Chapter 1
Since I forgot the advice from Monsieur An for just one time. The punishment for me is around 2 years of legal fight through lawyers.It`s a heavy lesson.
“Léon” is the best French movie for me. I hope that Victors manager and myself will be the same brave as Mathilde from “Leon” one day. Dont change the side for money, which is impossible between fake friendship.
My first western name is Clement. It`s from one of my French speaking local friends. The second one is Kenneth from my American neighbor before. I appreciate those experiences, especially when I meet my American neighbor at 9pm in the basketball cage in our compound after my business trip to Australia.
I tried to learn French but failed. Monsieur An is always laughing at me when I try to practise my French by ordering at his place, whatever I order in French. His answer is "Woow. You start to speak French.Nice.But Ken. Listen to me.I don`t know what you want. Just speak English with me.ok?"hahaha. It never bothers us. I appreciate my French name and maybe it brings me the luck to meet more French friends.
It`s also funny that Victor. Gabriel and I are all scorpio who got birthdays in the same month of Nov, which our first dinner together is for birthday at “la Fois” French traditional restaurant downtown with 7 years on Michelin guide. We are tough romantic guys who never give up. Mathild joined us since he was manager of Victor.
Since our first meeting for Victor’s visa issue, Mathild has always been very polite to me. Our relationship grew closer after I successfully won a case for his salesman, who he needed for business I believe.
On that birthday party, he even prepared my first bottle of “Clement Papa” together with Victor and Gabriel.
It was quite an expensive bottle which brought me back my French name, I truly appreciated the gesture and have continued to purchase wine from him in return. Meanwhile, he is ok to practise French with me by messages or simple conversations.
That`s win win situation. He also told me that he just realized how tough French is during his home education for his son.
Mathild and I have maintained a warm relationship for many years. He always offers me the VIP price for his wine, treating me like a Chinese brother. He even introduced me to his boss when they were dealing with work permit issues for a new French staff member. Our trust has grown over the years, and we’ve even enjoyed some crazy highball games together at highline.
He comes from the countryside outside of Paris. A forest near Paris and he complains that Parisians laugh at his accent. It’s common for some people in the city to have nothing to be proud of except for their parents’ romantic story in the city. We don’t have the ability to choose our place of origin. We can choose our friends.
Years later, a restaurant manager in the UK made a similar joke about my origin from the countryside. I wasn’t surprised anymore. I realized that he was so small-minded to only be proud of where his parents happened to start their sexy lives as humans.
Thanks to my conversation with Mathild about this kind of gossip before, he also advised me to wear a mask to protect myself while doing business in the city. I didn’t understand her point that day, and even now it still confuses me deep down inside. “Mask” is not a real mask. I guess that he wants to teach me to give smokes during conversations until I feel safe. Yes and No.
Since Mathild doesn’t have a bachelor’s degree, he has decided to start his own company in the countryside of Shanghai. It’s also great that he is getting into the wine business and has found an agent. I will continue to support him by answering any questions he may have. Friendship is found in these small moments.