Friday 9 April 2021

Le restaurant cordial

 

This happened some years ago when we were young and life was different and we had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun; but the hills that we climbed were just seasons out of time.
 
I do so hate plagiarism. I hope one day no one in the world will ever resort to plagiarism. You may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one. I hope some day you'll join us and the world will be as one. No plagiarism. 
 
Anyway, as I was saying, this happened some years ago. A couple of friends and I were visiting Yorkshire and travelling from town to city touring round and staying in hotels. One evening we decided to go to a well-to-do restaurant. We had to book first and also wear ties. You know the kind of restaurant I mean.
 
As it were, it was a restaurant attached to a pub with mostly local clientèle. We were the odd ones out and people looked at us as we got in. So we decided to play a ruse. (My idea). 
 
One of my friends was/still is Italian. So I suggested he only speaks in Italian. From now on - no English. I decided to speak only in French and called myself Pierre Cornichon, and suggested that the other friend would be our translator.
 
The waiter came with the menus. My Italian friend and I pretended not to understand and our "English" friend translated.
 
I said, "Je voudrais une bierre blonde s'il vous plait!"
 
The waiter whispered to my English friend, "he is asking about the blonde waitress? these French have a reputation, Sir!"
 
Eventually we managed to order a meal which took some time with each one speaking their "native" language and our friend translating in English.
 
When the meal arrived, the owner of the pub brought three little flags, a Union Jack, a French and an Italian flag which he placed at the centre of the table saying, "We are all friends in the European Union now!"
 
"Qu'est ce qu'il dit?" I asked and my English friend translated.
 
We got excellent service throughout the meal with the owner offering us an aperitif to start with at his cost. 
 
At the end of the meal, after a few beers, the devil got me to start singing, "Non, rien de rien. Non, je ne regrette rien. Ni le bien qu'on m'a fait. Ni le mal. Tout ça m'est bien égal. Non, rien de rien. Non, je ne regrette rien."
 
Not to be outdone, my Italian friend got up and started singing, "O Sole Mio" and "Vincerooooo!"
 
I thought we'd be thrown out. But some of the locals joined in and soon we were all singing, "Knees up Mother Brown. Knees up Mother Brown. Under the table you must go. Ee-aye, Ee-aye, Ee-aye-oh!"
 
Have you ever sung Knees up Mother Brown in a French accent? Or an Italian one? They gave us the lyrics to sing from.

25 comments:

  1. ...sadly being an American, I speak only one language.

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    1. Over here too, many people just speak one language.

      God bless, Tom.

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  2. I can speak Pig Latin, most lyrics do not sound very good in Pig Latin.

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    1. I'll have to learn that language, JoeH.

      God bless.

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  3. I'll never forget the time I was rightly chastized for making fun (lightly!) of an Italian bartender's english: "Well HIS english is a lot better than your Italian." Touche.

    PS - I think plagarism is the sincerest form of flattery -- not imitation as we've been told.

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    1. I sometimes plagiarise myself and wonder whether I'm repeating what I've just said.

      Languages can come naturally if you have lived abroad and heard everyone speak it.

      God bless, Mevely.

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  4. I only remember a few phrases from my high school Latin classes, but it would be interesting to see what a waiter would do if I pulled them out.

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    1. I once ordered a whole meal in French to impress my friends. The waiter did not understand me. It was a Greek restaurant.

      God bless, Kathy.

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  5. I remember once in Italy waiting for a bus I could not communicate with a man sitting beside me, then I thought, Hey Let's try French! I said something like, "Je parle Francais?"
    "Qui misourie!" (something like that!) I never understood a word of his French either. My America French Teacher did not speak anything like that!
    BTW i enjoy the visits here but I am beginning to think 'You ain't never been RIGHT!" LOL

    Love from across the pond my friend. I will mention you in prayer also, imma thinking you need some help! LOL
    Sherry & jack

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    1. Thank you so much for your much needed prayers Jack. Please pray in English to make sure God understands.

      Praying for you and yours. It's great to see you visiting here.

      God bless.

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  6. English for me and a bit of Inupiaq.

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    1. That's great Bill that you can speak Inupiaq.

      God bless always.

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  7. Now, that's one fun practical joke, Victor!
    Blessings!

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    1. Yes it was fun, especially when the owner of the pub brought out three little flags to our table; and other customers were looking at us speaking in a foreign language rather loudly to be noticed!

      God bless, Martha.

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  8. Sounds fun and confusing!! Not surprised it was your idea. :)

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    1. It was an impromptu idea which paid off in loads of fun.

      God bless, Happyone.

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  9. Dearest Victor,
    Well, we both can certainly relate to switching languages and having fun as a group.
    About plagiarism, it is the most annoying thing when somebody else is using YOUR original content and experience and pretends to be knowledgeable. Pieter's book and articles have been plagiarized a zillion times.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. Yes Mariette, I have often pretended not to understand a language and listen secretly at what people are saying. Like in an Italian restaurant when waiters are talking to each other in their language and I understand what they are saying. See: https://timeforreflections.blogspot.com/2011/10/italian-experience.html

      I've had some of my Christian posts plagiarised. But that's OK, because they spread the Good News about God.

      God bless.

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    2. We never liked when they plagiarized Pieter's work. His book got called the Mushroom Bible and we certainly did not want others to spread his words...😉

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  10. Wonderful story, so typical of youth to find joy in fooling others and getting away with it. Thanks for the entertaining reminder of how much fun life can be when one is young and carefree. Have a blest weekend!

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    1. We were young, Nells; and in those days, without a care in the world. Life was different then.

      God bless you, my friend.

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  11. Sweetie speaks some German, and i understand most of what he says, while i speak a bit of Spanish and he mostly understands me. It would be funny if we really learned those languages well and then traveled, with him speaking only German and me speaking only Spanish, and yet us understanding each other and conversing, It would probably get us a lot of funny looks!

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    1. That's true, Mimi. You should both practice your languages more. It's great fun.

      God bless you both.

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  12. How about "Det er langt til tipperary" in a music-hall Irish accent??? For that matter, why?

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    1. I can't even remember what else we sang that night.

      God bless, Brian.

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