Travels with Jean Hanuman
A web blague

See entry for Museum at Carnavalet (24 Fevrier)
See entry for Pere Lachhaise Cemetery (01 Mars)
See entry for Dublin (10 Mars)
See Hanuman's Haircut (7 Avril)
See notes on Paris (14 April)
See Friends in Paris (21 Avril)

Send fan mail to Hanuman at bfdoherty@mail.utexas.edu

     Here are a few things about our neighborhood in the 11th arrondissement, about 5 minutes walk from Place Nation and a 25 minute walk (at a good pace) from Place République, which is the north end of the 11th. One thing you have to know about our life in the neighborhood, is that it has become impossible to walk out without a host of people shouting a hearty: “Salut, Hanuman” if he is with us, or “Ou est M. Hanuman” if he is off on his own.

      These pictures tell a story of how Jean Hanuman became so well-known in the neighborhood.
      It starts with Jean’s habit of just “hanging around.” The guy just goes out the (6th floor) window and starts heckling passers-by, which at first infuriates them, but eventually all these encounters turn into an exchange of ideas. What do they talk about—well, things that interest our neighbors, who are primarily what we have some to call “French People.” These things: how bad the St. Germaine football team is this year, what about Tony Parker? (Tony Park-aire), cheese, butter, Carla Bruni, Mr. Bruni, (the President of France); how strange it is that Americans don’t know anything about cheese, football (now, when they say this, they mean “soccer,” and what’s really paradoxical is how little these French people know about football!! They don’t even know about Brett Favre, whose last name in French means either “partly sunny” or “pizza crust”—I can’t figure it out). They may find time to discuss, as well, Carla Bruni.

Here's Hanuman on the balcony--the Cinquieme Etage, or, the 6th floor.
 Mia's Mom Shirley visits, and they spend hours watching Hanuman tick-off passers-by. Here Mia points out to a shocked Shirley: "Look at that guy giving Hanuman the arm of honor!"

Your typical conversation:

JH: Hey smokie! Careful of the poodle shit!
French Person: What!? If I could throw this crap high enough, I’d throw it and shut your pie-hole!
JH: You sure are no Brett Favre, that’s for sure. But I’ll bet if you hit Carla Bruni with a good pile, she’d still be way too hot for Sar-crazy.
FP: (Laughing) You are sure right about that! Hey listen, I’ve got to get down to the cheese store before it closes—you want anything?
JH: I’ve got a pretty decent Faugere that might go well with a good Mimolette. But only if they have a nice looking old Mimolette. Thanks buddy! When you come back around, we’ll talk some philosophy.		 JH: Hein, fumeur! Attention de merde de chien!
Homme Français: Comment!? Si je pourrais, je jeterait ci-crotte et fermé ta gueule.
JH: Tu n’es pas Brett Favre, franchement. Mais, si la frappe-vous Carla Bruni avec le ordure bien, elle etait en plus trop chaud pour Sar-fou-zee.
FH: (Rigolant) Tu as raison, mon frere! Ecoute: je peut aller a la fromagerie avant le fermature—tu veut quelque chose?
JH: J’ai le bien Faugere qui bien accompagnerait une Mimolette. Mais, seulement la Mimolette vielle, bien sur. Merci bien, ma pôte. Quand tu retournes, nous parlerons de philosphie.

      So it goes. How else did Mr. Hanuman become a celebrity in the neighborhood? Well, in part, he went out to get some part-time work for some pocket-money.

As an independent contractor, delivering morning pain au chocolats to the neighborhood. Many people were surprised though, when he knocked at their window instead of their door. Here is Boulangerie/ Patisserie Christine Poncet (formerly Tarte Tempion) with a tray of some of the best pain au chocolat in the city.      As a host at the local Bistro Le Rouge Limé. Here he is explaining the menu to hungry diners—you should hear him with the English speakers putting on his phony French accent. Oo Madame, zees eez trés delicieuse four zee—how you say?—pour zee taste tongue.
     His other bon mot? When asked what Dorade was in English, he promptly replied "Dor-Aide." (Dorade = Sea Bream. Now, what's Sea Bream?).

     Here Jean Hanuman cavorts with the Bartender at Le Rouge Limé. I'm pretty sure that the gesture to the mouth with the finger is funny in French, but I'm not able to tell you why. And of course, he begins to expand. As the weather has gotten nicer, Hanuman has taken to posting himself at the local Velib check-out point, where he cadges free rides from whomever takes out a bicycle. You’d think he’d get stranded in some distant arrondissement, but he always seems to make it back to the good old 11th.