We’ve just returned from the déchetterie at Le Grand-Pressigny. We finally feel that we have 'arrived'! The man who oversees the place approached us, shook our hands and said "Le Petit-Pressigny"? This means he not only remembered us, but also remembered where we lived!
Our first visit there in February of 2010 bordered on farce. We arrived with a large trailer nearly packed to the gunnels with hedge and tree cuttings. Not a problem as the skips are large. The problem was that we had committed the cardinal sin of not bagging the waste for speedier disposal!
The trailer.
Luckily we had a couple of large boxes also destined for the skip. We spent a frantic half an hour filling the boxes and tipping the contents into the skip while the man looked on tutting and a queue of cars built up behind us. We could imagine him rolling his eyes and saying "les Anglais".
Today he struck up a conversation about Marguerita Chere who we thought he said lived in Le Petit-Pressigny, and asked whether we knew her. We thought for a while and said that we didn't. He looked bemused, returned to his buddies who turned to look at us.
It suddenly dawned that he was talking about Margaret Thatcher so we told him that we understood and he nodded gravely.
The news of Lady Thatcher's passing had reached this little corner of France...
We do not need to bag our garden waste here, just shove it out the end of the trailer when we manage to borrow one. Sad news about Maggie Thatcher but she has been looking fragile for some time. Keep well Diane
ReplyDeleteI feel some sadness for Maggie's family and friends who've lost someone dear to them.
DeleteIt's not that the rubbish has to be put into the skips in bags, he just seems to expect you to deliver the rubbish in bags and upend the contents into the skips. Now we know... but back then we didn't!!
Excellent mondegreen!
ReplyDeleteThanks for teaching me (with the help of google) a new word!
DeleteI am impressed that you are known by the dechetterie personnel.....we have not reached that point yet, although I suspect we may not be too far behind, as the number of times we have been to ours is mounting up.
ReplyDeleteI think I would have struggled to understand he was talking about Mrs T..... I'm impressed that you worked it out. J.
Not quickly enough for him not to go away initially thinking that we were 'tres stupide'!!
DeleteI think the French remember Marguerita...but well worked out.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the death of Ben Eel / Benile / or, as it turned out, Benny Hill and my old French neighbour's wonderful impression. It would have been interesting to see the dechetterie man's impression of our expired great leader...:-)
Axx
I am absolutely sure that it would be a hundred times better than mine...
DeleteSafe journey!
ReplyDeleteDo you mean us or Maggie T???? ;o)
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ReplyDeleteWe saw "The Iron Lady" on TV a while ago and really enjoyed it. Whether or not one approves of her politics, the film was very touching I thought.
ReplyDeleteBTW, it looks like the spammers have found your blog !! The thing that puzzles me is why anyone would follow their links, so why bother? (Answers on a postcard, please !!)
Well interpreted :-)! My students had several interesting "versions" too.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy [if that is indeed the right word] Normandy.
I'm sure I will - I always do.
DeleteIt's just very tiring especially at my advancing age. I need my sleep!!