The following email reminds me of an essay I once wrote for
second-year French class. The essay was returned to me with a rash of red
markings and a single frowny face in the upper right
corner. This email comes in on the opposite side of translation, from France
to the United States.
Pay particular attention to the last line; it is one of my favorite
non-existent proverbs.
The deadline for the best subject line contest is Friday,
January 13. Dash off your half-baked essays and pidgin-riddled letters to
inbox@rochester-citynews.com.
— Michael Neault
From: Pierre P.
To: Maggie Jacobstein
Date: December 1,
2001
Subject: to maggie
from la france
Are you the lady, a day in a train, I met with your friend,
so not relax.
So happy to meet you again dear maggy !
I was in a “perpexious” (?) about
you after the last 11 september.
I am a little bit desapointed : did you sleep to long in a train to be in Japan
now ?
I was afraid to take contact with you again, so time was
gone under the bridge. The chance make me feel good.
Do you understand ?
Are you “là bas” for a long time?
And so on…Please give me some news of you. I will be so glad to know the life
of my “tombéedans les
bras”.
I’ am living in toulouse now, in the south
of france,
i don’t no realy why, but
why not, just enjoy some miles. Georgraphie is my
way, but I’am sitting more I’amtravelling. The spirirual “odysse”…
During my studies in Lyon I was
working with some spécialists of Japan,
maybe the name of Pelletier may you remember something, if not, I invite you to
read him.
Take care of you !
You are welcome towards the time.
Pierre
This article appears in Jan 4-10, 2006.
