So there I was, minding my own business, reading my Metro on the way back home from work, when a kid (must have been about 11 or 12) from the seat in front of me, gets up and pokes his head over, stares at me and then begins chatting. And grinning. And laughing. I just do what any normal, self-respecting English person would do. I ignore him and continue to read my paper. In fact, I pretend not to see or hear him and start listening to my iPod. Not that he gets the message. So, all I can see now is some Belgian kid miming and pointing in my direction.
I decide to try and talk to him and figure out what the hell he's saying. We exchange pleasantries. I mean, what are you supposed to talk about to any young kid, albeit in French or English? I ask him the dull stuff about school (and why he's not there. Says he's off ill. We both smile. A knowing smile. Neither of us are that stupid. Although he looks too young to have bunked). When he finds out I'm English all he can say is "Mr Benn, Mr Benn!!!" Which he finds hilarious. He meant Mr Bean. Either he's saying I look like him (it has been said), or it's the first thing that he can think of when he thinks of England.
He looks shocked, almost mortified, when I tell him that Mr Bean isn't the actor's real name. Another child's imagination shattered. He must have used some great slang, some I picked up, but most of it was beyond me. Still, it's all useful innit? He got off about 15 minutes later. I'm not sure what else we would have spoken about for the rest of my journey.
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