18. Paris, Here We Come!

Day 4., Friday (Oct. 21.)

The next morning began for them in the Museum Grévin at 9 AM. It was a wax-museum similar to Madame Tussauds in London, though smaller. It didn't matter, because Q had never been to Madame Tussauds either, so he didn't mind it at all. They put Tanner's camera to good use and spent over two hours inside.

"Most of the figures are really life-like! It's amazing and creepy at the same time." – Giggled Q as they were leaving. – "It's a pity it's so crowded."

"How come you've never visited Madame Tussauds? Your brother Sherlock lives particularly beside it. Baker Street, right?"

"Yes, 221B. Well, but I haven't been anywhere, have I? Why would Madame Tussauds be any different?"

"Oh... well, we'll go there soon then. Just so you'll have something to compare this to."

Q – Q – Q – Q – Q – Q – Q – Q – Q – Q – Q – Q

Next, they attended a Broadway Musical Backstage Tour in the Theater Mogador. Q was absolutely enchanted with all the behind-the-stage information they learned, that contained for once totally new information for him.

"Wow, I've always been fascinated with theater and acting and things like that... It could be a really interesting and diverse profession, don't you think?"

"I don't know, I guess I've never really thought about it. Though I do like good films and plays of course, I just never imagined what it could be like playing in them."

"Oh, I do it a lot of times. When I was little, I wanted to become an actor. Of course, it was impossible with my brothers forbidding me to even go out of the house... I guess it's for the best; I think I might have been a crappy actor."

"Why do you think so?"

"Because I'm shy. I don't think I could stand on a stage or in front of a bunch of cameras and not faint right away."

They both laughed at that.

"Yes, I can see how that would be a hindrance in that profession." – Commented Tanner when he finally managed to catch his breath again.

They found a restaurant nearby to have lunch in then walked around the city aimlessly for many hours, just to get the feel of it. They deliberately tried to avoid famous tourist attractions this time in order to be able to get to know the 'real' Paris.

"These little allies with their own smaller churches and tiny parks are just as enchanting as the main roads and famous buildings. I don't understand why nobody talks about the importance of just getting about in the 'nameless' areas."

"Well, most tourists don't do that. They just want to tick off all the iconic places on their list and then be done with it."

"What a silly thing to do."

"Yeah. I think so too."

"It's usually the problem though, isn't it? People just don't make an effort to try to look under the surface. It's easier to imagine there's nothing there..."

"Yes. The result of modern hurried lifestyle, I guess."

At around half past five they returned to the hotel for a quick shower and to change clothes because they had theater tickets for the evening. Q would see his very first musical in an actual theater live rather than on hacked and stolen recordings he had watched as a child for lack of a better option.

"I'm so excited! I can't wait for it to begin!" – The boy exclaimed as they showed their tickets to the attendant of La Salle Gaveau and were being led to their places. – "How long 'till the beginning?"

Tanner had to repress a smile at the teenager's impatience. They boy was finally behaving his age after all, it wouldn't do to mock him for it. He looked at his watch instead.

"Another 20 minutes to go until 8:00 PM. We have arrived quite early."

"Okay..."

"Do you know the Musical Oliver Twist? The songs and all?"

"No, just the story, like everyone else. I can't wait to see what it's like as a musical!"

"Did you read the book?"

"Of course! Who didn't? I read it first when I was one year old, then a few times again later."

"Excuse me? When did you say you read it for the first time? I don't think I heard it right..."

"When I was 1."

"It's impossible!"

"Why?"

"Because no one-year-old baby can read!"

"Oh... It's not normal then?"

"No, it really is not! What did your parents say?"

"I didn't tell them. They found out when I was 1,5 and wanted to read War and Peace, because it was too heavy for me and when I tried to lift it off the shelf I dropped it on my left foot. It broke two of my toes."

"Ouch... And how did they react?"

"They thought I was just being naughty and making a mess. They didn't believe me when I told them I really wanted to read it. Mycroft and Sherlock did of course and suggested Anna Karenina instead."

"And did you read it?"

"Which one?"

"Any of them."

"Both, actually, but I began with Anna Karenina. Sherlock always had a good taste in books and it was also a bit lighter."

"Not by much... Jesus. I knew you were a genius but that's incredible."

Q just shrugged uncomfortably at the repeated reminder of his abnormal childhood. He was saved from further elaboration of the topic by the beginning of the show. In ten minutes he had already forgotten all his embarrassment and was totally engrossed in the musical.

"This is just incredible!" – He exclaimed during the intermission.

"This was the best!" – He declared after the show as they were walking towards the subway station.

Tanner just smiled.