Sosie

so-see

noun, masculine

look alike

The man approaching me said, "In Hollywood, women pay good money to learn to walk like that!"
 
I remember being a little confused by my neighbor's greeting, as we crossed each other while out for a Sunday walk. Was I to take that as a compliment?

It can take me weeks, even months, to get over unsolicited feedback and sometimes a biting remark never loses its sting….

"You look about my age," a woman once confided. I later learned that she was ten years older than I. 

I have been told, "You look a little serious," and I think "Really? Me? Seriously?"

Most often I am informed, "You look like someone I know!" With this, the speaker invariably elbows their partner, "Hey, doesn't she look like so-and-so?" I wonder what so-and-so looks like?

"Tu as l'air fatiguée…" close friends say. Apparently I look tired, too….

"She looks like grandma!" the little boy at the beach shouts, and I want to stomp on his sandcastle. Enough is enough is enough!

My neighbor, Mr Hollywood, tells me he possesses the unique ability of being able to look into the mirror and see himself objectively. I wonder if this is possible? Can one see oneself as they are?

Unique abilities aside, I decide to give it a try. Staring into the mirror I search for "So-and-so" and for "Serious" and for "Tired" and for "Grandma". I squint and strain and stare. But it's no use. All I see is me.

French Vocabulary

tu as l'air fatigué(e) = you look tired
le sosie = look alike, double 

 

This post was originally titled "saugrenu"

saugrenu (so-gruh-newh) adjective
  absurd, preposterous

La vie, on sait bien ce que c'est : un amalgame saugrenu de moments merveilleux et d'emmerdements. Life, we know very well what it is: an absurd amalgam of marvelous moments and hassles. –Roger Martin du Gard

:: Audio File ::
Listen to my daughter pronounce today's word "saugrenu," followed by today's
quote: La vie, on sait bien ce que c'est : un amalgame saugrenu de moments merveilleux et d'emmerdements. Download saugrenu.wav
.
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