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The Smelly French?
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He's not so happy. He's about to go to get fitted for a wheelchair.
"Were they awful?"
"Did you eat frog's legs?"
"Is everyone always smoking?"
"What, so you didn't shave for a year?"
I've heard them all.
What's funny is that, as Broadway musical "Avenue Q" so poignantly points out, these generalizations do have bases in reality.
Yes, sometimes I was greeted with rather rude French people, but perhaps it was just because they had slipped in some oh-so-not-cleaned-up dog merde. Sure, I was the constant purse-companion when the majority of my French friends slipped out of the bar to light up a clope. And as far as the hair goes, well, I'm not sure about that one, but I did have a few semi-Hobbit-like Frenchmen friends.
But wait.
Aren't Americans all fat, hambuger-eating, football-watching, crazy flag-waving rebels?
Mmm, last I checked my obesity and my crazy football fan-ness weren't getting in the way of my living a normal life.
Just because the French may be "known" for certain qualities, I'd like to think I discovered some that are lesser known and yet infinitely more deserving of recognition. Like a French person's uncanny commitment to picking up any dropped object in order to run after the owner of said object until it's returned. Or the way even the slightest unintentional nudge or collision results in a quick "Pardon" that is truly sincere. Above these details there is the utter love that comes from a French person after an initial hazing that may be somewhat difficult to weather...but certainly the adage is true that nothing easy is worth having: especially par rapport aux français.
In short, no, not all French people eat frog's legs and are smelly.
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