Je vais chercher les croissants

exp. – I’m going out for croissants or I’m going out for cigarettes, or I’m not coming back at all
For those having a little dalliance, but who are eventually coming home, there is an expression “cinq a sept,” literally translated meaning five to seven or the hours between work and the time a man gets home when he may be spending time with his mistress. This isn’t to be confused with “Cinq a Sec,” which means five to dry and is a dry cleaning chain.

Another afternoon expression is “le quatre heure” or “gouter” which means four o'clock or the taste or afternoon snack, literally though and having nothing do with a little afternoon delight. Moving into the evening, “Sept a Huit,” or seven to eight, is both a news program and a supermarket chain.

“Sieste crapuleuse” or sneaky siesta is what parents tell their children they’re having when they’re not really siest-ing at all. And when children aren’t really at school, but rather are playing hookey, it’s called “faire l’ecole buissonnieere” or making school in the bush. This actually dates back to 1423 when the plague drove people away from the cities and into the countries to avoid catching it. Others say it comes from the 15th century where the thieves would hide in the bushes in the middle of the forest. One more theory is that it comes from the secret schools hidden in the bushes during the Lutheran period so that the repressed Protestants could take classes there.

In any case, there are no birds in the bush worth less than in the hand, but rather “un ‘tiens’ est mieux que deux ‘tu l’auras’" or quite simply, one that you have is better than two that you will have.

All this sneaking around can also lead to “casser du sucre sur le dos de quelqu’un,” breaking sugar on someone’s back or criticizing someone behind their back. More seriously, one could be stabbed in the back or have a banana peel put under their foot, “metre une peau de banane.” And of course all of these things could lead to opening a can or worms or “comme usine a gaz,” like a gas plant. And none of us want that!