Right, so what I've learned by having a very loud young man sitting about a yard from me in the offices — a sales rep, no less — is that I am a complete snob. Sure, it's probably a reflex action because he's loud (I did say that) and he ends every sentence he makes on an upbeat, making them sound like a question. Which once you notice it is annoying, and secondly is a very bad sales tactic because you're supposed to be convincing people to buy shit, not asking them.

But mostly it's because he's really, really ignorant. In a loud, unapologetic way. And if I enumerate the ways it makes me a little sad because it proves what an elitist I am, but here's one — he once was very, very impressed with the woman who sat behind him because she watched a movie with subtitles. English subtitles, mind you. And the first movie he asked about from our Cannes reporter was the "Zohan" film.

Anyway, our film reporter who sits behind me returned today from the Cannes film festival and beyond, and I walked in on him having a conversation with Loud Boy. I walked in with my lunch and the two of them were having a discussion about being overseas; Loud Boy was impressed that Film Guy had lived in Berlin. Really impressed. Then he started talking about how his parents? Were from Poland? Originally?

Film Guy nodded politely. Mentioned he'd been there.

"Oh, yeah, they're from this place? In Poland? I don't know if you've heard of it but …" and here I'm sitting down with my lunch after a perfectly delirious morning in which I've put out about 10 fires and I'm pretty blasted and annoyed, so I'm  sort of half-listening and figuring he's going to mention a small? Town in Poland? With a complicated? Name?

"It's called? Krakow?"

And I seriously almost dropped my food.

I had to IM Film Guy, with whom I've shared some amusement over this kind of stuff in the past:

Me: (2:49:40 PM) I'm not sure if you know about cities in England … Do you know … London?

Film Guy: (2:50:13 PM) there's this very cool attraction? i don't know if you heard of it? it's called buckingham palace?

Me: (2:50:35 PM) and there's a lady who lives there? you might know her? the queen?

Me: (2:50:47 PM) Seriously, that's the best laugh I didn't have all day.

Film Guy: (2:51:39 PM) i really thought his head was about to explode when i told him i lived in berlin. an american? living in europe? why, that's just crazy