I was just watching an old Truffaut film called "Jules and Jim"and a scene just hit me - In it, two friends reunite after years of fighting on opposite sides of a war (Jules is French and Jim is German), they sit in Jules' house, and after a long tense silence, Jules says, "Un Ange Passe" or "An Angel is passing by" to describe the awkward moment. This French phrase struck me as beautifully poetic - describing a lull in conversation. (Jim also knowingly adds that 'Angels usually pass by at 20 minutes past or before the hour'.)
Maybe that's why other cultures are more comfortable with sharing silence together - not feeling like the lull needs to be filled with meaningless babble. And of course I like Jim's comment - I imagine him being very matter-of-fact about it and just adding a little humor to the scene.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I have not seen this film, so I may be completely misreading the whole thing. :)
Have a great weekend, Anne!
xoox,
-maria
I've never heard that before. I love the description.
ReplyDelete