Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Americans in Paris

"An experienced traveler could have told by looking at my shoes that I wasn't French. And even if I were French, it's not as if English is some mysterious tribal dialect spoken only by anthropologists and a small population of cannibals. They happen to teach English in schools all over the world. There are no eligibility requirements. Anyone can learn it. Even people who reportedly smell bad despite the fact that they've just taken a bath and are wearing clean clothes.
Because they had used the tiresome word froggy and complained about my odor, I was now licensed to hate this couple as much as I wanted. This made me happy, as I'd wanted to hate them from the moment I'd entered the subway car and seen them hugging the pole. Unleashed by their insults, I was now free to criticize Martin's clothing: the pleated denim shorts, the baseball cap, the T-shirt advertising a San Diego pizza restaurant. Sunglasses hung from his neck on a fluorescent cable, and the couple's bright new his-and-her sneakers suggested that they might be headed somwhere dressy for dinner. Comfort has its place, but it seems rude to visit another country dressed as if you've come to mow its lawns."


-David Sedaris, Me Talk Pretty One Day

3 comments:

Kelly said...

Sedaris says it best, no matter the subject.

Andy said...

Not exactly Gene Kelly style. He wore tap shoes.

Kelly said...

I will be in the sweet city of San Fran on Jun 14th&15th. I hope to be able to see you!!!
snail mail soon :)