In fact, a cross-cultural issue seemed to be the subject of the current conversation. Marie-Louise, who had just waved away the offering of a second dinner roll, asked seemingly out of the blue if Americans used the word ‘fool’ in polite society. Everyone looked puzzled, but Max said, “I do remember that we weren’t allowed to say fool in front of my great-aunt. She was a foot-washing Baptist, and she claimed there’s a passage in the Bible that expressly forbids it.” “Ah,” Marie-Louise said. “Thank you for straightening this out. We were always told as children that after a large meal we should
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