An American is visiting in France for several weeks. As his stay nears an
end, he is sitting around with three of his new-found French friends, just
generally shooting the breeze. The subject turns to language, and the
American says, "Guys, I do have one question left. I keep hearing this
expression, "sang froid". What does it mean? I know that it literally
means, "cold blood", but what does it *mean*?"
The first Frenchman replies, "Ah, zat is easy. Say that a man walks into
his bedroom, only to find his wife in bed with his best friend. If he can
turn around and walk out without zem knowing he was zere, *zat* is
sang froid!"
The second Frenchman interjected, "You have eet all wrong! If, in zis
circumstance, zee gentleman can calmly stand zere, and say "Please don't
mind me; continue", zen *zat* is sang froid!"
"Non, non, non!" burst out the third. "If ze gentleman bursts een on his
wife and his best friend, stands there saying, "Please continue", and his
friend *can* continue, *zat* is sang froid!".
