Musings

One of the first things you will notice upon arriving in Paris is the thinness of their aluminum foil. In the US we must be using double-ply.

This morning (Saturday morning) I bravely made a call to a person who listed her flat in a Paris classifieds. A tired sounding woman answered and I said, "Parlez-vous anglais?" "Non, pas du tout." (Not at all.) I understood that! but now I must speak French.

"Oui, je vous appeler pour voir ta apartment, et ..." (Yes, I call you to see your apartment, and ...)

"Oui, monsieur. Déjà prix."

"Uh. Donc, je suis étudiant avec ma femme, et nous habitons in Paris a Decembrè. J'ai une bourse de government francais. Nous voulons voir ta apartment, si'l vous plait." (Oh, so, I am a student with my wife, and we live in Paris to December. I have an award of French government. We want to see your apartment, please.) (This took a while to say all this.)

"Oui, monsieur. Déjà prix. Déjà prix."

(Long silence) "Prix? Je ne comprends pas sur mot." (Prix? I do not understand this word.)

"Déjà prix! Déjà occupé!"

"Ah! C'est occupé mantenant?" (Oh! It is occupied now?)

"Oui, monsieur!" (Sounding very exhausted.)

"D'accord. Excusez-moi je vous demanger. Au revoir" (Ok. Excuse me for itching you. Goodbye.)

It turns out that "pris" is a form of the verb "prendre" to take. So she was telling me the apartment was "already taken." C'est très difficil!