Well, apparently her son had some trouble with his zipper and my son didn't like the fumbling too much. I guess it distracted him from his own undertaking. I saw him take on the most serious gaze, and ask his classmate one simple question:

"What the foc?"

That's what it sounded like. A crazy mixture of French/English something, but somehow alarmingly clear. I blinked and turned my head sideways as if my ears hadn't quite heard what he'd said. But before I could ask him, he said it again.

"What the foc?"

This time, I knew what he was saying. But could it be? Could my darling three-year old child be saying WTF? The other mother must have been asking herself the same question, because her face turned a slight color of pink...

Hmmmm.............I'm trying to get him to speak more ENGLISH and this is what he chooses to say?

OK. Who can I blame?

Let's see...father's French, unlikely, though possible since he's fluent in English. Nanny's French. Doesn't speak English. Pretty impossible. School? No, French School. Few English speaking Friends in France for the moment...

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

It's Canal Plus' fault! My live box wasn't working, which mean, cable TV was not working a couple of weeks ago. Cable TV out of order for a mother with a child who lives and breathes cartoons. I was frustrated. I vaguely remember saying something...ahem...a few terse words...under my breath....got a friend who curses like a sailor, sometimes rubs off on me...Canal Plus really had me going...Alright, enough excuses...

The culprit could be ME!

Am I a terrible mother?

Nah.

Stuff happens, I guess.

Priscilla Lalisse moved to Paris from New York City in 1999. In addition to being the Editor and Founder of Prissy Mag, she is the author of the novel STOCKALE. For her complete bio, please click here .

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