this guy had been featured in my original album in my first year as part of my 'murals' theme during the month of april https://365project.org/summerfield/365/2011-04-15 and had not been featured again. today, when i went to the market after my morning walk, i passed by this and thought it's time he makes an encore appearance. with the brick wall to the market's entrance, this made a perfect half-and-half shot, n'est-ce pas?
at the subway this morning, a man was asking no one in particular something, that everyone ignored because he was speaking in french. he caught my eye and he approached me. he asked, in french, if he was on the right train to a place near downtown. i said "je ne parle pas francais, mais, oui, c'est le bon train, mais il vous faut demander au collectionneur pour les directions." (i don't speak french but yes this is the right train, but it's best you ask the station collector for directions.) he was bobbing his head as i spoke rather slowly as i was trying to translate in my head what i was supposed to say. as soon as i finished talking, the train stopped, and when the doors opened, i told him, rather abruptly, pointing to the door, "voilà! allez y. chop chop!" (there, go! chop chop - meaning hurry up). a couple sat near the door opposite me, laughed as the man exited the train. they commented that for someone who could not speak french, i did quite well. they had french accent and turned out to be from québec. i told them 'you speak french and you left me to labour my way telling that man where to go!' the man said, "well, we loved the 'chop-chop!' and i'm sure he appreciated it."
i should look up if there's a different meaning for 'chop chop' in french.
-o0o-
belatedly tagging this for week 19 of the 52 captures challenge of "photographer's choice".
