As you probably know, "Administrative Professionals' Day" was Tuesday. All week long our firm has been doing a daily activity to show our appreciation of our secretaries and staff. One day was a big, hot breakfast cooked and served by partners. (Hoo, hoo! Nothing funnier than a lawyer in an apron! It's like a chimp with an umbrella or a dog wearing glasses!) Another day was a celebratory lunch. Another day was ice cream sandwiches. All the secretaries have big bouquets on their stations.
Yesterday the associates put on a late-afternoon wine and cheese party, the theme of which was "Springtime in Paris." There was an exceptional selection of cheeses and some fine wines; all the associates went around wearing berets; one even brought in a camp stove and made crepes.
I ran around speaking French.
"Je m'appel la fromage!"
"Ou est la toilette!"
"Le poisson! Le poisson!"
"Voudrais vous le baguette?"
"Zut alors! I have missed one!"
"Prefer vous la piscine ou la plage?"
"Pourez moi la vin, s'il vous plait."
What was remarkable was that few people called me on it. To the last one the guy pouring the wine said, tolerantly, "I know what you're trying to say."
But I actually psyched one associate out. I said, "Parlez vous la fromage?" And he looked startled and said, in French, "Oh...just a little." His accent was really good.
But the coolest thing was the featured guest. I remember the planning committee casting around for a little entertainment. We already had Edith Piaf headlining on the boom box, but the word went out to associates seeking anything live that was kind of Frenchy - a mime, an accordian player.
We ended up finding a caricature artist, who showed up dressed to the nines - 100% matching from her baby pink beret, shirt and skirt to her diamond encrusted pink pumps. Adorable.
She was a hit, in no small measure because her sketches were, let's just say, extremely flattering.
Bon voyage!
That is so incredibly cool! And now I want cheese...
Posted by: Wickedly Scarlett | April 25, 2008 at 03:37 PM