By Paul Goldfinger, Editor@Blogfinger.ner
We had parked at one of those beaches along the causeway to Sanibel Island. A van was resting by the water’s edge. A woman was fishing. She seemed so relaxed, just looking out at the water. After a while she went inside. I was curious and walked over, not approaching too closely. The license plate said Quebec. Just then she came outside and lit a cigarette. She looked in my direction.
“Hi,” I said. She smiled and said hello. I asked her how the fishing was, but I quickly found out that she spoke very little English. I managed to muster up a little high school French—bonjour, oui oui, ou est, tres bien, avez vous, smile, smile, etc. I learned that she was from France—she was having fun here, but the conversation soon fizzled.
But it was nice to meet her anyhow; I was impressed with her mode of vacationing and how much she was enjoying the simple pleasures of Florida.
We were in France a few times, and I found the French to be pretty laid back. That’s thought to be partly why they have fewer heart attacks–i.e. “the French paradox”—even though they do smoke a lot over there.
Here’s a little something in French—by Eartha Kitt
I’ve done a lot of camping in FL at busy campgrounds in peak season. The French Canadians are always very quiet, to themselves, but very friendly when you talk to them. My kind of people.