Brief: tight budget; urgent deadline; cool and quirky.
These two versions were rejects…
Though my French remains rudimentary, I must be looking the part certainly, as I am often stopped and asked questions such as:
“Avez-vous d’un stylo?”
“Où est la rue carriere?”
“Avez-vous une cigarette?”
What do you think?
Plus, I swear in French all the time. I can barely ask for a baguette, but I can swear like a trooper!
Merde!
Me, in a newsagent, on la rue Eugène Carrière.
I open the door: “OUAH, OUAH, OUAH!” goes le chien dans le coin.
“Heh, heh” I say, looking at the shopkeeper with a worried smile sur mon visage…
…the shopkeeper shakes his head and tells the dog to be quiet.
“Bonjour, monsieur, excusez-moi, je cherche pour le magazine FUSAC“, I say, slightly embarrassed that I am looking for an American-based English language magazine for expats.
“What’s the matter?” he says, “Don’t speak English?”
“Ha, hah, non!” I reply.
“Here, it’s our last copy…”
“Ah, parfait, merci … it’s free?” I say, surprised, thinking what on earth is free these days.
“Ah, oui, well monsieur, you can either take it for free or I’ll be very happy if you want to leave a gratuity or buy something…”
“Well, merci monsieur, bonne journée.”