Sometimes people ask me where I've acquired such unrelated skills as my fluency in French, singing, dancing, balloon blowing and magic tricks.
It's tough to explain, really, I'm more at a loss as to why others aren't similarly gifted.
My line is simple, I tell them I attended the Marcel Marceau Mime school in Paris for a few years, got expelled when I accidentally swore during a routine in front of some children. After that, even living in Paris became hell, it's as if the Mimes were trying to run me out of town, following me about everywhere with their big baguettes and oversized shoes, mocking me as it were.
It was just easier to come to Canada.
A surprising number of people buy it.
Z's bought it, the newer East Indian waiter, he follows me around asking me questions about it until I explain that I was just kidding, I never attended the Marcel Marceau mime school, I don't know how I came by such an inane repertoire of tricks.
"But you could you know" he tells me...."You have that face...."
He's just trying to be nice. He's not letting it go. Now I must have the face of the sad clown, because his tone has gone from nice to conciliatory....
"You know, you could still study it on your own..."