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Un petit dialogue

Shoe Shopping on Avenue d’Italie
English translation by yours truly

V: Good evening, can I help you with something?
K: Do you have these in size 44?
V: Only in black…
K: How about these?
V: Yes, here you go.
(a minute or so later)
V: How do they fit?
K: They’re fine. I’ll take them.
(another minute later)
V: Do you have a piece of ID? (pause) An architecture student, huh?
K: Yep…
V: (examining the credit card) L.L. Bean?
K: Yes, it’s a big store back in the US.*
V: Owned by Mr. Bean?!? (chuckle) So you’re from the US?
K: Yep…
V: Why’d you come to France to study architecture?
K: French architecture is better than American architecture.*
V: Better? What buildings do you like?
K: I like the castles and mansions.*
V: Oh, the old stuff…
K: No, I like new stuff, too!
V: Like what?
K: Like the T.G.B...
V: What about the Louvre? The pyramid? (shakes his hand in doubt)
K: It’s okay, but it was designed by an American.
V: An American? Ohhh…well, here’s your card back.
K: Thanks.
V: Thank you, good evening, and good luck with your studies.

  • Comments marked by an asterick (*) do not neccessarily reflect the opinions or knowledge of their speaker - only the very limited ideas he is able to get across in a foreign language (e.g.: The word “store” doesn’t adequately describe L.L. Bean; American architecture isn’t categorically worse than French architecture; and there’s more to architecture than castles and mansions.)