'allo?

Say what you will about the French-- and, man, many a day on this trip i had something to say about them-- their manners are impeccable. Whether it's a little kid walking by you, seemingly busy bouncing a ball, or a newspaper salesman in a bad mood, or a frazzled grocery store clerk, they are always ready with a "bon jour!", "bon soir!" and ultimately, a "merci!". I LOVE that!

In the states, we don't look at each other this way. We don't chance that level of eye contact. I'm a pretty eye-contact-y sorta gal, but it still depends on my mood, whether Im going to pass someone on the street, look them in the eye and make verbal contact. And, even then, it's pretty rare.
But, in France, I never missed an opportunity to meet the eyes of my fellow man (or woman, or child) and give a slight nod, a bright eyed smile and a warm "bon jour!" (or, of course, whatever the occasion called for). Never, not ever once, was it not repeated back to me. You gotta love that kind of human contact.