L'Espirit De L'Escalier

Two weeks ago, several people from our office in Lausanne, Switzerland, were visting to help jump-start a joint project. While talking with Hervé (who is actually French, rather than Swiss), I related several incidents from our trip to France and Switzerland in 2006, the linguistic difficulties I faced, and the self-deprecating manner in which I overcame them. He had a good laugh and then told me, "Your accent is very good."

I realized too late I should have replied, "Yes, but my vocabulary is merde."