Fa – the Green Dragon

A Place for the Odd Musings of an Expat Bristolian

Mademoiselle Yvonne

7 Comments

In 1983 the tour company I worked at closed its doors. I quickly found another position with a company in Boston Massachusetts. They wanted a program manager who could reside and work in Europe without going through the necessity of applying for visas etc. They also wanted someone who was familiar with the culture etc. Since I had lived and worked in France and Germany an spoke four other languages including English Yiddish and rubbish, they hired me,

The company was headquartered in Boston. On Tremont street, there used to be a bar called Locke Ober’s. It was a popular watering hole.  Incidentally just up the street was the Parker House, a long time Boston establishment hotel . It is there many years ago the once leader of North Viet-nam, Ho Chi Mihn worked as a bus-boy in the restaurant clearing tables. But I digress. At Locke Ober’s was the famous picture of Mademoiselle Yvonne. well known as the Lady of Locke Ober. If you can read the inscription you’ll see it’s quite pleasant and perhaps thought provoking.

The Inscription:

Mademoiselle Yvonne

Demure despite her nudity

She gazes quite sans erudity

upon the skulls both thatched and bald

of patrons who are often called, great gourmets.

She’s not the lady of Shalott,

she’s what a wife is often not.

Watching the world come and go by without emotion,

She is the ideal of our dreams.

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Author: Cethru Cellophane

I have reached the regrettable realization that I may have squandered my life. I did a quick count recently and figured that I have visited about 66 countries, and lived for more than 3 years in 3 of them. During this time I completed 14 corporate moves (relocations) and have changed my address more than 23 times. I should have settled on a profession that would have kept me in one place with no packing and unpacking. When I think of the time I have spent bundling my life into and out of boxes. Ah well, it's all water under the bridge. But I am grateful for the experience. At the end of the day I will be able to say with a certain authority, "been there, done that". A note about this site’s Header Image The Header image for this site is of the Smith Avenue High Bridge. The bridge was built in 1889 and carries Minnesota State Highway 149 across its span of 2770 feet, 160 feet above the mighty Mississippi River. The picture was taken from the river looking to the north-east and downtown Saint Paul. The bridge is about 1040 miles from New Orleans. One of the reasons I like this view is that I come from a city which has a spectacular bridge. It’s the Clifton Suspension Bridge http://www.ikbrunel.org.uk/clifton-suspension-bridge which spans the Avon Gorge and the River Avon in Bristol, U.K. It’s about 1350 feet long and stands 245 feet above the river below. Sadly it has claimed the lives of more than 400 people who have committed suicide by jumping from the bridge. As a side note, not all attempts were successful. two small girls thrown off the bridge by their deranged father survived the fall when they were fished from the river by the crew of a passing pilot boat. The bridge was opened in 1864 and was designed by the 24 year old architect, Isambard Kingdom brunel. It took 35 years to complete.

7 thoughts on “Mademoiselle Yvonne

  1. Great story. I tried to read the inscription but the print is too tiny.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Reblogged this on Fa – the Green Dragon.

    Like

  3. Thanks for the printing the inscription. She is an interesting lady.

    Like

  4. Best wishes on your book writing.

    Like

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