In the mood after work for a plate of good Thai food from our local restaurant, I was on the waiting list for a table for one. A moment later two French women walked in, and in the process of perusing a shared menu we struck up what passed for a conversation across a language barrier. I invited this mother and daughter, traveling around the Southwest for 30 days, to join me at my table. The next hour was delightful — and they were so very very grateful for the assistance in knowing the food, the menu, the ordering process, whether you could get it without shrimp, how to say “not spicy,” etc. Of course they took pictures of the “ranger woman” who invited them, and we ultimately exchanged addresses and emails for future contacts. Naturally, there was the “you must come visit us in the south of France” added on, with complete sincerity, at the meal’s close.
FYI: In France, there is no such thing as a To-Go box. It is gauche to take your food home with you; you must consume it on the restaurant premises. My new friends thought that it was better our way as it “wastes little.” They have become adept at asking for boxes here!
Ranger Kathryn's Arches 