Thursday, June 1

Geneva 1984

Switzerland October '05 where I visited rue de l'Ecole-de-Médecine, my high school jr year address chez Tendon (to orient yourself, think Springstein's "Born in the USA", Yvan Lendl, Margaret Thatcher and the good 'ol USSR). To my surprise Yvette greeted me at the doorway. The apartment remains the same, though smaller (Msr. Tendon died several years ago). I'm reminded of my step-sister Joelle, 15 years old and having a torid affair with 24 year-old Theofile David, a strapping 200 meter butterflier ranked top 25 in the world. Or Etienne Dagon who earned Switzerland's first Olympics swimming medal - bronze in the 200m breast stroke in L.A. I watched Dano Halsell set the world record for the 100m short-course free, broken by Matt Biondi. All team-mates on Geneve Natation 1885. I also re-visited College de Candolle whose sciences track compared favorably to my first two years of college - combined. Mostly I was happy to be in Geneva on a nice day, able to use my french, and feeling the distance between that time.