Frenchify me

My mother just informed me that I say "no" like in French. I also tend to purse my lips like I'm sucking a lemon and make the French "pff" sound from time to time. So, I will unwillingly admit that I have been slightly Frenchified.

Last Thursday, Suzanne, my parents and I went to Paris for the day. As we got to the Gare du Nord to get our train back, I realized - in the mad rush of commuters - that I'd gotten tickets for a train an hour later. Since the "exchange minute" machine wouldn't take my tickets, I rushed to the conducters since they usually just tell you to get on. As I waited for a first man to finish, a second man came over. When Mr. 1 finished, Mr. 2 started talking to the conducter. So I stood up straight and said with my best French sarcasm, "it's ok. It's not like I was waiting", which I've found to be a typical passive aggressive thing often said in stores when pushy well-dressed women try to get to the front of the line with, "it'll be quick. It's just an exchange so I don't have to wait in line."

Mr. 2 turns to me with a big smile and appologizes profusely and sincerely for cutting in line since he thought I was with the other guy. With great embarrassement, I appologized with a big smile and said I was just so used to it blah blah that, well, I'd become aggressive myself.

So yes, I am becoming French but not too French to appologize and definitely not too French to proudly wear my favorite t-shirt today.