AN AMERICAN AND A CLOCHARD. (COMMENT).

AN AMERICAN AND A CLOCHARD. (COMMENT). Annalisa commented here on my post about French tourists who were thrilled to encounter an American who was down on his luck. Annalisa pointed out that as a tourist in France, I had a comparable experience and was pleased with it. Years ago, I was showing Annalisa and Nick Paris for the first time. I brought them to see St. Severin, one of my favorite churches (a short distance from Notre Dame). “That’s St. Severin,” I announced. At that point, a clochard, who had been sitting on the curb, roused himself, and said very loudly and with a beautiful strong French “r”: “Saint Severin.” Why was I pleased? The quiet moment, a favorite church, the implicit comment on my accent, a Frenchman interacting with us, and correcting us?