brexit and tea biscuits

As I took my daily walk across the Bir-Hakeim bridge to stock up on some groceries from my favourite British shop, Marks & Spencer Food (M&S), I suddenly panicked.

It was the 4th of January, just days into the new year and just days after the UK's transition period to leave the European Union had officially ended. What did that mean for me? - A British citizen living in France. I won't go into details now, but I can tell you that when I arrived at my local grocery store, I found empty shelves and a polite notice on every shelf saying that there would be a delay in the delivery of food from the UK due to Brexit. Needless to say, I was pretty devastated and that's no exaggeration, as I'm sure the same could be said of some of my French compatriots who were pretty stunned. Although I could buy tea cakes at the local supermarket or even at the more luxurious La Grande Épicerie, I really felt that some of my Britishness had been ripped out of me.

Was that it? Would everything British cease to exist for me? And not just me, what about all the real Europeans in the 27 member states that make up the European Union? Even if I can't easily find my favourite tea biscuit, all is not lost.

Now when I go for a walk, hoping that M&S is fully stocked, which it still isn't, I listen to "Here Comes The Sun" and I feel light as ever, without a care in the world. As I write this, it's not sunny, in fact it's snowing, but the Beatles always put me in a happy mood and put a smile on my face. Although I am not from the hippie era, the Beatles are firmly ingrained - Britain leaving the EU cannot erase the music and lyrics from my memory, nor can they be erased from yours. They may have left their mark during their 1965 European tour, singing songs like "I'm Not A Loser", but if I want my tea biscuits, that doesn't make me a loser.

Did you know that the release of the new James Bond film "No Time To Die" has already been postponed three times because of the COVID 19 pandemic? I certainly don't want to die anytime soon, but who would watch James Bond? After all, Daniel Craig knows how to wear his well-cut Turnbull & Asser shirts, drive his Aston Martins and, above all, keep his licence to kill. So I logged into my Netflix account and found that not a single James Bond film was available to watch. So will I ever hear James Bond on this side of the Channel say: "Shaken, not stirred" while I enjoy my scone? Oh, that might just kill me!

All may not be lost and she may have written all her works by the time I reached adulthood, but as I strolled to Fnac, the French bookseller, this morning, I wondered if any of the mystique of Brexit remained. There they were, quietly in a dark corner and although mysterious, I was pleased to see J.K. Rowling still lining the shelves and to my pleasant surprise they were in English. I do speak French, but what's the harm in connecting with my British heritage and language now and then? Alas, I won't be biting into any tea cakes as I read about the adventures of a young wizard and his turbulent journey through wizarding school. Just like Agatha Christie's title novel, And Then There Were None, there is no tea biscuit for me yet.

If I ever had to whizz around Europe, it would be in a Mini. These little runabouts simply fit into the most difficult and smallest parking spaces. It may be German-owned now, but for me it will always be typically British. They used to seem quite childish to me. Something I could really pick up with one hand and maybe take home and play with. Don't worry, I won't steal yours. At least I know I could just hop in a car, race to Calais and take the Eurotunnel shuttle and boom, I'm across the Channel in Folkestone and the best part is I can rush right back with my stash of scones.