Ouiza Abdat 27, lives in Paris (her start), Ouiza Abdat. Once: Algiers; home a time; Algiers. Math she loves; press agent, retired. Studio flat her zone. Name: a dieresis; oui its signal light. Now at work she makes layout and design — ads, free-lance essays. She abruptly left (chartered architect, lured by rat-race whirl!), comfort in the past. Life will thus be lived, singleness intact. [HM]
Sylvie Granson Laon-born, baccalaureate (trade degree), Sylvie Granson’s dwelling’s a subsidized space, not just hers: she set her mind on one with whom to create life in Saint-Quentin. Who signs her monthly paycheck at work (forty-one hundred francs net, plus change)? Office employee designates her modest lot. Sales work, a seasonal week at times certainly cannot hurt her stash. Upon her ken 24 springs are seated, in that time three crucial things: her grandmother had to die; she broke away from her kin; the third’s already cited. [HM]
Christian Benoit Sociology, philosophy, trained music librarian — and his trade Christian Benoit did pursue a while, indexing records; passed to new jobs; moved three times, but few so true to northern Artois: as in 52 he saw day’s light in Achicourt, near Arras, home before Grenoble made him its own. Today Villeneuve-d’Ascq’s where he lives. His job is, in his eyes, no load, although it pays the bills for him. Now in public housing secured, he’s (as acting director) been made, of a solvent firm, the guide, earning 9,000 francs a month. Unmarried father; bliss acquired when each of two children was born. [HM]
Gérard Briand He’d more than one adventure scaling peaks, and made progress to instructor echelon — Gérard Briand, from Évry. School teacher and monitor (not very long). Three degrees: history, cinema — his LIS MA meant car- eer as librarian; gets 11,000 a month. Five small rent-controlled rooms; Metz, Boussy, Boulogne-Billancourt; travels, to Saharan sands even; “does” May 68; dating various women; one child, one — divorced — spouse; smiles a pretty lady sends don’t (litotes) put him out. [HM]
Maria Dias Close onto 10,000 days and just as many nights fill her 25 years now past. And of those days she recalls — so implies Maria Dias — one that stands out above all: the birth of her dearly loved son. A flat is her domain in Fontenay-Le-Fleury. She was born in Portugal; in Rouen she later lived. She is a married woman. Puzzles slyly concocted! those she knew how to unknot at her baccalaureate. Her skilled accountant’s talent can no longer be bought at 6,900 net. [HM]
( ... ) … whose name doesn’t matter, if you can believe it, but should we really? Nothing permits us to say for certain whether it is a question of a he or a she. 38 years old: was saying so a way of declaring him(?)self better than impoverished? His occupation forgotten, his education, his training and his skills aren’t important. His income: “?!!!” Not a word to serve as emollient, nothing troubles him as much as that! “He” lives outside at the foot of a wall, this I know, and that he was born in Paris, the XVth arrondissement. If he does not want to tell the hazards of his existence, then silent the clamor that he was less loved than Tristan. [SC]
Cécile Miesch Nine-year-old Cécile Miesch. present marital status? One brother is her answer, but his age she doesn’t say. 10 f., not bad, to be sure, better that than nothing for her Hoovering the carpet in her house. Our Cécile is a pupil passing fourth grade this year at Romain-Rolland primary school. Anticipates her room and board to come from her parents; she was born in Thiais, now lives in Essone in Saint-Geneviève-des-Bois. For mademoiselle 2 hobbies, dance and tennis, tie the knot of her present existence. [SC]
Cécile Miesch [alternate take] Roughly 500-550 weeks ago, Cécile Miesch was conceived. Family? A brother, she answers; we can only guess at his age. Cécile earns 10 francs for vacuuming the house to aid her mother; decent compensation. Cécile’s mom and dad provide a place to stay for their 5th grade daughter while she studies at Romain- Rolland, her weekday realm. Born in Thiais, now docks in Sainte Genevieve des Bois, département Essonne. Dance and tennis lover: these are the crux of her little sphere. [AS]
Henri Trémoulhac Feeling love stir his heart for the first time, Henri Trémoulhac wonders whether he ’s qualified to speak of it. He guards the secret of his beloved’s identity. “Of age” won’t describe him for another year and a half. High school junior, Henri serves passive, gra- cious or cantankerous clientele, waiting tables at a café for 1000 francs monthly. With his family (presumably) and his dog, whom he loves, Henri inhabits a house in Étréchy. Born in Brétignole, he has lived as a veritable nomad, moving 7 times without voicing his woes. [AS]
Hubert Renard Virgin, collector’s item … Rome, when at 20’s first seen is a shock fully worthy of the pietas one studies at Beaux-Arts, there where esteem’s sought in shows and exhibits. The tale of Hubert Renard is totally lyonnais: birth, studies and residence in a commercial locale where every night he draws near to his nest of nirvana. Now he has reached 22, 3,000 f. reach his bank each month. If he’s a bachelor it’s to avoid the red tape; Hubert serves others better by being their mystic spouse. [SC]
Germain Richaud In 1900 and 6 Germain Richaud was born in Saint-Julien-en-Quint, where, when saved from a bear, Louis was grateful to his subjects (the Eleventh, not yet king). What G … R … does tell of his skills, education: his “peasant” and “read and write” hardly quells our hungering. A man reflects a long while before baring what’s unseen. Slowly roll his days and years in retirement, which one bears helped along by forgetting. Germain still lives on his farm in Saint-Julien, where he steers his life, harmony unmarred. [HM]
Germain Richaud [alternate take] In 1900 and 6 Germain Richaud was born in Saint-Julien-en-Quint, where, when saved from a bear, Louis was grateful to his subjects (the Eleventh, not yet king). What G … R … does tell of his skills, education: his “peasant” and “read and write” hardly quells our hungering. A man reflects a long while before baring what’s unseen. Slowly roll his days and years in retirement, which one bears helped along by forgetting. Germain still lives on his farm in Saint-Julien, where he steers his life, harmony unmarred. [SC]
Semesetting Yalin Turkish immigrant, Semesetting Yalin rents a grim studio apartment, 17 meters squared, in Rosny-sous- Bois. Poverty can alienate; the dole is doom. Formerly in construction, carpentry, soldering at Peugeot, now earns 5700 francs as a form setter and stone mason. Thirty-two, strong, used to hard work. Born in Sarimese Koyn, schooled in his home country for eight years, married at 22 years old. What stroke of fate made him leave Turkey for France? Was the choice his own? [AS]
Richard Ulysse Happy the lot of those who, like Richard Ulysse, in nineteen eighty- six had occasion to see the union of the Bouillanes and the Richauds of France, oligarchy of children of the bear slayers to whom the eleventh Louis paid his debt. Ulysse is 84, a breeder of shepherd transhumant, today draws his farming pension. From the daily suitors not one did he choose to take a wife. Bonnets-born, plenty of places he lived before the little old farm in Saint-Julien. And for his education, he wrote that it was crap: restraint’s shown by those who’ve read La Douleur, I concur. [SC]
Agathe Luxcey Agathe isn’t pleased that Agathe is her first name. That is why she tried, failed to swap for another, Marie. Agathe, last name Luxcey, lives in bourgeois comfort in Paris, in 4 rooms furnished to empty, was born in Coubervoie, then lived in Pau, Aire … Algiers, Strasbourg. She set out with skills and competence in fashion design (haute couture and costume design), worked as a secretary, a saleswoman, pawner, dressmaker, finally, she designs costumes. She makes six- thousand francs a month. Comes from a mixed stock, her parents and brothers separated, suicides … We gained a boyfriend, two lives cross. [SC]
Elise Eisenberg 2 wars, twice stricken by fire, unlucky with her daughter, unlucky too, with her son, a widow by 42 (TB), need she say more? She will have to turn the page over to tell other deaths: after amputation, yesterday, her little … Frau Elise Eisenberg 82, is burdened with a cancer and her unsuccess. In Berlin since forever, she did move from East to West, worked at home as a seamstress. Low wages! Her friends, her home, when he grandchildren come over, these things lessen her distress. [SC]