Everything You Need to Know About French Prisons

I had been saving this little nugget of French trivia for some larger blog piece, but I was overcome this evening with an overwhelming desire to share it with you. (In other words, I'm tired of writing my capstone and desperately seeking distractions other than those offered by the refrigerator.) In any case, here we go (drumroll please):

French prisoners are given a choice between wine and beer at lunch.

Aren’t you glad you know this? This is a great conversation starter. I guarantee that if you drop this tidbit at a party, people will take note. Their imaginations will churn, and they will simply have to respond. Undoubtedly, they will start wondering if perhaps they are living in the wrong country; unless they are Republicans, in which case they will be quite sure that they are living in the right country (oops, until last week’s elections that is). My bet is that no matter their political persuasion, they’ll bite and you’ll be off and running toward new conversational horizons.

You may be wondering how I have this insider information, but I’m not going to tell you because I’m sure your imagination will come up with far more exciting possibilities than my reality can offer. Suffice it to say that the source was reliable enough that you can move forward confidently in any cocktail party or water cooler conversations you may have. Just remember, you heard it here first. Please report back if you get any interesting responses, if you find it effective in attracting members of the opposite sex (or same sex depending on your preferences), or if you learn any other interesting trivia in response. I’m trusting you to use this information responsibly. Be good.