always like to dominate. But I just don't let them. When they start touching my knee or begin to talk about sex I pretend to be crazy and I create chaos. You must surprise them, you know. Don't let them time to think. I've never had any trouble."
Bernadette offers me a sandwich and we listen to popular opera music. It rains and Bernadettes car seems the only colorful place on this grey day on the highway.
"You know, it's very important to be autonomous. I worked hard to buy me my little car and my apartment. I've never depended on any man. That's freedom. Are you planning to get married one day and create a family?" "I don't know, I don't think so. My freedom is too dear to me and the lonesome road my greatest friend." "Keep it that way, darling. I have a son and I tell you it's no fun. He caused me so much trouble, costed me a lot of money and he was never grateful. I've raised him alone for the father didn't care. Most men don't like children. They like to go to the bar, drink, spend time with their friends, watch football. Don't get trapped. Stay free. Enjoy them men, try them all but don't get trapped. You must think of your own pleasure. You won't believe me but I still get orgasms. All by myself. My boyfriend doesn't get him up anymore. So I bought myself such a plastic thing. It was the doctor who advices me to do so. 'You'll be more relaxed', he said. And it's true. That surprises you huh!? That I still get orgasms. I am multi orgasmic. I love it. I've always enjoyed it! Ha! I tell you all this because we don't know each other and I will never see you again. Very nice talking with you." Bernadette left her boyfriend this morning and is on her way home. ' I give everything to him. Everything I have everything I am. That's what women do. We give too much. We need to be the wife, the mother, the mistress. Everything. And for them it's never enough. We'd better stay free my darling and love ourselves." We arrive to Marseille and she drops me off at a bus which will take me to 'the old harbor' where I'll meet Anderson. I'm excited and inspired. Bernadette is a pretty tough example of a strong woman but look at her. She is 78, beautiful, loves dancing, orgasms and driving towards the unknown. I love to hitch-hike for it's always these magnificent encounters. People I will never forget. Invisible heroes 'till u meet them on the highway. Merci Bernadette!