I practiced my French and on Thursday morning I talked to him. Or rather, I talked at him while he nodded and smiled and pretended not to be good at the language. But while I believe he doesn't understand much English, I'm certain his French is fine. I've heard that Latino (and probably many other) people do that, pretend not to understand when they want to squirm out of trouble. I didn't even have to use all my prepared arguments. But I should have looked him in the eye and asked if he understood, because I think getting someone to verbally state they understand is supposed to make them more likely to actually do as they say.
This morning when WolFish and I went out to work on the front flowerbed, he didn't smile and wave to us, but he didn't have us blocked in either. His pattern is to be compliant for a little while and then gradually get lazy again.