The ticket Inspector Joke

A few years ago, I decided to visit my sister who was living in France. I assumed that most French would speak English.

I found that many people spoke only their own language and this included the ticket inspector on the train.

He punched my ticket, then chatted cordially for a bit, making several expansive gestures. I simply nodded from time to time to show him that I was interested.

When he had gone, an American tourist, also on the train, leaned forward and asked if I spoke French.

"No," I admitted. "Then that explains,"

she said, "why you didn't bat an eyelid when he told you that you were on the wrong train."