| At the café They are to be found at the | | | | visit to the baker's In my mother's old |
| far right hand corner; perhaps two or three, | | | | village of Milverton in Somerset, England, |
| perhaps seven or eight. There is Eugene, very | | | | there wasn't a single baker's. In Taunton the |
| spry, served as a volunteer in the French war | | | | county town, not too long ago, I tried to buy |
| in Indochina. He likes women and they seem to | | | | some rye bread. None. The English as a nation |
| like him. In ten seconds he can get any woman | | | | would appear to have the choice between, |
| smiling. There is Yves, used to run a drapery | | | | white or brown, sliced or unsliced, thick or |
| shop, likes women too, but has slowed down | | | | thin. And they are the nation that gave to |
| since his last marriage. Spent three years in | | | | the world the sandwich. I have five baker's |
| the Algerian war. There is Alain, a physics | | | | within walking distance of where I live. The |
| teacher, speaks a little English. Always | | | | best and my favourite is within a hundred |
| looking for the perfect woman. He likes the | | | | yards, as all good bakers should be. The |
| English. There is André, was with a | | | | baker is French, his wife Russian, and there |
| Tunisien colonial regiment in Indochina, | | | | are three women who sell the bread. Two are |
| likes his Masonic meetings, always at the | | | | French and one is Moroccain. They are all |
| theatre. But he has been missing for some | | | | smiling and friendly. It is a real pleasure |
| weeks. Is he at his apartment in Arcachon? | | | | to go to the baker's. The Moroccain is like |
| But he had to go to the clinique for a minor | | | | the waitress in my café, very pretty, |
| operation. It is a little worrying when | | | | polite and speaks excellent French. Not |
| friends don't show up. There is Michelle, who | | | | surprisingly she is the only one who speaks a |
| talks little and Nicole who says even less. | | | | little English and uses the Internet, so does |
| Ah! but there is Jacqueline who with her | | | | her husband, so I shall be very polite here. |
| sharp tongue makes up for both of them. Sadly | | | | The other day I had bought a baguette and on |
| Marguerite who has been part of the furniture | | | | the way home it broke in two. It was very |
| for as long as I can remember can't make it | | | | fresh, still warm, and half fell to the |
| any more, and there is Daniel, Raymond, | | | | ground. I shall talk about French pavements |
| Jacques etc. I am the only foreigner. They | | | | another day. I went back to buy half a |
| collectively don't have enough English to | | | | baguette but the shop refused to accept |
| read the first sentence of this article, so I | | | | payment. They also have I don't know how many |
| will have to translate it for them. Maybe one | | | | different kinds of bread, one dozen, two |
| or two have a computer, none use e-mail, | | | | dozen? All shapes and sizes, all types of |
| internet or blog. Most are retired, a few are | | | | cereals. The only additive allowed is salt. |
| waiting to retire. None are interested in | | | | English bread has about twenty two additives |
| making any more money. I, though, am still | | | | I believe. I like my baguette a lovely light |
| very active professionaly and want to make a | | | | golden brown on the outside and properly |
| lot more money. I am truly a foreigner. | | | | baked on the inside. I buy it in the morning |
| However we all get on very well together. | | | | to eat for breakfast and lunch and again in |
| Well, most of the time. Maybe I am some | | | | the evening for dinner. Fresh twice a day. My |
| strange kind of foreign pet. We have our | | | | friends in the café are always willing to |
| favourite waitress. She is pretty and young | | | | talk about food, which ranks with the weather |
| and always smiles and makes us feel welcome | | | | and health as main topics of conversation. I |
| when she shakes our hands. She is also | | | | said I couldn't understand my sister-in-law |
| Moroccain. She is a very good ambassadress | | | | at all. She buys half a dozen industrial |
| for her country. Ah! but what is her country? | | | | baguettes at the super market once a week and |
| Today is the great day. The day when France | | | | then puts them in the freezer at home. After |
| collectively stops smoking at the working | | | | all, one of the reasons for living in France |
| place. My café will still be full of smoke | | | | is their bread which must rank above politics |
| though. The law will not apply to cafés | | | | and on a par with women. I am trying to teach |
| for another year. The psychological shock of | | | | them British humour. It's not easy in French |
| taking away this last refuge where smokers, | | | | and much gets lost in translation. There is |
| leaving their office, can seek drink, friends | | | | of course Harry's bread in the supermarket |
| and tobacco, would have been too great a risk | | | | for American visitors. That makes them smile. |
| for any government in an election year. A | | | | |