[Idyllchat] Speaking French

[GRAYGOOSE at aol.com]

On one of our earlier trips to Paris my husband and I decided to eat in at  
"La Coupole", a well known restaurant that gained it's name when it was a  
favorite dining spot of artists and writers during the 30's.  It was but a  block 
or two from our hotel so as we walked to the place I practiced the few  French 
phrases I knew and clung tightly to my "French Marling Menu Master". When  we 
were seated and handed a menu I tried to select items for both of us  
pronouncing the words in what I felt was pretty good French. The waiter raised  his 
eyebrows now and then seeing how I was struggling and finally said, "Madame,  
if you would speak in English I would understand what you desire." We all got a 
 chuckle out of that.
 
The next day, en route to the Metro, we encountered the same waiter  who 
greeted me with, "Good Morning, Madame" and I answered with "Bonjour,  Monsieur ". 
He laughed, waved and disappeared into the bowels of the Metro  station. I 
felt as if I had made a true French friend.
 
Twenty four years later, on our Untour to Paris, I had not improved my  
French but found that the French had greatly improved their English and had not  
one speck of trouble getting about.
 
Nina



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