i found half of the day to visit a flower show and had my long hair cut. coming out of the show, i walked along until i came to a park bench. i sat down to allow myself some leisure for the first time since i started learning french two months before.

　　then a book lying in the grass nearby caught my eye. i picked it up. it was a french book in excellent binding①. as i turned the pages quickly, a young couple came up to ask if i had seen a book in german. wrongly understanding my expression on my face, the young man, who seemed well-educated, added that it was a book in literature.

　　i held out the book and explained it was a french book on education. the man was so troubled by what i said that he took it away from my hand in a hurry.as they turned to go away, i heard the man speaking: “what do you expect? a guy② with long hair and in bell-bottom trousers③ can't tell german from french.”

　　the girl nodded in agreement, but i was wondering if she would ever find out what was going on.