The Things You Have To Poutine Up With
Customer: “When you were talking just now to that other customer…”
Me: “Yes?”
Customer: “What accent was that?”
Me: “Accent? I suppose you could call it Québécois French.”
Customer: “Funny, I couldn’t understand a word you were saying. It almost didn’t sound English.”
Me: “It’s not English, it’s French.”
Customer: “Why would you be speaking French in Canada?”
Me: “Because this is French Canada. French is spoken here. You’re currently in the French-Canadian capital.
Customer: “‘French Canadian’ is a thing?”
Me: “Very much so.”
Customer: “Oh. I thought it was like ‘French fries’, like, you know, French in the name but really American?”
Me: “No, when we say French, we mean the language.”
Customer: “I’ve never heard of a language being spoken outside the original country. Weird.”
Me: “So you’ve never heard of Mexico?”
Customer: “Of course I have! I go there every winter!”
Me: “What language do they speak there?”
Customer: “Mexican!”
I left well enough alone and simply poured him more coffee.
