mardi 10 juillet 2012

S is for Selling

How do you get rid of those infuriating sales calls? They seem to have tracked us down even here. I just answered the phone to someone asking for Madame Portay. He then offered to sell me solar panels as long as I was under 70. Well, at least I qualify in that respect. I told him, in a very BBC voice, that I couldn't speak French. (He didn't seem to cotton on that I'd understood everything he'd already said.)
There was a disappointed "Oh" at the other end, and we both put the phone down. That response seems to work rather well over here.

In the UK, one of the most successful replies was "I live in sheltered housing". Other friends had different ploys. I wish I'd the courage to respond, as one did, with "I'm really glad you called. I would like to talk to you about God". Another let a conservatory salesman ramble on for a while and "Ooo'd and Ah'd" about the marvellous structures on offer, then asked politely, "Does it matter that I live in a 4th floor flat?" End of conversation.


Gavin once decided to get rid of some rather persistent Jehovah's Witnesses by telling them that we were German. They left, only to return a few days later with three copies of The Watchtower in German. Unfortunately, I was at home alone at the time. And had to say "Ja" and "Nein" as they shouted questions at me to help me understand.

dimanche 1 juillet 2012

R is for Rupert

Rupert is a great friend of mine. He's also a very handsome Standard Poodle. The good news is that Rupert has decided to write his own Blog, about his life and times in France. I might have to give him some advice occasionally, as he's never done anything like this before. So it would be good if you could give him your support too. The Blog is:
http://adoginfrance.blogspot.fr/