Tea preparation at a café in Saint-Denis (once more)

Early in the morning, standing in front of the Basilica of Saint-Denis with just the photographer and me quietly preparing tea, we naturally attracted a fair amount of attention.

Cleaning staff came over to speak with us, while people out for their morning jogs waved as they passed by.

As we continued, the café directly in front of us began preparing to open.

One of the staff invited us, saying, “Why don’t you do it at one of our tables?”

I was a little concerned about the hot water I had brought in a thermos, as I had only brought a limited amount. But since they were a café, they were kind enough to share some of their hot water with us, and I was able to give a small tea demonstration.

This was actually the very café where, years ago, I would always stop by after Sunday Mass with the organist Pierre Pincemaille and his wife.

That was already about ten years ago, so naturally, the people working there today would not remember me. But I had visited this café dozens of times.

Back then, I never could have imagined that, ten years later, I would be sitting here unfolding my chabako and preparing tea.

This, too, is ichigo ichie (一期一会) — the once-in-a-lifetime encounter that can never be repeated in exactly the same way.

And that is precisely what makes tea so enjoyable.