Thanks to great people working for the Consulate. ...

Thanks to great people working for the Consulate. I have my US visa expired, which technically precludes me from getting Schengen (you need your visa to be valid three months after you return from Schengen; mine expired even before I applied). But I showed that after France I will go to my home country, wrote a letter explaining why I cannot renew my US visa before I leave, and amazingly my visa was issued next day. Don't try this at home, though.