We Are Not Replaceable

“If grass can grow through cement, love can find you at every time in your life,"--Cher 

The New Year has begun.  Gloria sent a beautiful New Year’s card to us, writing: 

“May the New Year bring you the best of it all:  Health, Happiness, and, of course, Money.  Just want you to know how important you are to me.  life is worth living because I know you are here.  Love always and forever unconditionally.  

Mommy and Jack 

The week was light as far as receiving much mail but I did receive a sweet typewritten letter from Paloma that she wrote in late December 1995.  Paloma wrote from Balaruc-Les-Bains, France.  I was so ecstatic to read her letter because she is coming to visit the USA.  I immediately told Alan and it will be exciting for him to meet her and ‘for me’ to finally see her again after so much time.  

Dear Michael, 

I loved your cards, that’s fun to watch all of these different pictures.  It looks like you go to the restaurants quite often, right?   Thank you for wrapping me a Christmas present.  I can’t wait to get it but it really is not sure that I will before Valentine’s Day!  I am sure you have heard about the strikes we are having right now; the mail does not work, and I do not know for how long.  In fact, I even wonder when you will get this letter.  

The movie you are talking about with Jennifer Beals was FLASHDANCE.  That was one of my favorites.  I saw POCOHANTAS two days ago, but I am not really sure that you care about that.  I also saw CARLITO’s WAY on TV, that was not bad. 

You are right.  We are not replaceable.  I am sure it is pretty rare people writing to each other for mor than ten years, especially since we have different cultures and Americans are so weird!  (Just kidding).  By the way, you never answered my question.  Is there anyone else you write to as much and for as many years as you writ3e m?  Another question you never answered either:  Does Alan get to read my letters?  That’s OK but just let me know, so that I’ll stop saying mean things about him!  That’s just in case he does.  

Funny that article you sent me about Chirac.  You see, I was not lying.  That journalist exactly wrote what I told you, and you should see the situation now.  We all wonder what is going to happen.  Big cities right now kind of look like LA when you had those big problems.  Maybe we will have another revolution!  That’s like for the nuclear problems.  Alain Juppe (Chirac’s first minister) says he will not change his plans, and lots of people are not ready to accept that.  I am trying to explain a difficult situation with my few English words, that’s not easy.  Believe me!  This year my taxes have been raised twice (and I’m not even talking about taxes on gas, et).  Can you imagine that we pay a liter of gas for about one dollar and ten cents!   And now, I am expecting another big raise at the beginning of the year, and they are already talking about another one, pretty soon.  It will be better to just not work.  I have tons of things to tell you, so I will stop with that! 

I did not like ASSASSINS that much even if Antonio Banderas is pretty good looking.  I know who Robert Downey Jr. Is, I am not sure about Shelly Long.  Is she the one who played in that show called CHARLIE’s ANGELS or GIRLS or whatever?  The one that made Farrah Fawcett famous. Yesterday, I saw CHER on TV and she was in a French talk show.  She looked like she could be my daughter and had light blue yes.  That’s the first time I saw her with blue eyes.  She was no fun at all.  She looked like she was not really happy to be there.  A few days ago, I read some of your old letters and I found this really cool postcard with Sonny and Cher in the sixties (1965).  Do you remember it?  We were babies then (6) and she looked totally different.  In one of your letters, you also said you had a baby girl.  Can you imagine in a few years a young woman coming to you, saying she is your daughter? That must be TOO MUCH. 

Louis Malle is dead but I’m sure you know that, too.  Candice Bergen looked pretty sad. 

Can you believe we met each other 12 years ago? 

I have not seen FORREST GUMP yet, but I am sure I will very soon. 

I really do not remember the names of the streets in Oakland.  In fact, I even wonder if I will be able to find my way in Berkeley because I guess I have to tell you now...the surprise!  We are going to San Francisco!  Alexandre and I on the 19th of January until I think the 27th, then we are supposed to drive to Mono Lake where we will spend the night and the next day, we will drive thru the Death Valley to Las Vegas.  We will spend 3 nights in Las Vegas, one night at THE MIRAGE (the 29th), one at THE EXCALIBUR (the 28th) and the last one if it all works out at the LUXOR (the 30th).  I know because I have already made the reservations.  Can you believe that in those huge hotels they almost already did not have rooms?   At the LUXOR I had to take a jacuzzi suite, I guess that will be fun.  Have you already been there?   Then we’ll go to the GRAND CANYO and sleep there one night (probably at the Best Western Grand Canyon Squire Inn).   Have you been there yet?  I do not know if it is better to drive there or to just fly from Vegas (then we would not spend the night there).  I am not really sure about the end yet.  All I know is that we are flying back to France from San Francisco (from the Oakland Airport in fact) on Saturday, February 3rd.  That is going to be a pretty short trip, but Jonathan is not coming with us because he has to go to school, so my mom is coming from Spain with her husband to take care of him.  That is the first time I am going to leave him for so long, so I am not too happy about that.  Even if I am sure he will have a great time with my mom.   He will be able to make her do whatever he wants to.  I am afraid I might miss him too much and scared if something happens to us.  I am so happy to go to the States again but remember I told you I was scared because every time I planned it something happened.  I can’t help it.  

The end of our trip depends on you.  First, I was going to tell you that we were not going to Los Angeles.  We don’t have enough time and that it is too many miles—but I’d feel too sorry if I can’t see you (and you might get mad at me, right?).  So, I have been thinking about a way to see you.  We could leave our car in Las Vegas and take a plane to Los Angeles.  Looking at a map it seems like you live pretty close to the airport, so maybe we could stay at either at the Howard Johnson Hotel (8620 Airport Blvd), or at the QUALITY HOTEL (5249 Century Blvd) or at the RAMADA LIMITED (4300 W Century Blvd, Inglewood) or at the HAMPTON INN (10300 La Cienega Blvd, Inglewood).  If I am telling you the names of these hotels it is because you might know them and maybe, you can tell me which one you recommend; or maybe you can tell us about another one. 

I started this letter 4 days ago and I keep writing.  I still can’t send it.  When you get it, please answer pretty fast to tell me what you think about all of this.  In fact, in Los Angeles, February 2nd we would like to visit Universal Studios.  Will you be there that day?  Will you come with us?  

…. I started this letter 10 days ago and it is still here.  That’s the only thing that really bothers me with this strike.  Jonathon likes the strikes because he is not going to school anymore.  I remember in 1968 I didn’t go to school for a long time, too.  Funny I was about the same age as Jonathan then.  I wish I could fax you this letter, but I don’t even know your phone number.  What is your phone number?  Do you have a fax?  My fax number is 67-43-1772.   

I have now seen FORREST GUMP.  It is good but pretty sad.  That’s a beautiful story.  

“My mama always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” -Forrest Gump