My Old Lady Tickets

My Old Lady By Israel Horovitz

Mathias, a down-and-out American, travels to Paris on his last dime to sell a large, valuable apartment he has inherited from his estranged father. Once there, he discovers an old woman, Mathilde, living in the apartment with her daughter Chloé.

Mathias quickly learns that the apartment is a ‘viager’ — an ancient French system for buying and selling apartments — and that he will not actually be in possession of the apartment until Mathilde dies, and in addition to that, he owes her a life annuity of €2,400 a month.

This is a lovely story of discovery, friendship, companionship and facing uncomfortable reality.