stamps and trips
When we were in fourth and fifth grade, about the funniest thing ever was to ask someone if she collected stamps. If she said yes, you'd say: well, here's one for your collection, and stamp on her foot. If she said no, you'd say: well, here's one to start your collection, and stamp on her foot.
Then, in sixth grade, when we started taking French, we got a little more sophisticated. You'd ask the same question in French: "Est-ce que vous* collectionez les timbres?" Then, whether the person said "oui" or "non," you'd try to stamp on her foot, though you'd usually miss, because, by that time, everyone knew the joke and was fairly adept at getting out of the way quickly. And this new joke was even funnier than the old one because -- get this -- in French, "timbres" meant the things you stick on letters, but didn't mean stepping on someone else's foot. So the joke made absolutely no sense at all. Hilarious, huh?
And on that note, I'm going to try to stuff my suitcase with a few more shirts that I probably won't have time to wear. I'll post tomorrow as soon as I can find an internet connection and a café crème.
*Actually, "tu," the familiar form, would have been much more appropriate, but we hadn't really absorbed that concept.
16 comments:
My young neighbor told me she spoke French. Apparently these days "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi" counts as "speaking French." Kids these days.
Bon voyage!
Essayez d'apprécier la ville des lumières.
Ack! Can you pack me in your suitcase?
(Have a fabulous time.)
The best jokes are the nonsense ones.
Have a swell time.
Yay for European trips! We just had one ourselves.
I always pack way too much and then wear the same things over and over again.
Whoops I posted before I wrote anything somehow.
I have the same problem as Eva with packing.
Kids' jokes at that age are so charming. Yours reminds me of one we had. "Hey,did you know that if your hand is bigger than your face it means you're stupid?" And then, if the person puts his hand up to his face, you smack it so he slaps himself. Lovely.
Have wonderful trip. I'm glad we'll hear from you while you're away.
hey, thanks for the recent comment on my blog. very glad to have found yours!
have a great trip. you know, it is possible to still run at full speed while on vacation. maybe you'll have the sort you wish you had a vacation from when you return. may the days be packed with fabulous moments!
My grandfather collected stamps, and tried to get each of his daughters and each of his grandchildren into it. Never worked. For me, it was fun for the first 5 minutes, but then we went to the store, and he spent all this time looking at the stamps there, and I checked out. But I still remember looking at him go through his collection at home, and that is a warm memory for me.
travel safe, and soi sage!
Have a great trip. May the magic that is Paris soothe your spirit.
Have a wonderful trip!
have a fabulous trip. maybe you can pack the stuff you never have a chance to wear back home where people know you. :)
bon voyage ma petite chou.
Have a wonderful, relaxing, healing, scrumdileicious trip!!!
Have a safe trip and enjoy yourself.
You took french in sixth grade? You must have gone to better schools than I did! Seriously though, Niobe, I hope you have a fantastic time and get many chances to try out your sixth grade french.
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