Paris People #2
by Jilliana
Ranicar-Breese
By 1977 I was
living full time in Paris but had no true
identity. I had had a few so-called careers but
never found my true calling in life. I had been a
travel agent/consultant and a TEFL teacher
but that had been in my past life. I wanted more.
I had come to Paris through a chance meeting with
the director of a French cultural travel
organisation FMVJ in Mexico City in 1976. My
dream was to become an antique dealer trading
between London and Paris but I had no connections
or experience in that far away world - yet!
Paris seemed to be a very cultured exciting city
and although I was living on a famous street in
Montparnasse in the 14em district, at 27 rue
Campagne Premiere, I knew no one in the art or
publishing world. Everyone seemed so
sophisticated and mondaine. So much more
interesting than I was and oh so knowledgeable
about life, love, art, music and literature.
Paris was to be my education. My University of
Life in the years to come.
I would hang out at 'Le Select' on Blvd
Montparnasse but didn't know anyone there to talk
to. One day I got talking to the sculptor, artist
and photographer, Polish Israeli Yehuda Neiman
who had lived in London and so spoke excellent
English. He took me under his wing and one
evening pointed out an American blonde artist and
poet sitting at the bar. Little did I know then
that this woman, Arlene Hiquily, would become
my lifelong friend.
I recall Yehuda taking me to friends for Xmas on
the evening of the 24th December and we tasted
for dessert the rich Buche de Noel (Yule log). It
was at the Xmas dinner I was introduced to the
distinguished elderly successful publisher Pierre
Horay who invited us to his forthcoming Salon in
St Germain. All of Paris will come, artists,
writers and singers, said he. I shuddered as I
was a nobody from Liverpool and this would be a
step into the intelligencia of Paris society. Mon
Dieu!
The evening arrived and, escorted by Yehuda, we
climbed the stairs to a small studio somewhere in
the 6em. Everyone seemed to have a name that went
with a title which was their interesting
profession. Everyone was announced by our host
immediately as they entered the studio before
automatically sitting on the floor on cushions
and being offered a glass of wine. All the VIP
guests on the floor looked up as Yehuda, who was
well known, was announced as the great painter
and sculptor. Et moi? My title? Pierre saved my
bacon by saying 'And this is Jilliana and she is
.... JILLIANA!'
Pierre Horay was a known outspoken publisher so I
was surprised when one Saturday night he phoned
me out of the blue and asked me to dine with him
at his studio. I am sure he had gone through his
little black book and been let down by several
people and at the last moment thought of the
young gauche woman Yehuda had brought along to
his Salon. Moi!! He was very kind and listened
patiently as I told him about my life, loves and
travels. We had a pleasant evening but I never
saw him again because he died soon after in 1978.
A sad loss to the publishing world even though
his company still carries on today as part of
Albin Michel.
Written
at Villa Perla, Kaleici, Antalya, in the rain, on
10/3/17.
References
Wikipedia - Yehuda Newman
Wikipedia - Pierre Horay
Wikipedia - la Rue Campagne Premiere
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