Swiss Family Vomit - email

From: Douglas McLeod Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 13:50 PM To: Alan_McFadenSubject: Swiss Family Vomit and other Tales
Back from France. Going over by Condor Ferries (I can hear you saying 'Ahh Condor' as I write). Behind us a family of about 6 - I avoided all eye contact. Bit of a swell. They commence to vomit in turn, in paper bags , on the table, on the floor - everywhere. I experienced their strange world through all of my senses except my sight - I refused to look. At one point I heard the following. Vomiting Child -" Dad why are you the only one in the family not to be sick?" Father " Give us another couple of minutes". Le Vieux Moulin also provided an interesting example of bodily functions. In its beautiful faded but still elegant restaurant which could seat about 60 there was one other couple on the other side of the room - Kraut I think and we were seated behind and next to a solitary Frog. Throughout the meal and over the next hour and a half the frog farted loudly continuously and with great variety of pitch, volume and rhythm. The Krauts could hear it all from the far side of the restaurant , luckily I think farting is part of German humour so it was OK. The hotel owner could speak no English and so it was a challenge to me to convey to him this little scene. Searching the dictionary I thought 'vent' might have something to do with it and in looking up this word I found 'avoir vent' to have or break wind just what the doctor ordered. My son is in a tent , bottom right bit of Australia, Botany Bay. Should I send him to spy Woodworth? Bye for now Douglas