Getting It Droit

Nora Zamichow in “Provence: As Advertised” (June 22) writes that two French words always confuse her: “droit (right) and gauche (left).” As a result she “was uncertain as to which direction to turn at the next junction” when she asked a Frenchman for directions.

Her friendly Frenchman probably meant her not to turn but to go “straight ahead,” for tout droit means just that. If he had meant for her to turn to the right, he would have said a droite. The cha^teau where she had reserved a room was likely only 10 minutes away by going straight ahead, but by turning at the next junction, she found it “an hour and a half later.” By that time she had earned the right (le droit) to a bonne nuit.

G. BORDING MATHIEU

Laguna Beach