When was the last time you walked away from a conversation and suddenly, you thought of the perfect comeback line? I think that many of us have experienced this and unfortunately, it often happens far too late to get the last word in. Every once in a while, however, we hear about somebody who not only has the perfect thing to say, they aren’t afraid to say it. That was the case with this old man who was being given a hard time as he tried to go to France. They wanted him to show his passport but he had the perfect reply waiting for them.
A group of Americans (retired teachers), recently went to France on a tour. Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane.
At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry-on bag. “You have been to France before, monsieur?” the customs officer asked sarcastically.
Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously. “Then you should know enough to have your passport ready.”
Mr. Whiting replied, “The last time I was here, I didn’t have to show my passport”
“Impossible. Americans always have to show their passports on arrival in France!”
The elderly American gave the French customs officer a long, hard look. Then he quietly explained:
“Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate your country, I couldn’t find a single Frenchman to show it to.”
