Simona and Le Figaro Magazine

My picture appeared in the Figaro Magazine (a weekly in France) last week. The article was about the Gran Cafe de Paris and its super collection of regulars made up of some of the greatest writers and artists of the 20th century. Apparently I am a good example of just that type of clientele. See the article at http://www.lefigaro.fr/magazine/20050701.MAG0003.html. You can also see the picture on this blog at http://photos1.blogger.com/img/104/3518/1024/simona_%28Franck%29.jpg

In the caption in the Figaro “Un mythe a ses songes et ses vigiles,” (A myth has its dreams and guardians) a myth refers to the Gran Cafe and the songes and vigiles (dreams and guardians) implies that I am either a dream or a guardian or both. I am not however, a myth. This reassures me. I thought I might be the myth that had dreams and guardians--a tragic figure, or just one who explains some mundane phenomenon, but who is immediately replaced by science (especially in this modern world, who needs myths?) The article itself was very negative on this note though, and the reporter (with whom I was none too impressed) wasn’t digging the scene, actually he was damn well aggressive about it (as much as his sloppy, dumbstruck, jadedness would let him be) about his assignment, and even chaining to this interactive monument to some of the literary giants. He took the attitude that the Cafe is only what it claims to be because it claims it, not because it is. He had missed the point, however. The cafe is what it is because of what happens inside of it, and the people who choose it and revel in its tranquility and timelessness. I am not a guardian of the myth except that I am there to enjoy the cafe for what it is, its brown leather seats, envy green table cloths, professional waiters in crisp red jackets, and engaged crowd of well-to-do loafers, those who seem to be doing nothing, but in fact do all their business out of the cafe. Thankfully the photographer was great and got a great feel for the place, as evidenced by his spotting me.