Overheard conversations

Mirrored stances at the stunning World Press Photo 2010 exhibition, Oudekerk Church, Amsterdam.

This weekend I had such fun at the brocante at Vanves, followed by a lovely brasserie lunch with Claudia and Claudia II from New York. I spent Sunday afternoon with Alexandra, a wonderful writer and witty blogging friend from Portland. We had lunch on Ile Saint-Louis, shopped for gifts for her family and friends, then had dessert - tarts and tea - at the charming la Charlotte de l'isle. It is a tiny place, but big on homemade taste!

Overheard conversation in a Paris restaurant: An American woman making no attempt to speak a single word of French, when addressing the waiter: "What do you guys have that's like pretzels or nuts or chips?" The bemused waiter: "We guys don't have pretzels or those things. How about frites or a croque monsieur, ham and cheese?" The woman agreed, as long as it would go with her requested "large glass" of Sancerre.

The three teenagers accompanying her looked mortified. In French, they asked the waiter for a menu. The woman looked at them incredulously. "You know French?" "Duh, Mom, we studied it last year," one boy responded.

Returning from Amsterdam, I overheard an American man on the train, talking loudly on the phone to his bank. "Can you let my wife have $1,200? No, I don't want her to have her own access to the account, because she'd spend too much. I want to control the money." (And her!) "No, I don't want to make it easier for her," he continued. "But I don't want a big panic when I get home on Tuesday. So better give her some money now."

Then the guy phoned a car repair shop and demanded an explanation for the crack in his wife's car's oil filter. He insisted they call him back within two hours to provide details.

Next, he phoned his assistant, who was on a holiday cruise with her mother. He patronisingly told her she's "such a sweetheart" to take time to talk while she's on holiday, then spent nearly 45 minutes asking her questions about work. Such a control freak! Bet his wife is glad he's away.

A sudden reversal backwards in time

During the Cuban Missle Crisis in the 1960s, American children were warned from certain pulpits that the Russians might invade and burn all the books and Bibles. No one suspected the enemy within: conservatives intent on revising history in the pages of school textbooks, slanting the truth with their own narrow-minded prejudices. A sad day for America and especially for Texas schoolchildren.

Of course, many school text publishers are based in Texas. Does this mean the Texas board's paranoid version of history will spread throughout the States?

In other news, why does this man still have a job?

I wonder how long it will take Henson Associates to issue a "cease-and-desist" order against the Arizona governor, for using a puppet that strongly resembles a Sesame Street Muppet?

London

Am off to the Tate Modern and other sites in London with my friend Lee. Back soon with more notes and photos from Amsterdam.

Photo of spiral staircase and chandelier, Oudekerk, Amsterdam.

Comments

[Bonjour Romance]

Bonjour Tara,
I found your marvelous blog via Claudia I. She graciously invited me to join in the fun at MERCI but unfortunately I was unable to make it. The two Claudias are so much fun! I may have to spend the next hour browsing your site, there is so much to see and you have such a natural writing style.
They were certainly some cringe-worthy moments you described. I do believe many times they are simply overwhelmed and lost because of the language barrier (trying to be charitable here). As for the control freak, yes you should have tripped him like one of the commentors suggested!
Your photos are gorgeous!

[MAWB]

Have you listened to David Sedaris talk about living in France.... if you haven't, then get thee to a library or used book store and see if they have it. You won't regret it!

[dutchbaby]

Love that first shot - too funny! The conversation of the ugly American mom and her sweet teenage kids is priceless. I hope you tripped that controlling jerk on his way off the train. As deplorable as the biased textbooks are, it is even worse that there are many schools, especially here in California, who cannot even afford textbooks for their students.

[susanna]

Wow. Tara, you always manage to open my eyes in your posts. I'm in awe of how AWARE you are to what's going on in our world. So where to start...

The staircase in your photo is amazing. It's like a ribbon, don't you think?

Second, the conversations that you overheard are both amusing and...trying to think of the perfect word...bemusing? As in Oh my gosh, that poor wife with the limited access to her family's bank account or to the poor assistant-slave who was sweet enough to take a 45-minute work-related phone call with a boss who evidently has no boundaries. Unfortunately, I know of a few women who have been in both those situations. On a bright note, I grinned when I read about the teenagers responding in French. Good for them!

And yeeeaaah, I just do NOT get how Americans can stand by while the Texas school boards alter history. I'm pretty sure if the commercial featured a talking Mouse, Disney would be calling their lawyers.

I have to admit, Tara, that I haven't read the Arizona law either. My impression of it (as heard from others) is that it's racist, puts pressure on the police officers who want to be the good guys in their communities, and discourages those who have information about illegal acts to approach the police for fear of their own safety. I can also understand the frustration of the Americans who are living along the border who have had it with the illegal, dangerous crap in their backyards. They just want a solution. This new law doesn't sound like the right answer, though. I should really read the new Arizona law for myself.

Thank you for getting me to look at the issues and ask questions this afternoon, Tara.

[Stephanie]

ughhh, the ugly American

Thank goodness we have you and your incredible eye to help us see...

x..x

[JanePoet ~ JP/deb]

I love the "Mirrored stances" photograph - awesome! Sounds like life is ever-busy for you, my dear :)

cheers & love,
deb

[Kay]

I love the chatty post - very humorous. Sometimes when Americans are loud and rude that's all you can hear, so it's not really eavesdropping so much as just hearing! But there are enough lovely ones, like yourself, to cancel out the more obnoxious ones. :) (And all nationalities have their obnoxious varieties!)

[Josette]

Attended a wonderful symphony in a church on Ile Saint Louis when we were in Paris a few years ago. When that part of the city is mentioned I am immediately back in that church listening to the beautiful music.

Jo

[Mary H.]

Ah, Miss Tara, I was worried when you said you and David were leaving Paris. Mais No! No more photos to lose myself in and daydream. However, with just a miniscule sampling of your photos from Amsterdam I am thinking hmmmm, mais qui, this may be a good thing (at least for your faithful followers VBG)!
As for the conversations, I am discovering, as evident by your post, rudeness often knows no boundaries-of any sort. Cringe inducing indeed! Wishing you safe journeys...

[Marilyn]

Cringe is a good word to describe how I feel when I come across obnoxious US travelers. Embarrassed is another word. Sad is the word that describes how I feel for the changes in the textbooks in Texas. It deeply saddens me that people cannot tell the truth and (as the Bible states) love one another. Aren't we to love each other and take care of each other? The children of these misdirected will sadly not be informed truthfully and will grow up ignorant also.

[Swirly]

Oh, those moments when our fellow Americans are less than, shall we say, respectful of the country they are in. I have a few of my own stories along these lines.

[jeanie]

Cafe Charlotte du Lisle! Vanves! Places I know! How divine!

Don't you love listening to people? And don't you sometimes cringe?!

[MyFavoriteFrenchAntiques]

When you mentioned lunch in Ile Saint Louis, a bit of envy surfaced. My favorite stop for hot chocolate and ice cream are there. So no matter the weather, I always enjoy!

[Chris]

Thanks for these funny (interesting) conversation snippets.

I never cease to be amazed at the arrogance of many of us, who are sure we are in control of something when we rarely are. There's not much humility, and that's something we could all use a good dose of.

Got in a big to-do with a friend about the Arizona law, and was sent some more fear-addled emails, complete with stereotypical cartoon images of aliens sneaking into 'our home'. I just don't understand how people can live in such complete ignorance once they've passed a certain number of years on this earth.

Keep having fun!