Entre Les Murs

Galling Gauls

Sometimes the French are wonderful; but sometimes I just want to smack them.  Whenever they need to chat with friends or do up junior's jacket it's always at the narrowest point on the sidewalk.  They stop at the bottom of the escalator or just inside the metro doors to sniff the air.  And they never infer from an accent that you haven't lived in the neighbourhood forever so that what you're asking might not be a stupid question.

Yesterday I went to drop off some clothes at the dry cleaners, in a little mall outside the supermarket.  It was late and the men behind the counter were clearly getting ready to close, but the grate was actually rolling up, so I asked if they were still open.  One replied that of course they were not, with a snorting chuckle as though it was amusingly absurd.  Well pardon me, but every other store in the mall is open, you are standing behind the counter, and the grate is going UP; it seemed worth asking since I'm standing here with a bag of sweaters anyway.

posted 23.2.06