Funny Story

So I have a few minutes before class, so I thought Id share this incident with you. There's a hallway that cuts through one of the main buildings and takes you straight to the building with the teacher's lounge. The problem with this hallway is that it goes past the "hang out" rooms, where millions of smelly french lyceens loiter. My first few times through that hallway, I was terrified, because the kids just stare at you. But I've since mustered some pluck, and I haven't thought anything of it for some time now. However, this morning when I walked through that hallway I was actually hasseled by some punk student. The hallway was packed and I was trying to squeeze between students as best I could. Then I got to a pack of boys and they wouldn't let me through. I would step to one side, and one of the boys would step that way too and block me (with the others hooting and hollering). Let me pause to remind you that I look like a student to most of these kids. I don't look my age, don't dress like a teacher, and I don't don the typical teacher scowl. So I think they thought I was one of them (I don't think they'd have the gall to do this to a teacher). Anyway, he thought he was being hilarious and starting saying something completely incomprehensable to me (though I garnered he was hitting on me) and he leaned in to give me bisouses (okay the french plural is bisoux if you care). He actually managed to kiss me once before I stiff-armed him and gave him the evil glare. Yes, I am terrific at the glare (though I try to use it selectively). Then I rolled my eyes, said nothing (don't want him to think I'm not French, after all) to the now slightly embarresed and somewhat terrified punk, and walked away. What a tool. As I walked away I heard them laughing with each other, and probably talking about me, but heck if I knew what they said.

I tell you this story because I found it comical, if not a bit bizarre, but I in no way felt threatened or I would have stepped it up a notch. He was just a punk, and punks are obnoxious but harmless. I tell you this because I know now, after the way some events have played out this week, that this would have ended very differently had it been someone other than me. I'll leave it at this: americans can handle punks, and I'm not sure if other folks--the english-- can (another story about that to follow, possibly).