C'est Si Bon

Thanks to Madame Lenters and my three years of high school French followed by two semesters of college French, in my younger days I could almost speak French fluently.  I definitely could read French and understand almost everything. 

In the days before Rosetta Stone and "conversational" language learning, Madame Lenters drilled us on the conjugation of all of the forms of a verb in fixed order as in "I am, you are, he is, we are, you are, they are, I was, they were, I had been” etc. etc. etc.  This of course was further complicated by the gender differentiation in French.  As a result of her incredible teaching skills, I was able to place into advanced French in college and I knew more than everyone else in the class.  To this day, I will interject a French phrase that pops into my head when there is no English or Yiddish one that will do. I can also sing La Marseillaise, the French National Anthem, off-key of course.

I guess I don't need to mention that Madame Lenters was both hated and loved by the student body, myself included  When she passed away there was quite a write-up in the Chicago Tribune.

Merci beaucoup Madame Lenters.

C'est si bon...