Saturday, May 13, 2000 3:04 pm
Dear Francis,
Talking about how one interprets this and that, here is a story about Chris Marker I mentioned earlier and another about one of mother's friends:
Chris Marker needed to edit a 16mm film and was looking for an editing studio. It had to be within walking distance from his home though, because he doesn't like the Metro nor does he drive. Fernand Garcia's uncle had a small film editing studio, rue de la Roquette, in the 11th Arrondisssement, and it was the perfect location for Marker. So he brought his own old Steinbeck editing table from home, installed himself, and was there for something like a year. He arrived every morning at 10.30. Fernand, who worked there, opened the door, said a daily "Bonjour!", and Marker would work until lunchtime and leave.
After many months Fernand told his uncle that he didn't think that Monsieur Marker liked him much; he had never addressed a word to him in all those months, not even the courtesy "Bonjour!". He had only ever communicated by raising his hand as he came through the door everyday. Fernand's uncle told him not to worry; that gesture meant that he did like him. Fernand, who was a young man at the time, felt much relieved.
Now, Fernand told me the story himself, adding that in retrospect he didn't know whether his uncle had made it up on the spot to please him, or whether this was a well known mannerism of Monsieur Marker. I don't think this story has ever been published, but if you want to use it within your text for the book, just think of how much it can change! The reader cannot know exactly what that gesture was like, but will invent it and reproduce it for whoever she or he is telling the story; the reader can also take sides, and decide whether to say that Fernand doubted his uncle or not; and this raising of the hand - which one was it, the right hand? the left hand? - can easily be adopted by anyone as 'the Chris Marker salute', passed on, as a gesture of the right or left hand, higher and lower. The expression "To do a Chris Marker" could be used to describe someone who didn't say a word when a door is open for her or him. It's endless.
(Of course if you want to use this it would have to be complete. And in that case all these predictions will kill it right there and no-one will want to carry it further... but never mind...)
Another story:
My mother was friends with a woman who could never leave well alone, and often to her disadvantage. She couldn't say anything simply; she had to elaborate - it was a compulsion. So she was very much in love and the wedding day finally came. When the priest asked her whether she wanted to take her groom as her husband, instead of saying "Yes.", she said "Yes, it is necessary." This was in the 50s, so there was general consternation in the church. There she was, all in white, and both families and guests horrified that the baby was on its way. When she was asked when was it due, she sobbed, mortified, and explained that she wasn't pregnant. She had only embellished a little something that for her was much too plain.