An RAF officer with whom I’m acquainted gave me a ride to my trailer this morning. He was a little vexed with our French brothers-in-arms. They refused to be scheduled for missions before a certain hour because they were unable to get breakfast by then. Me, I have no issue with the French (though breakfast? Really?). They provided critical aid to us in the Revolutionary War and gave us a cool statue too. I was clearly overmatched when I played apologist for the French in our conversation, however.
Henry: Someone should tell them they can get their croissants delivered.
Me: Or they should be reminded they have a long military tradition of great armies to live up to…
Henry: Wait, did you say “great armies”?
Me: Well…there was Napoleon…
Henry: He lost.
Me: Sure, eventually…
Henry: They have that farcical structure in the middle of the country; they should call it the “Arc de Defeat”!
Moi: What about the French Foreign Legion?
Henry: Overrated. They were kicked out of Vietnam.
Me: Well, not because they couldn’t get their breakfasts.
Henry: I’m not so sure about that…
It wasn’t a long trip; the other two along for the ride kept silent. I was a little surprised at the passion of his anti-French stance, not really captured here. I guess hundreds of years of wars with each other will do that.
Hmmm...a tough choice.
Henry and I had numerous conversations about America’s War of 1812 — it’s amazing the differences in perspectives you receive depending on which side of the water you’re on! To the Brit’s our “War” of 1812 was but merely a few battles in a much larger conflict. I can’t remember the details here (history, especially world history, was never my strong suit).