HEADLINE FRANCE.....Stupid American and his son get locked in the Parc de St. Cloud

So Jackson got a new bike yesterday and so after putting it together, he and I went to the park across the street and taught him how to change gears (first multiple gear bike). The park closes (gets locked up) at 8:50pm. We were only about 15 yards from the gate, and it started to get dark, I look down and it was 8:40, so we headed back up the hill 15 yards to find the gate locked. So jackson sort of started freaking out; it was locked and it was getting dark. I told him we would head down to find another way to get out and went to the next gate. Jackson go there first and it was locked and he started screaming and crying we were locked in. Again, I told him, we would keep walking and see if we can find a way out. After walking part of the park, we found no other place to get out.

So, I called one of the expat parents I had recently talked to and told them of our dilemma. She and her husband got in the car and headed our way as well as they called the local police to find out what to do(as there is no phone number on the inside of the gate). As we were standing there waiting, a couple across the street walking their dog looked at us with a puzzled look. I didn't yell out, "hey we're trapped" cause if they only spoke french, we were doomed to communicate. She wandered across the street and I said, "Bonsoir, parlez vous anglais?" She said, "of course." She said, "Hey you are part of ASP!" (all that time volunteering paid off). I told her and her husband what had happened and so now they are trying to help. They went next door which was the Pasteur Institute and the guard there couldn't help either, but now he was on the phone now too talking to the police. The one couple who was walking their dog now had brought back 2 30' aluminum ladders that we put one through the fence and I propped it up. The guard next door kept yelling in french that we shouldn't try and climb over that it was dangerous and wait for the police.

We were now an hour into our ordeal, 3 phone lines going to the police and a big fat cop on a motorcycle comes down and stops and just looks and starts asking why there are ladders on the fence, not recognizing me and jackson on the other side (even though that is why he was called in the first place). He sort of meandered off the bike, came up to the gate, looked at me with this, "stupid american" smirk on his face and let us out.

So, to Steve and Erin Nowicki (THANK YOU) to the other ASP family who stopped (whose name I didn't get THANK YOU), and to all my ASP (american expats) here in France.....don't get locked in the park after the time, but if you do...call the police and just wait. Lesson learned.