London?

A cease-fire was signed; the Germans paraded through the Champs Elysées and Bordeaux was swept by rumors about the new government. It would settle there, or in Algeria, or in Morocco... When it finally chose Vichy you felt relieved: you could tell Daddy your plans.



"Back to Paris? Are you out of your mind? he asked. You'll leave for Peru in no time. Next week. Pronto".

Nobody said a word.

Submarines! Sea mines! Tempests! Shark-infested waters! What kind of a father was he? A life of misery and churchgoing with Aunt Cristina and your three dumb cousins. You'd stick with the suffering, with de people, against fascism. No pasarán, carajo!

"Don't say profanities!"

"Ok, Ok, let's calm down here", said the Witch with that voice of hers. "Leo is right. It's dangerous and far. Doesn't your family still own that lovely flat in London? Where was it?"

"Chelsea", said Daddy flatly.

"You’d love it, Leo", said the Witch. "Artists, intellectuals, your kind of people!"

The more you liked the idea, the more you hated her…



Henry Garat and Meg Lemonier in "Un Soir de Refeillon" (1933). A Paramount film for French-speaking audiences, directed by Karl Anton. Monique is a working-class girl that scores a sexy Christmas night with a clique of sophisticated parisians.

Mamenka

My name is Olga. I am your mother. Ta mère. Ta mamenka.

Remember her first letter, your first rendez-vous at Place Saint Sulpice? You couldn't beleive this beautiful, chain-smoking woman was your mother. She wore a silken, double-piece suit and a black turban by Jean Blanchot. You met seven times in secret. She asked you many question, she had trouble answering yours. Sometimes she was peniless, sometimes she invited you. Where did the money come from? She was always elegant and men followed her with their eyes.



Heddy Lamarr and Charles Boyer in "Algiers" (1938). Directed by John Cromwell, produced by Walter Wanger. It's the American remake of Pépé-le-Moko, dubbed "the official instalation of romance in French avant-garde films featuring marginals, loosers, bad boys, filles de joie, alcohol... Cafard (depression) La mythologie de l'échec... Populist poetry" (Jacques Siclair)

Daddy

Daddy was a peruvian dandy. In 1919 he wanted to be a poet. He used to be a dadaist, a surrealist, a creationist.



He took some pictures and had russian girfriends. Twenty years later he ws a freemason and a diplomat.

"You will go back home, Leo", he said.

Back to church with aunt Eduvigis? Pray for San Martín de Porres! No way. Besides there are submarines. Zee Germans. Waht kind of father is he?



Un Chien Andalou (1929) Surrealism's masterpiece. Based on Buñuel and Dali's "dreams". A script written in six days using the exquisite corpse technique. "We rejected any image related to Education or Culture" (Buñuel) This sound version (1960) by Carl Bamberger features tango music and Wagner (Tristan and Isolde).

Zee Germans are coming!

Fortunately daddy has tickets and inside information. He’s a diplomat…

And there you are… at Montparnasse Station, carring your suitcase, surrounded by departing couples, families, tough and tired-looking gendarmes. "Les boches sont là...! Zee Germans are there!"

The train stops at Châtellerault, Poitiers, Ruffec, and Angoulême… Each station brings is own load of refugees… Airplanes fly over and passengers look grimier, sadder, terrified… You arrive in Bordeaux just in time to hear the last transmission of the

Starting Point

Imagine you’re a girl in your twenties. It’s 1940 and you must flee Paris.

You’re a foreigner. You live with your father and it’s World War II.
What would put in your suitcase?

What will you bring with you to your exile?

Here’s a possible list:

Mom’s letters
Your passport
A set of Modess sanitary belt
A bottle of eau de Jasmin from Coty
Nail polisher
College stuff: your Philosophy cahier
Picture of Daddy

Do you have a Teddy Bear? Ton vieux Nonours?


Am I missing something?