Grocery Store Encounters

Draguer: At what age are you “lucky” to be hit on (or even noticed at all)?

French token or jeton shopping cart chariot

Joyeuse Saint Valentin! That's Happy Valentine's Day in French. Photo: A "liste des courses" spotted at our local supermarché…where pick-up artists and good Samaritans operate. Don't miss today's vocabulary-packed story, below.

TODAY'S WORD: se faire draguer or se faire brancher

        : to get hit on

brancher une nana = to hit on a girl, to make a pass at a girl

CLICK HERE to listen to the following example sentence

Ah bon? Tu t'es fait draguer au supermarché? Oh really? You got hit on at the supermarket?

Try Easy French Step-by-Step. Click here to view the book.

A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE  by Kristi Espinasse

"My Inner Hot Mama"

While putting away groceries I reached for an item my husband had requested–pleased to have brought back the right ones. "Found you some rasoirs," I shouted to the man two rooms down. "A nice man helped me…." I added, smiling to myself and waiting for a reaction. Such plaisanterie is healthy in a marriage, n'est-ce pas?

"Ah bon? Tu t'es fait draguer au supermarché?" Mr Two-Rooms-Down called back, feigning la jalousie.

This time I snickered, remembering what a French woman told me two years ago, "At your age, you should be grateful your husband is still so attracted to you." Her comment made me feel so….unsexy, unadventurous and perhaps even undeserving? I have heard a similar statement from American women, a generalized idea that at this age, we should be grateful for a man's attention.

Earlier, back at the grocery store, such words came to mind as I stood before the men's razor display, suspicious of the stranger who'd begun talking to me. Busy wondering "is this guy hitting on me?" a more humbling and sarcastic thought surfaced: "Ha! At your age!" It immediately silenced my Inner Hot Mama, who gets stuffed deeper and deeper into the psyche–the more I listen to the media and certain women.

"Vous cherchez un rasoir?" the man with curly black hair smiled.

"Oui. Pour mon mari," Yes, for my husband, I pointed out.

"Does he have soft or coarse hairs?" the man replied in English, with a thick French accent. His question set me back.

After all these years I should know whether my husband has soft or coarse whiskers! In a guilty panic I studied the stranger's stubble (a.k.a. la barbe de trois jours).

"Coarse!" I guessed.

"Here, these should be good for a man on vacation," he said, handing me a 6-pack of "Wilkinson Swords."

Vacation? He thinks I'm a tourist. I did not correct him. Instead, I said Merci, c'est vraiment gentil and, as he walked off, I thought of how absurd it was to have confused a pick-up artist with a good samaritan. The ego is a funny thing. One minute it's a Hot Mama, the next it tells itself it should be so grateful, at one's age, for even being noticed at all.

***

When Mr Two-Rooms-Down came into the kitchen, I touched his stubbly face. "What kind of whiskers do you have?" I said, handing him his razors. "Soft or coarse?"

"Je ne sais pas," he mumbled, pulling me close and planting a kiss on my middle-aged lips. Whatever the mainstream says, I will always be a hot mama in his heart. And for that I'm grateful.

***
EDIT ME: If you see une faute de frappe (a typo) in French or in English, I would greatly appreciate it if you would point it out in the comments or via email. Merci beaucoup!

Jean-marc teaching kristi golf at golf de dolce fregate provence near bandol
Photo from 2005. This weekend Jean-Marc and I celebrate 30 years since we met in a nightclub in Aix-en-Provence. My husband has enriched my life in a myriad of ways (I even got the word myriad from him, after seeing it in his recent chapter…), and even if I don't golf, I appreciate each new defi or challenge he sets for me, including a recent swim with the dolphins which I hope to tell you about. I've been in some uncomfortable places, because of Jean-Marc's adventurous nature, but oh the stories he gives me to tell! The biggest is our love story, which I am focusing on in our war of the roses and wine memoir. Our intercultural marriage hasn't been easy, as you will see. I hope you will consider buying our book-in-progress, and begin reading it in installments. Click here to support our book project by buying a copy of our memoir, The Lost Vineyard.

FRENCH VOCABULARY
Increase your French vocabulary with these useful terms from today's story

le rasoir = razor
la plaisanterie = banter
n'est-ce pas? = isn't that true
ah, bon? = really
tu t'es fait draguer? = you got hit on?
la jalousie = jealousy
vous cherchez? = are you looking (for something)?
mon mari = my husband
la barbe de trois jours = stubble (stylish stubble)
vraiment = really
gentil = nice
je ne sais pas = I don't know

Valentines day in french roses cards
A valentine for you. I miss exchanging these colorful cards as we did once upon a time with all our classmates. Remember this practice? 

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41 thoughts on “Draguer: At what age are you “lucky” to be hit on (or even noticed at all)?”

  6. Will the lost vineyard ever become a book I can hold in my hand and read from cover to cover? I’m a complete book man and waiting for the next chapter doesn’t appeal to me.

    Reply

  13. Is the cute and friendly cashier flirting with me, or do I simply remind her of her grandfather? C’est toujours la question !

    Reply

  16. You are a hot mama, Kristi! Don’t let anyone tell you differently. The discouraging words are designed to stifle competition and set women on their heels. Don’t believe it for a second. Your sexiness originates in your brain, after all, not externally. Stay sexy!

    Reply

  19. Why did the “suave” French pick-up artist speak to you in English? Can’t hid your healthy American looks? Happy V -Day.

    Reply

  24. Take it as a compliment Kriisti You are an attractive lady !
    By the way my man & I still send Valentine cards to each other after 45 years of being together

    Reply

  25. Our dear Kristi,
    Today’s post is just adorable!!
    Your gifted words–your magic!–turns a mundane subject like whiskers(!!)into a
    perfect Valentine’s topic between two people sharing life together!!
    I honestly didn’t know whether Rod’s stubble was coarse or fine till he grew it into a beard.He always hated shaving and kept true to his word that after he retired he refused to do it again!!I love how it looks!!
    Sending special love and hugs,dear Kristi
    Natalia . Xo
    PS let’s make it a chocolate day!!!

    Reply

  28. Kristi – From the looks of things (and you), you will always be hit on, and that goes for your mother, too. But, most of all, the best part of this post was the sweet “bise” from your adoring husband on Valentine’s Day. I was likewise blessed today from my 51-year sweetheart – the beat goes on, God is good. ❤️Janet

    Reply

  38. Kristi, you are incredibly beautiful and will be for many more years! Like JM, mon mari also very adventurous and often pulls me into situations that take me outside my comfort zone, landing to precious memories and entertaining stories to share with others.

    Reply

  39. Merci beaucoup! What a wonderful story. My husband and I still flirt with each other. Some days I look in the mirror and feel I look like a hag. Very depressing. But then, I put a smile on my face and my chin up. It’s just one day. Most days I feel pretty good. We all should, no matter what our age. Each age has it’s beauty.

    Reply

  40. Sorry, but it still says “course” instead of “coarse” in the second-to-the-last paragraph.
    Loved the story. I would have wondered the same thing! There can be a fine line between being nice and flirting…

    Reply

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