Friday 27 January 2012

Jean-Louis and the black cat (France)

Jean-Louis is the neighbour who lives one kilometre from the French farm, down by the main road running south to the Pyrénées.  

He comes up quite regularly to deliver pain (bread) when it’s his turn, as he and Jeanette alternate their pain-buying trips, which is very ecological and economical.  (If this was in Britain, I could do another alliteration trick by calling it “saving pounds, petrol and pollution”!)  


Colette told me before this winter trip of mine that the frisky black cat (mentioned in blog entry Purrfect pals) has taken a particular fancy to him, jumping into his arms the moment he arrives and rubbing herself feverishly against the big man’s big beard.  Without meaning to undermine Jean-Louis’s attraction for the furry inhabitants on the farm, I suggested to Colette that the black cat might’ve been nuzzling up to his generously hirsute face for its usefulness as a de-fleaing device.

(France 2011/2012)

Update 270112:  One day, I came back in to the farm house from working outside to find Jean-Louis had arrived but the black cat was not in his arms as usual.  A closer inspection of his face disclosed the fact that he’d had a shave, which might perhaps prove me right about her using his beard for de-fleaing...

(Verbatim from journal entry of 271211) [Belgian builder tenant of Colette's] Martial has replaced J-L tonight in the cat’s affections. Martial has a full beard. Spot the link?

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