I had an amusing experience last year. after I had left a small village in the south of France, I drove on to the next town. on the way, a young man waved to me. i stopped and asked he asked me for a lift. as soon as he had got into the car said good morning to him in french and he replied in the same language. apart from a few words, i do not know any french at all. neither of us spoke during the journey. i nearly reached the town, when the young man suddenly said very slow, "do you speak English?" as i soon learned he had been English
