Help edit today's post by contributing corrections–in French or in English, in the comments box. Merci beaucoup!
un éboueur
: garbage collector, bin man
Audio File
Click here to listen to Jean-Marc read this sentence:
Un éboueur aussi connu comme agent de propreté urbaine ou plus familièrement comme ripeur (pour ceux à l'arrière de la benne), vidangeur (québécisme) ou poubellier, poubelleur, poubelliste (de poubelle, le récipient destiné à recevoir les déchets) est une personne employée par une collectivité territoriale ou une entreprise pour collecter les déchets, voire les convoyer jusqu'à leur point de retraitement (décharge, incinérateur, usine de recyclage). –Wikipedia
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE…
The other day Smokey was taking his nap downstairs and I was taking mine à l'étage when the buzzer rang.
It must be the facteur, I thought, hurrying downstairs in my chaussettes. No time to put on shoes, or the mailman (whoops! mail carrier because écriture inclusive) might move on. Hurrying across the front yard in my socks–aïe aïe aïe–stepping on a shards of misplaced gravel strewn across the tiled path, I noticed a group huddled together on the other side of our portillon.
Bonjour! I said.
Nous sommes les éboueurs. On vous propose notre calendrier….
Familiar with the yearly calendar sales custom, I didn't hesitate to smile and answer back. Oui, bien sûr!
Ah, zut, I said, realizing I probably didn't have enough cash on hand. Je reviens! With that I hurried back–aïe aïe aïe–to the house, to scavenge through my husband's trusty sacoche. Dear old Mr Sacks coughed up exactly 10 euros in change. This seemed an acceptable contribution to our local clean team–this and un grand merci!
Hurrying back out–aïe-aïe-aïe–over the gravel and up the path, I stood on my sock-toes to hand the cash over the gate–and that's when I remembered to say thanks for all les éboueurs do to keep our neighborhood clean. Only then I noticed that half of the men had taken off (I guessed, to present calendars next door) and only two remained. My only thought at that point was, you should have said thank you before you went inside! Now the others won't hear of your appreciation.
And then I was going to go and tell you, the reader, about the big lesson I learned: to always say thanks right away… before it's too late!
….But then I went to write today's post and, in researching about calendar sales and "les éboueurs" I found several warnings on the internet! Cities like Paris and Lyon–and the near-to-us Ollioules, have forbidden calendar sales by les éboueurs…because of the scam involved. It turns out that a lot of éboueur imposters have been out knocking on doors and collecting!
It makes me think back to few days ago, to the grinning group standing beyond our front gate, wearing their fluorescent yellow éboueurs vestes…and to the three guys who took off. And it makes me wonder if I've been had, or arnaqué!
I'm looking at the calendar they handed me and it looks a little suspect now. For example, when the firemen sell their calendars, you see photos of fires, rescue operations, etc. But I notice the garbage collector calendar is full of kittens (Octobre) and puppies (Août)and horses (Décembre) and goats (février) and baby ducks! (Mai). Where is the garbage? Shouldn't there be pictures of garbage?!
Flipping back to Janvier (no baby animals, here we have a chalet or ski lodge and still no garbage!) I see a message: "Les Employés du Tri Sélectif vous présent leurs Meilleurs Voeux pour L'Année 2018…." ("The employes of the Garbage Collection and Waste Recirculation wish you a Happy 2018.")
Dear old Mr. Sacks who coughed up those 10 euros. Does he look like he cares who got the money? Monsieur Sacoche (as my mother-in-law calls him) is 140 years old in dog years… and has 9 lives, like a cat (don't worry, he did not melt!).
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Cough! Xxx
Fluorescent. (Well, you did ask…)
I love the trashman definition as a “ripper” – Sounds fun! Trash men selling calendars is very intriguing, I’ve never heard of that. We usually get free calendars from our car insurance and real estate agents.
One small change:
“A third lesson might be to–aïe-aïe-aïe, take the time to put on socks.”
Socks should be shoes, methinks.
Thank you for your thoughtful posts, humor, and obvious appreciation of others 🙂
Dear Kristi,
Today’s telling of your interaction with “des éboueurs” is an example of one of the many attributes which I love about you. You always seek the good in everyone and everything. You did what you thought was right and, like you wrote, Mr. Sack did not complain. Besides, the pictures of animals are lovely.
Last week I was away from my computer and didn’t get to congratulate you on fifteen years of writing FWAD! That is quite an accomplishment of which you can be very proud. Thank you ever so much for the many years of enjoyment you have given me.
My appreciation and very best wishes,
Cynthia
Thank you, Nancy–and to all who are helping with edits today! The socks mistake is a great example of why a *help edit* note in every post–for when the mistakes are beyond spelling 🙂 Off change that one to shoes!
Thanks, Diana, but I need more of a clue here. I will leave *coughed* for now.
Thank you, Cynthia! I always look forward to your notes. I hope all is well with you, and that you were only away from your computer for a break.💛
Kristin – I was a little bit surprised (and alarmed) to read your post today and see that the garbage pickers are sometimes referred to as’a vacuum cleaner (Québécois)’ Having had two grandparents born in Quebec, Canada – I always thought ‘Quebecois’ referred to the people who were from that region. It almost seems an insult to them! Am I mistaken?
Thanks, A! Feel free to leave a correction any time 🙂
Sorry about that, Dawn. I think it is a bad translation.
Hi Kristin,
Well, it’s a cute calendar even if they were imposters! haha
Mr. Sacks looks cozy by the fireplace!
Kristin, are you no longer posting photos on Instagram? I alwYs look forward to them.
Thank you, Barb. I took a little break and hope to return soon. Your note helps 👍💕
Scams that trade on the good reputation of others are particularly despicable. In our Southern California town, door-to-door solicitors are required to obtain pre-authorization from city hall and are issued identification they can show the homeowner. If in doubt, the homeowner can contact the city for verification. If the city is advised of scam artists working a neighborhood they will send out an agent to track them down.
Calendar
I second Barb’s desire to see your Instagram posts again!
Hi Kristi, I think Diana was referring to your request for spelling corrections: Mr. Sacks “coughed” instead of “caughed”.
Love you!
Lorinda😊🌻
Our dear Kristi,
Today’s post(as always) is absolutely charming(!) and once again,you give us an example (and inspiration!) to look on the bright side of trying to see the good in people–and situations.
In a way it reminds me of the time I asked a trusted cleaning service to help us with an overload of cleaning(complete with a generous payment and tip)only to discover that one of them had stolen a treasured scarf(in fact, it was an anniversary gift from my husband).
I was mad–and disappointed– when a lifelong friend suggested “Well,maybe they needed money for food or medicine and just resold it for that?”
I confess that the thought had not entered my mind.
Thank you for reminding me of a valuable lesson.
Love
Natalia XO
Being able to see the humour in any negative situation is the secret to life.
Your postings always provide a little life lesson Kristi which is uplifting.
That calendar will continue to give you another slant on life as you turn the pages and are reminded.
What a gift!
imagining you running across the courtyard in stockinged feet — loved the triple “aie”!
I lived for a time in a town named Florissant, in Colorado, though many referred to it as Flourescent!
I think the expression is USED in Quebec to mean “trash collector” – not to describe people in Quebec.
Your firemen calendars in France may show photos of fires and rescues, ours show some of the cutest guys holding puppies! I think I need to send you one. All for a good cause of course. Or then there is the one up un Oregon put out by the quilters of Bend….they are men all wrapped in quilts. (It is ok to look….and I am 73!). And don’t bother with the shoes next time aie,aie, aie sounds so cute and I got the perfect picture in my mind.
Love the beautiful photo of Jean-Marc attending the fire and Mr. Sack looking on! It looks so cozy and the lighting is beautiful. Have you ever considered putting together a book of your beautiful photos? I would buy it!
Love Joie in Carmels comments. A naked but for a quilt calendar sounds intriguing.
I also love the fact that you translate ow/ouch into French Kristi.
Yes of course. French Wikipedia will provide terms used in France and then note terms used commonly in Quebec where their patois is Québecois. Just like the difference in terms between American and British English. But ripper? Truly? Such interesting terms.
Oh I just realized the French term is québécisme, even more precise. In English, we say British or American or Canadian or Australian English, so what is the best translation fully into English of québécisme? Québecois is still a French word, really. Canadian French or Quebec French? Just guessing. My grandfather my grandfather was born in Montréal long ago, but I do not know the right term for québécisme, a term used in Québec French.
My thought; Don’t worry about Chere Kristi. You gave the euros thinking you were helping, and so what if it wasn’t the group you thought you were helping…you got a calendar and a group of people got some money that we’re going to believe they needed.
If the “real” eboueurs show up I have no doubt you’ll give them 10 euros and they too will appreciate it just as much, and you’ll have another lovely calendar.
It’s the intent that matters. You have a very generous heart, and spirit. God knows that. He’s keeping score so you don’t have to. Continue to give when the spirit compels you to.
I like to believe if this group had really been evil you’d have felt it and your run back to the house would have kept you there!
OT: You’ve not spoken about Jules of late. I hope she’s doing well. I miss hearing about her. I hope she’s coming to see the new house soon. xx
I agree – since you got a calendar, you didn’t really lose, even if it was a scam. And I’d rather look at animals than trash. Maybe the calendar should include one “garbage” picture, such as bins being unloaded at a processing plant?
By the way, do you have recycling, where glass, paper, plastic, metal, etc. are remade into new things?
The calendar layout looks different from that of American calendars. I am so conditioned to Sunday-through-Saturday with squares to write in that I’d have a hard time using anything else. But the calendar can be hung somewhere as a decoration, whether it is used to track activities or not.
Yes, thank you, Kristin, for 15 years of FWAD, of which I’ve read the past 10, after I found out about it. Never wishing to impose on you, but I will look forward to reading it from time to time as long as you continue to write it. Really appreciate it!
You wrote calenEr instead of calendAr.
BTW, I went to Aix-en-Provence and found it utterly charming. We were at a cruise stop in Toulon. I love their accent.
Our kitchen used to be side on to the front door, so often It was not just ouch, ouch, but nowhere to hide in my full pyjama glory when people came a-knocking. It’s sad that we have to wonder about the good intentions of people.
“It makes me think back to few days ago…” Should there be an “a” in there? It makes me think back to a few days ago.
For your non-US readers, we sometimes call them sanitation engineers.
you always paint such a wonderful picture of your life in france… i sit here in the u.s. and picture you running across your yard with lovely french socks, french rocks under foot, the french sea in the distance, and french men selling calendars (are they french animals?) and i appreciate the challenges you face and share with us, who are not in france.. i always relate to the balance you try to achieve in turmoil… inner and outer turmoil! our problems in the u.s. are different only in the way they are spelled!
thank you for 15 wonderful years!
Thank you, mwilding 💛
Thank you, Lorinda. *Now* I see it (I had been focused on the present and past tense, thinking that was the mistake in question.)
Thanks, Diana! Lorinda (see her message below) helped me to see that it was a question of spelling (I could not see that *a*) and not present tense vs past tense.
Thanks for catching that one, Kent! Will add the a.
I too began to miss your Instagram posts, like some of the contributors above. BUT I do know that a blog is very time consuming and relentless AND that Instagram and Facebook (which you also do) are much the same in that sense. Particularly now that your blog is twice weekly – and then you do the vocabulary roundups etc. So all in all I think you are quite stretched. Like many of us, you need to make a living. I think we recognise that you give pleasure to us all in hundreds, probably thousands but it’s not the same as food on the table or money to support your young who haven’t yet completely flown the nest. So I for one am happy not to put any pressure on you but just to enjoy what we have.
Difficult to know .Living in a small village here in France it is easier for us . Our ‘Refuse Collectors’(official title in the U.K I believe .) come twice a week & so we get to know them .I usually catch them when they are actually doing the bins. The Sapeurs always wear their uniform & the post lady is a friend .
Love the picture of you & the socks &scrabbling around fro change ! That’s usually ME !!
Hic I see ‘for’ is the wrong way round .Sorry I type too quickly
Thanks, Audrey!
Thank you, Margie. I appreciate that. I would love to do a book of photos, but many things have been grabbing at my attention, making it challenging to settle down on a project. I love and want to putter, garden, cook, exercise Smokey, see my family, friends, and research current interests. Writing this blog is a joy and a vocation — as well as keeping it everything in balance.
Thank you, Deborah, for asking about my dear Mom. She is caring for her beloved dog, Breezy, who is about to pass out of this world. Apart from the memories, Breezy is my Mom’s last link to John (Breezy was his dog), who passed in August 2016. Thank you for keeping Jules in your thoughts.
Thank you, David!
While we were in France last month, I got curious about the origin of the word “Poubelle”
Such a pretty sounding word — how could such a word be associated with a lowly, smelly garbage can?
Wikipedia had an unexpected answer: it’s the last name of the guy who invented organized garbage pickup.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugène_Poubelle
When I mentioned this to the wife of our former French exchange student, she said that she only knew this because she had known one of his descendants at university. Poor girl had suffered mightily from taunts growing up with that name.
I thought it was amazing that such a take-for-granted concept could be traced back to a single inventor.
That reminded me that we had encountered a slightly different garbage collection concept on our first trip to Taiwan. Around midnight, we were awakened by the sound of the “Pop Goes the Weasel” jingle being played (presumably) by an ice cream truck cruising the neighborhood. I thought, “Who is going to get up at midnight to go outside and buy an ice cream? These people must be crazy!”
Next night, same time, same ice cream truck jingle disturbed our sleep.
It was several days before we heard it during the daytime, and saw people bringing out small bags of garbage to throw into the “ice cream truck.”
Not really sure why they did it that way. Perhaps in the stifling semi-tropical heat of Taiwan, the garbage rots too fast if you just leave in in a Poubelle outside for anonymous pickup during the night…
On our first driving trip to the UK from our home in Spain, I was puzzled by the road sign that advised: “REFUSE TIP 1 MILE”
It brought to mind the mental image of a man standing by the road ahead offering me a tip, but I should not accept it…
Haha 👍😂
I thought it was interesting to see the “saints day” listed for each day of the week.
when l read vidangeur l thought comes from “ vider/vidanger” to empty-l use “aspirateur” for vacuum- interesting to see what part of process gives us the final word-