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C’est vrai…

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19 comments

    • Sandy

    That doesn’t look like a Walmart! :-) Hope you had a great time in the USA. Hope you make it to Kansas on one of your trips back. Have a great day!

    • Nils

    Ha, ha. Same in Germany, only worse. I have never seen a bread display directly behind the cashier though.

    • David

    Nils: I’m glad the French have a sense of humor about it.

    Well, at least the ones who aren’t Parisian..

    • lagramiere

    Too funny, and all too true!

    • liz

    Good Lord! I’d never make it without getting arrested.

    • triple nippled cowboy

    Exactly the opposite happened to me. I was in line with a few things in my basket and the old lady BEHIND me straight up gave her merchandise to the cashier who rang her up before me. WTF.

    • Chad Edward

    I’ve lived abroad, visited Paris and Provence, but maybe this will reveal how innately American I am: Why doesn’t the cashier take control of her line?

    I just don’t understand this risquillage.

    I’m leaving for Montreal Thursday. Does anyone know if French Canada has adopted this practice?

    • fanny

    I do this all the time. What’s the point?

    This is clearly one terrific video. Made me laugh so hard.

    xx fanny

    • David

    Fanny: I don’t believe it—you’re not Parisian!
    : )

    (btw: There’s other ads for Le Parisien that are equally funny, and just as accurate. Search a video sharing site with the words ‘Le parisien publicite’ or ‘pub’)

    • fanny

    Thanks. I’ll make sure to check as I find them so funny.

    • Claire

    Oh, yes, 100%. Unfortunately.

    • Linda H.

    That’s despicable!

    • sixty-five

    It’s because old people are completely invisible. True in the US – apparently in Paris as well. Sometimes it’s an advantage, mostly not.

    • Nurit – 1 family. friendly. food.

    I think I’ve been living here (where I live now) for too long because this looks outrageous. In my previous life, this was the reality too. Each person had to fight for their place in line. And now I think, poor old woman. Sniffle.

    • Amanda @ Mrs.W’s Kitchen

    Ugh! That kind of thing just burns me up!

    • Leesa

    Toooo funny! I watched the others, which were equally funny and true! As for me, I usually let someone pass in front who has fewer items than I do while in line at my local Monop. People are always surprised at that (and appreciative). Are Antonians considered “Parisians?” B/c they are more civil down at my end… Great post, David!

    Take care,
    Leesa

    • Jamie

    Well done! They only missed the part at the end where she remembers something else they need and sends her husband back to look for it.

    • Loulou

    But they left out the part where the woman digs around in her purse for 5 minutes, finally pulls out her checkbook to write a check, then chats with the cashier for 10 minutes after the transaction has taken place.

    Love this series of videos! Showed them to some French friends who live in Toulouse and had never seen them before. They cracked up too.

    • David

    Loulou: They also missed the part where the shift changes and the next cashier comes over and they spent five minutes talking amongst themselves. Then finally, after a long wait, they decide that it’s time. And then, and only then, do they deem the customers worthy of some attention.

    Jamie: Actually, it’s usually something that isn’t priced correctly. So they have to try to find a manager, who is invariably on his break. And then he comes inside from having his smoke outside, reluctantly, to walk down the aisles in a daze (he also just took a nap), to try to find a similar item.

    And of course, when they do, they have to zero out your whole order and start all over again.

    And, of course, there is only on cashier open and there’s 12 people behind you. And they’re fuming, too.

A

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