I grew up in a small rural community called Willows in California. I am the oldest of five children and the only girl. My parents never imagined that I would leave Willows, let alone move to another country, equally, they never imagined that I would marry a French Man.
When French Husband meet my parents it was love at first sight, though my Father was skeptical. My Father often marvelled out loud to me, "Out of all the men in Willows my daughter falls for a Frenchman." My Father studied Yann's every move, to the point of assuming that French Husband's Speedo was a motive for seduction and not simply a swimsuit.
"Real men do not wear Speedos," my Father shook his head with a grunt.
The first time my Father saw French Husband in a Speedo he nearly split in two. He gave me a concerning look, I looked back, shrugged as if to say, "What is the matter?" Under his breath he mumbled, "Tell him to take it off," then for good measure, "Jesus Christ!" and not in the praying sense.
French Husband saw the look my Father gave, but could not understand the words he had quickly uttered. "Repeat me what he say you."
Being a naughty tease, between the two men I loved, I pronounced each word slowly, "My.. Father...said...to...take...it (pointing to his Speedo)...off."
"Off? Nue? Vraiment?" Poor French Husband was confused.
I shrugged.
My Father asked, "Corey what the hell is he saying?"
"Yann said..." I repeated his broken English word for word.
That was how it was in the beginning. I repeated everything everyone would say slowly. Even though for the most part everything said was in English. Though the tempo and accent often got it the way.
"I told him what you said."
"Told him what?"
"What you said: "To take it off".
My Father rolled his eyes, "Corey! God forbid!"
Then we laughed.
French Husband studied our faces, our quickly said words, then our laughter. He was more confused. I told him, "Men do not wear Speedos in Willows." French Husband grinned, "George, you swim nude?"
"Oh Jesus Christ Yann!"My Father and French Husband got along after that.
French Husband ditched the Speedo for swim-trunks that he called his,
"Sac a Pommes de Terre", potato sack.
Have you ever gone skinny-dipping?
