A LIE WITHIN A LIE....
NB: To simplify the comprehension of what follows, I posted
it into English with the great help of my friend JB. But everything was originally written in French:
This is the mail and the picture that JB, one of my 52 husbands, wrote to his friends and family, just after the wedding ceremony:
"Objet: surprise
It is after three days of escapism in Scotland, without Internet, and under an happy and welcome rain,(you will understand why later), that we both decided that I had to announce you the news.
As you probably noticed, since 2 years, I have been to London quite often, sometimes secretely, and sometimes after telling you.
My short trips (4 hours between the villa and Bethnal green!) were only to meet HER.
It is a quite long history - I will synthesize it here - that began five years ago.
Since our very first meeting, something special happened between us. Half hour later she let me take photographs of her and smiled !
She is called Laetitia and I hope will have the opportunity to introduce her to you very soon.
Our relationship gradually grew up in a slow and deep reciprocal discovery, and then transformed into a passionate but discret love because not conventional.
We married last Sunday, the 9 of October in London, and it is the reason why the rain, signs of future happiness, hardly disturbed us in Aberdeen.
I will be back in Paris in few days, aware that I shouldn't have hidden this news to you. I hope that you will not be too angry against me about these late announcement.
But I did not dare to tell you before that inter a lot of qualities Laeti has less than thirty years old !
Life can reserve many surprises. But as long as there is life!..."
And this one of his family's answers:
"Hello,
It took me time to answer you as you probably noticed it.
For several reasons, I didn't open my computer and it is Laurent who phoned me. He did not want to tell me anything on the phone. He just asked me to open my mail without any explanation.
Then there was the shock with a mix of different feelings: joy and anger.
I think that direct reactions are not the best ones and I believe that the tone of my mail would have been very different if I had not taken time to think about all this. As for Laurent, he laughed with his usual laught when something wrong is going on. On the telephone he told me: 'You will see, you will see'. I think he believes you are insane.
I don't know what to think: should I be delighted by your happiness or be wondering why such a secret in your own children's back ? Did you fear our reactions or did you want to keep this moment only for you and Laetitia.
Even if I don't believe in what I am going to say, I would say it is your life. After all you came of age years ago.
But for me reality is very different: did you only think what this implies for you, for her and for us?
Since you did not want to let us know about it, and especially you didn't want us to attend your remarriage, we have the right to ask you questions. In spite of your new happiness, we exist and also are your family.
Did you think of the difference in age. She is younger than you, and you will normally die before her. If you have children, therefore for us half brothers, they will be younger than your granchildren. The proverb says "Love makes one blind"
I believe in it.
Isabelle thinks that you lost your mind. François was surprised by my message because he does not have Internet, so I do not hide that he is septic about all this.
I believe that the most difficult has to be done: to be introduced to Laetitia and I think that you did not put her in the best positions. Of course you will not bypass our questions and your granchildren's ones.
One kiss for you and Laetitia.
PS: Phone me as soon as possible so that we could fix a date to have lunch at my house or at Laurent's in order to meet Laetitia and to have some more explainations.
Christophe."
To read all of the other comments, check the comments' area below.
it into English with the great help of my friend JB. But everything was originally written in French:
This is the mail and the picture that JB, one of my 52 husbands, wrote to his friends and family, just after the wedding ceremony:
"Objet: surprise
It is after three days of escapism in Scotland, without Internet, and under an happy and welcome rain,(you will understand why later), that we both decided that I had to announce you the news.
As you probably noticed, since 2 years, I have been to London quite often, sometimes secretely, and sometimes after telling you.
My short trips (4 hours between the villa and Bethnal green!) were only to meet HER.
It is a quite long history - I will synthesize it here - that began five years ago.
Since our very first meeting, something special happened between us. Half hour later she let me take photographs of her and smiled !
She is called Laetitia and I hope will have the opportunity to introduce her to you very soon.
Our relationship gradually grew up in a slow and deep reciprocal discovery, and then transformed into a passionate but discret love because not conventional.
We married last Sunday, the 9 of October in London, and it is the reason why the rain, signs of future happiness, hardly disturbed us in Aberdeen.
I will be back in Paris in few days, aware that I shouldn't have hidden this news to you. I hope that you will not be too angry against me about these late announcement.
But I did not dare to tell you before that inter a lot of qualities Laeti has less than thirty years old !
Life can reserve many surprises. But as long as there is life!..."
And this one of his family's answers:
"Hello,
It took me time to answer you as you probably noticed it.
For several reasons, I didn't open my computer and it is Laurent who phoned me. He did not want to tell me anything on the phone. He just asked me to open my mail without any explanation.
Then there was the shock with a mix of different feelings: joy and anger.
I think that direct reactions are not the best ones and I believe that the tone of my mail would have been very different if I had not taken time to think about all this. As for Laurent, he laughed with his usual laught when something wrong is going on. On the telephone he told me: 'You will see, you will see'. I think he believes you are insane.
I don't know what to think: should I be delighted by your happiness or be wondering why such a secret in your own children's back ? Did you fear our reactions or did you want to keep this moment only for you and Laetitia.
Even if I don't believe in what I am going to say, I would say it is your life. After all you came of age years ago.
But for me reality is very different: did you only think what this implies for you, for her and for us?
Since you did not want to let us know about it, and especially you didn't want us to attend your remarriage, we have the right to ask you questions. In spite of your new happiness, we exist and also are your family.
Did you think of the difference in age. She is younger than you, and you will normally die before her. If you have children, therefore for us half brothers, they will be younger than your granchildren. The proverb says "Love makes one blind"
I believe in it.
Isabelle thinks that you lost your mind. François was surprised by my message because he does not have Internet, so I do not hide that he is septic about all this.
I believe that the most difficult has to be done: to be introduced to Laetitia and I think that you did not put her in the best positions. Of course you will not bypass our questions and your granchildren's ones.
One kiss for you and Laetitia.
PS: Phone me as soon as possible so that we could fix a date to have lunch at my house or at Laurent's in order to meet Laetitia and to have some more explainations.
Christophe."
To read all of the other comments, check the comments' area below.
posted by lesdixchats | 3:53 PM
Good evening JB,
Such a right secretive! All the XXXXXX family shouts
‘LIVE THE GROOMS!!!!’
Long life full of happiness to both of you.
October the 9th is a new date to be added to our calendar.
But I am full of interrogations now…
Laetitia: French woman, English or Scottish?
Marital address: Paris, London or Aberdeen?
Job?
To announce to Isa, Guy, Thomas, Vanessa ?
Honeymoons in Papeeete, Rome, Venice or Romorantin?
Reactions from the children ?
Celebration in Paris ?
Dear Jean-Bruno,
Such a surprise, but a beautiful surprise which makes us very happy for both of you.
I can understand your silence. One does not necessarily want, nor need to wait, either positive or negative reactions from its friends and family to take such a
decision. What is the most important after all it is that you are happy together.
Best wishes for Laëtitia and yourself.
We are looking forward to knowing her. The winter is not far and we wait for you both in Sutton (Canada)
I kiss you and Richard sends you his friendly thoughts.
Bravo!
A little bit secretive... but it is normal...
A lot of happiness for you both. She is really very pretty and her wedding dress is splendid.
Does she have good character? Because to live with you... it is not an easy part!!!
It’s a joke. Moved kiss.
You are a real mystery-maker! But Laetitia seems
pretty enought not to hide the truth!! congratulations to
both of you, while waiting for a more concrete presentation.
Friendships
All my congratulations and best wishes for both...
Fxxxxxx is of course not there, but I will take my camera to immortalise his head when I will announce him... or rather when I will make him read your mail l!!
See you soon big secretive boy !!!!!!!!!
Wish you my best wishes of happiness.
My computer refuses to show me the photographs, but I saw them at school.
Your wife is very pretty.
Kisses
Maryse
Hola Jean Bruno!
I am so glad to have some news from you, and especially when they are filled with life, love, and joy. It is necessary to have more of these moments in people’s lives; thus humanity would be more generous if there was more love to receive and offer. It doesn’t matter neither the age nor any other social conventions. Congratulations for this amazing news. A marriage ! I adore marriages! This year was in fact the year of the marriage: All my friends start to take their courage in both hands to become husbands and wives. Then yours is another marvellous surprise. I even start to become jealous... I wait impatiently the dinner and look forward to know more this charming and beautiful Leticia. I will prepare a special meal that we usually eat at Mexican marriages...with full of spices to celebrate the joy!
Take advantage of the rain of Large Brittany, and I wait for you in Paris, where the weather is not rainny and not hot neither... always the same!!!..... which ends up being really annoying. See you soon
Cheers for this well kept secrecy! You made it well...
I am so happy for you (for both of you!)
Will Laetitia join you in France? Isn't life beautiful ?
I think a lot about you. You really deserve this happiness.
I wish you both long, dense and harmonious life!
Affectious love and kisses
CONGRETULATIONS !!! I am sincerely happy for both of you. Life is so beautiful!!! And thank you for letting me know.
I kiss you both strongly and if you want to come and visit me, my address here:
XXXXXXXXX
PS the photographs are very nice! Bravo !!!!
Such a surprise !!!! I must tell you that, without a high-speed internet connection on the island, I could not open your letter 'surprised.' But once at home in Swarthmore, after talking to you about Penny's accident, I finally opened the 'surprised 'letter.
May you confirm us that you really married this Laetitia????
And that since 4 years, your love for this girl has gradually grown up ?
So for you, it is not really a surprise, but rather a raising in love. But for us, TOTAL surprise!
The only thing I can say to you, if I understood your approach well, is: 'CONGRATULATION !'
One finds his happiness where he can. Stupid is the one who refuses the happiness that he is offered.
I will not say anything more, by fear of having understood wrong your astonishing letter.
Answer this as soon as possible to confirm me or correct me. If it is true, such a delight! I die of curiosity, and Penny will have difficulties to believe in it!
It must have been hard for you not to tell me anything on the phone yesterday, but I think that you understood well that we had not been able to approach your message before.
All the best !
It was a particular "surprise", but I know for a long time that you enjoy making "surprises"
The trouble, it is that I can not stand that !!!
Normally we always enjoy good news with friends. One speaks about it and happiness is already there even before the event.
Then I am afraid that your silence is justified by Laëtitia's early age. You feared to read a mockery or a reprobation in my glance; it is not knowing me at all ! And I am deeply ravaged by this!!! What is important in my eyes is that you are well, and whatever the age of your wife, (forty years younger than you, or on the contrary older than you) is not important at all.
Last night, I made a dream: you were getting married and I was invited to the ceremony.......but I had to go through a long corridor......a very dark corridor that never ended , and while I despaired to arrive on time for the meal, I landed in an huge clear room, without make-up, without life, a kind of train station hall. My place was there, at a canteen table, next to unknown people.
No party, no grooms. And suddenly Maryse appears, this colleague of philosophy who teaches in BTS. One can wonder: why Maryse ? My relationships with her have been completely destroyed . However, I am a little bit reassured to see her, I feel less lonely. She tells me that she is in the room over there, in the back.
I go with her and there I realize that all the members of the college are invited there.
I wish you a sincere and full happiness with Laetitia. It is by this sentence that I should have started this message. But, forgive me, I could not. I hope to know her soon I as well as I hope that you will excuse this bitter message, due to a betrayed friendship.
Hello Jean Bruno,
No, no!! There is not way that I should be angry. In fact, I laughted like insane after reading your explanation of the whole fiction. I even told the complete history to my friends.
I told it in two parts, as you did with me! I have a friend who leaves with a 65 years buddy, so you can imagine that your story did not astonished her that much. On the contrary, she thought it was a pity that this story was fictitious because she would have been very happy to have people in the same situation than her. And I then have another friend who knows very well this school of design in London (her brother studied there too), so she was not astonished neither. It seems that I was the only one to respond in such a sentimental way.
I wait until Laetitia finishes her blog to see the rest of the story or that November arrives so that you tell me the details of this crazy story.
As for me, I will share with you my opinions on interactive art, I promised that to you!
Regards
I telephoned Francis.
It is certain now that this is in fact an immense hoax.
I must have lost my sense of humour........
Today I wish I didn't have this bad reaction of yesterday
I should have thought only of you (both of you)
I should have been happy for you (both of you), without any reserve, and let you know.
I am really impossible, I know it.
The worst, it that I will do it again, overflowed again by my emotions.
Hello JB,
I must say that I had a blow in the heart when I saw your mail and the photographs. I told to myself, the secretive!... It did very well !! After the shock, I said to myself : "he deserves this happiness!!". Moreover, she is really pretty, this Laeti!
And then, I learned that it was a joke. Then, 'it is not funny' as says Titeuf! Sorry for not answering you quicklier but between the week-end in Blois, illness of the girls, the salsa, the gym and then nevertheless the job, I was not very reactive...
You know me well now.
Good, I kiss you very strongly!!!
Such a surprise !!! And what is more there are photographs. What can I say?
A lot of "not, it is not true!", or "it is surely a joke" throughout the reading of your message.
I know that you often see much younger people and pretty students........ thus I thought: why not ??!
But that appeared like a ' Big' lie to me first! 'It must be a joke' I thought... but maybe not....... and I was waiting for the big gag in the photographs...however no gag! :
My uncle was really there, smartly dressed, with one charming bride next to him...
What should I think? She is beautiful, they look very happy, and the weather is very good !!!
Hold on!!! He told me about a rainy marriage?!
What is more, on any of the 4 photographs the young couple kisses themselves; odd! I decide to speak about it to my father (on line on MSN : progress is beautiful!) who tells to me about a gag...... I don't understand anything anymore.
At the end the explanation comes.
Ah, I understand better, the sun, the absence of kiss......... and the surprise !
1) I do not think that JB would have been hiding a relationship like this one to us........... not for such
a long time, otherwhise he would have never married her.
2) Well, very well done the lie!
3) At the end, I am almost disappointed. This announcement would have fed our familial conversations during our long winter evenings !!! And then I would have liked to meet her. She seems very nice this Laetitia (and she must have a big sense of humour!!)
4) Congratulations nevertheless to both of you and all my wishes for the thesis
Large kisses dear uncle JB
JB, you are really not clear!!!!! Me, if I were you, I would have married her... really you missed the occasion of your life
Your tone was so in love in your letter, that it really did not look like a hoax...
Next time really get married and invite us preferably... so that we can have fun!!!!
That would also avoid me to feel ridiculous!!!
Pfff!!!
Kisses nevertheless
I forgot to tell to you: you are completely forgiven because the mail arrived at home the day of Kippour, the day of forgiveness
Jean-Bruno the ace of hoax!
We all have a dream face, a secret garden maintained more or less well and the fiction which is not obligatorily a lie, but an escape from the reality of every day routine good or bad. It is necessary, salutary and revealing of a part of our personality.
The dream is essential for all of us.
The affectionate, friendly or cordial bonds that we have with those whose ways cross ours are highlighted by reactions like those which preceding and which take all their force, their significance since we know their author well. I answered all by an e mail "truth, the forgery", personalized in introduction and that I supplemented by meetings, telephone conversations and explanations as for the step of Laetitia.
It is enough today to read its "essay" for a good understanding.
There were other reactions, surprises, full with good direction, amused, critical at the time of conversations and on my responder. For a lot of them they join those which caused "I want to marry you" of Laetitia, (and that you can read in this blog) but around fifty years on the other hand separate us... the unit from the reproduced messages emanate from correspondents who have from 20 to 50 years maximum.
Personally I draw from all that a very positive assessment, tonic and full with optimism and wishes “du fond du coeur” that Laetitia, of which the thirst for living, discovering, to succeed (and there I do not doubt a moment of success!) find also the key of a life, which without being "a long quiet river" (one should not dream all the time!) brings her what she
does not say, but lets show through behind the various screens of this blog and which those who are likely to know it a little or better can read...
For all that , thank you Laetitia.
Nous avons tous une face rêveuse, un jardin secret plus ou moins bien entretenu et la fiction qui n’est pas obligatoirement un mensonge, mais une évasion de la réalité de tous les jours qu’elle soit bonne ou mauvaise est nécessaire, salutaire et révélatrice d’une partie de notre personnalité. Le rêve est indispensable à tous.
Les liens affectueux, amicaux ou cordiaux que nous avons avec ceux dont les chemins croisent les nôtres sont mis en relief par des réactions comme celles qui précédent et qui prennent toute leur force, leur signification dès lors que nous connaissons bien leur auteur.
J’ai répondu à tous par un courriel « Le vrai, le faux », personnalisé en introduction et que j’ai complété par des rencontres, des conversations téléphoniques et des explications quant à la démarche de Laetitia.
Il suffit aujourd’hui de lire sa « dissertation » pour la bien comprendre.
Il y eut d’autres réactions, surprises, pleines de bon sens, amusées, critiques lors de conversations et sur mon répondeur.
Pour beaucoup elles rejoignent celles que provoqua le « I want to marry you » de Laetitia, or une cinquantaine d’années nous séparent… par contre l’ensemble des messages reproduits émanent de correspondants qui ont de 20 à 50 ans maximum.
Personnellement je tire de tout cela un bilan très positif, tonique et plein d’optimisme et souhaite du fond du cœur que Laetitia, dont la soif de vivre, de découvrir, de réussir (et là je ne doute pas un instant du succès !) trouve aussi la clé d’une vie, qui sans être « un long fleuve tranquille » (il ne faut pas rêver tout le temps !) lui apporte ce qu’elle ne dit pas, mais laisse transparaître derrière les différents écrans de son blog et que ceux qui ont la chance de la connaître un peu ou bien peuvent lire…
Pour tout, merci Laetitia.