The More You Know – VI

 

It is quite easy to relegate the most miserable among us to the “no redeeming qualities” bucket.  Chucky Schumer?  Nancy Pelosi? Joe Biden?  Hunter Biden?  All of the Bidens?  To be fair, not one of them has ever revealed a moment that did not point to their disgusting nature.  And then, you read something about a world historical figure of considerable disrepute that overruns your defenses like Germans at the Maginot line and, before you know it, you begin to question how life led you to such a place – like a narrator for a bad mime company.

Typical French freedom fighter

Charles de Gaulle is much maligned as the narcissistic leader of the French resistance during WWII.  I will leave it to historians to fully express his shortcomings.  But I present the following excerpt (author unclear) without interruption:

“General Charles De Gaulle is well known throughout modern history as the leader of the Free French Forces. What is not as well known is that his youngest daughter Anne (January 1, 1928 – February 6, 1948) had Down syndrome.

Although public perception of the time was that children born with Down syndrome were a result of their parent’s alcoholism, venereal disease or overall degeneracy, the De Gaulles rejected this notion, choosing instead to raise Anne like their other two children. Their personal life became very private and Anne was raised at home, not in an institution (as was common practice at the time). It has been said often that Anne was Charles’ favorite child. Described as a man who ranged from cocky to stoic by nature, he was a different person around Anne, reportedly describing her as “My joy”. He is said to have read stories and sang songs to her and showed an affection that he rarely showed others, even those in his own household. Anne was raised to feel no less or different than anyone else.

De Gaulle and his angel

After the war, Charles and his wife Yvonne founded the Fondation Anne de Gaulle, a home for disabled girls, many of which had intellectual impairments. In 1948, Anne succumbed to pneumonia, a month after her 20th birthday and died in her father’s arms. Upon her death, he is said to have remarked “Maintenant, elle est comme les autres.” (“Now, she is like the others.”). He carried a portrait of Anne with him at all times; he claimed that her portrait saved his life by stopping a bullet in an assassination attempt in 1962. When Charles died, he was buried beside his beloved Anne.“

As the parent of a mentally handicapped young son, this brought tears to my eyes.  All a parent like myself ever dreams of is that their angel might one day be comme les autres.  And in a moment, all is forgiven.  At least by me.

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  1. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Must be all of the smoke in the air, but my eyes are watering.

    • #1
  2. Gary McVey Contributor
    Gary McVey
    @GaryMcVey

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Must be all of the smoke in the air, but my eyes are watering.

    Yeah, me too. Must be that mist coming in from the shoreline.

    An exceptional, very moving post. Thank you!

    • #2
  3. Jack Mantle Member
    Jack Mantle
    @JackMantle

    Gary McVey (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Must be all of the smoke in the air, but my eyes are watering.

    Yeah, me too. Must be that mist coming in from the shoreline.

    An exceptional, very moving post. Thank you!

    What shoreline are you on?

    • #3
  4. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):
    What shoreline are you on?

    He’s on the left one.

    • #4
  5. Jack Mantle Member
    Jack Mantle
    @JackMantle
    • #5
  6. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Dale Evans Rogers, wife of Roy, wrote a number of books, but the only one I read was Angel Unawareabout their daughter Robin.

    • #6
  7. Douglas Pratt Coolidge
    Douglas Pratt
    @DouglasPratt

    Sniff.

    • #7
  8. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    I just have to ask. Why show a woman with most of her breasts showing with such a touching post that includes your daughter?

    • #8
  9. Jack Mantle Member
    Jack Mantle
    @JackMantle

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    I just have to ask. Why show a woman with most of her breasts showing with such a touching post that includes your daughter?

    First, the post refers to my son.  Second, I am happy to answer your query.  As you no doubt are aware, I learned a great deal from my good friend Ray Bradbury, even before he wrote the forward to my first book.  He reached out to me in my formative law school years with a request that I write a book to bring my vision to the world.  At his urging, I did.  As a child, I was entranced by the non-linear structure of his prose. 

    You make reference to what is my unique take on the non-linear.  With my “The More You Know” series, I am attempting , if I may be so bold, to inhabit an almost impressionistic milieu reminiscent of the pointellist movement of the late 1800s.  A bit of a Jorge Seurat if you will.  The intended result is a melange of meaning, expressed through layers of both private and public moments personal to me but, through sharing, creating an overall metteur en scene effect.

    I adorn my prose with beautiful women because, as a devout Christian, I believe that God created the female body as a vessel for the transmission of beauty.  As truth is beauty and it is truth that I wish to convey, well, all of nature is but art unknown to thee, apparently.  As such, the almost undetectable low frequency conveyance of physical bodily perfection resonates with my prose to produce an effect at a distance, like slowly moving away from a Salvador Dali painting.

    Lastly, I just like bodacious ta-tas.

    Cheers.

    • #9
  10. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):
    Lastly, I just like bodacious ta-tas.

    Firstly, I’d say, Pathetic. Also, a collection of drivel for an explanation; not funny. Sorry I missed that it was your son.

    I’ll just continue to not read your posts. Since I don’t care for bodacious ta-tas.

    • #10
  11. Jack Mantle Member
    Jack Mantle
    @JackMantle

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):
    Lastly, I just like bodacious ta-tas.

    Firstly, I’d say. Pathetic.

    There are seven billion opinions on this planet.  I will put you down as the sole dissenter.  I like those odds. 

    On a serious note, Ricochet aspires to be a place where different points of view may find a tolerant audience.  Calling anyone’s perspective “pathetic” is inappropriate and, I hope you will understand, says more about you than anything I could write.  I would never call your writing pathetic.  Exhibiting a sophomoric vocabulary?  Sure.  Utterly lacking in creativity or originality.? Obviously.  Directed to subject matter that swallows as it wallows?  You bet.  But I wouldn’t call it “pathetic.”  Pathetic is as pathetic does.  I should think that the cliche of the lonely spinster trying to recapture the excitement of reading Sylvia Plath by flashlight before embarking on a life of meaningless events giving rise to meaningless opinions that few persons possessed of self respect would ever waste a moment on is the very DOING of pathetic.  But I would never point such out.  As I said, this is a safe space for one and all. 

    I do notice that you must have read to the end of my post.  Seems Ms. Bardot tickled your curiosity.  I acknowledge, even if I don’t respect, your puritanical impulses.  In the spirit of bonhomie, might I suggest that you just not eagerly click on any of my posts displaying a lovely specimen of the fairer sex before issuing your inappropriate screeds.  Like a nun who confiscates a Playboy but only after reading every last page, please, I implore you, save it for someone else.  A great many readers enjoy my posts.  I suspect they too are not interested in your bullying.

    Cheers.

    P.S. Have a nice day.

    • #11
  12. Jack Mantle Member
    Jack Mantle
    @JackMantle

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):
    Lastly, I just like bodacious ta-tas.

    Firstly, I’d say, Pathetic. Also, a collection of drivel for an explanation; not funny. Sorry I missed that it was your son.

    I’ll just continue to not read your posts. Since I don’t care for bodacious ta-tas.

    What one is fated, either by birth or by breeding, to not understand, one calls “drivel.”  I wish you nothing but comfort within the boundaries of you ability to understand.  Be well.

    Cheers.

    • #12
  13. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):
    A great many readers enjoy my posts.  I suspect they too are not interested in your bullying.

    Oh my, I’ve never been called a bully before. That’s a first! And for the record, I was calling your use of the photo as pathetic, not your writing: Arousing or deserving of scornful pity. Clearly it was click bait. And it worked. Every like on your post is a man; not one woman. Not that your post otherwise wasn’t very fine. That’s why it saddens me that you used a gimmick to pull people in.

    I now remember that we’ve exchanged messages before, but I can’t remember about what. You referenced Ray Bradbury at that time, too. But I shall remove myself from this post and future posts of yours. I will take my leave.

     

    • #13
  14. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):
    What one is fated, either by birth or by breeding, to not understand, one calls “drivel.”  I wish you nothing but comfort within the boundaries of you ability to understand.  Be well.

    I will consider myself soundly punished and insulted I’ve always considered myself a regular ol’ girl and I’m glad to own it.

    • #14
  15. GLDIII Purveyor of Splendid Malpropisms Reagan
    GLDIII Purveyor of Splendid Malpropisms
    @GLDIII

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    I just have to ask. Why show a woman with most of her breasts showing with such a touching post that includes your daughter?

    I knew this was coming.

    • #15
  16. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    GLDIII Purveyor of Splendid Ma… (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    I just have to ask. Why show a woman with most of her breasts showing with such a touching post that includes your daughter?

    I knew this was coming.

    I’m glad to oblige! You might enjoy the rest of our exchange.

    • #16
  17. GLDIII Purveyor of Splendid Malpropisms Reagan
    GLDIII Purveyor of Splendid Malpropisms
    @GLDIII

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    GLDIII Purveyor of Splendid Ma… (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    I just have to ask. Why show a woman with most of her breasts showing with such a touching post that includes your daughter?

    I knew this was coming.

    I’m glad to oblige! You might enjoy the rest of our exchange.

    It showed up after I noticed Jack dangling your opprobrium button.

    • #17
  18. She Member
    She
    @She

    Who is this “typical French Freedom fighter”?  Inquiring mind would like to know.(Hope it’s not Brigitte Bardot on a tote bag that I can buy for $18.80.) Thank you.

     

    • #18
  19. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    She (View Comment):

    Who is this “typical French Freedom fighter”? Inquiring mind would like to know.(Hope it’s not Brigitte Bardot on a tote bag that I can buy for $18.80.) Thank you.

     

    It is Brigitte. I don’t know from tote bags.

    • #19
  20. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    I dont’ like Charles Ge Gaulle, but I’ve never heard his quote about his daughter before.  I really admire that he said that.  I like his perspective.  

    I knew a man, a peer in the Marine Corps, who had two daughters.  The older one was born with a horrific defect.  She was missing a large part of her rib cage, and her spine formed a right angle.  The poor child had so many surgeries in her life.  I knew him and his children when they were at early elementary school age.  She had to have surgery every six months because they put a telescoping rod in her back, and they had to extend that often to accommodate her growth.  

    She played t-ball (badly, as you can imagine), and was always happy and joyous every time I saw her.  

    I imagine as she got older others might taunt her as children do, but when I knew her she had so much love in her family and her younger sister was also so good to her, it almost brought tears to my eyes every time I saw them.

    When my own wife was pregnant, I looked on that family as an inspiration.  You never know if your child will be born healthy, but seeing them put into perspective that making a child able to be happy is what is important, and if she could be happy with her handicaps, anyone can be happy.

    I think De Gaulle’s quote is in that same vein.  He’s just gone up a notch in my esteem.

     

    • #20
  21. Steven Seward Member
    Steven Seward
    @StevenSeward

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):
    Lastly, I just like bodacious ta-tas.

    Firstly, I’d say. Pathetic.

    There are seven billion opinions on this planet. I will put you down as the sole dissenter. I like those odds.

    On a serious note, Ricochet aspires to be a place where different points of view may find a tolerant audience. Calling anyone’s perspective “pathetic” is inappropriate and, I hope you will understand, says more about you than anything I could write. I would never call your writing pathetic. Exhibiting a sophomoric vocabulary? Sure. Utterly lacking in creativity or originality.? Obviously. Directed to subject matter that swallows as it wallows? You bet. But I wouldn’t call it “pathetic.” Pathetic is as pathetic does. I should think that the cliche of the lonely spinster trying to recapture the excitement of reading Sylvia Plath by flashlight before embarking on a life of meaningless events giving rise to meaningless opinions that few persons possessed of self respect would ever waste a moment on is the very DOING of pathetic. But I would never point such out. As I said, this is a safe space for one and all.

    I do notice that you must have read to the end of my post. Seems Ms. Bardot tickled your curiosity. I acknowledge, even if I don’t respect, your puritanical impulses. In the spirit of bonhomie, might I suggest that you just not eagerly click on any of my posts displaying a lovely specimen of the fairer sex before issuing your inappropriate screeds. Like a nun who confiscates a Playboy but only after reading every last page, please, I implore you, save it for someone else. A great many readers enjoy my posts. I suspect they too are not interested in your bullying.

    Cheers.

    P.S. Have a nice day.

    I like looking at naked women just as much as any guy, but when you post pictures of them just to get cheap kicks, I can’t take your post very seriously.  Your carefully composed literary comment does nothing to erase that impression, in fact it makes it worse, unless this is some sort of parody and I am too dumb to understand.

    • #21
  22. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):
    Lastly, I just like bodacious ta-tas.

    Firstly, I’d say. Pathetic.

    There are seven billion opinions on this planet. I will put you down as the sole dissenter. I like those odds.

    On a serious note, Ricochet aspires to be a place where different points of view may find a tolerant audience. Calling anyone’s perspective “pathetic” is inappropriate and, I hope you will understand, says more about you than anything I could write. I would never call your writing pathetic. Exhibiting a sophomoric vocabulary? Sure. Utterly lacking in creativity or originality.? Obviously. Directed to subject matter that swallows as it wallows? You bet. But I wouldn’t call it “pathetic.” Pathetic is as pathetic does. I should think that the cliche of the lonely spinster trying to recapture the excitement of reading Sylvia Plath by flashlight before embarking on a life of meaningless events giving rise to meaningless opinions that few persons possessed of self respect would ever waste a moment on is the very DOING of pathetic. But I would never point such out. As I said, this is a safe space for one and all.

    I do notice that you must have read to the end of my post. Seems Ms. Bardot tickled your curiosity. I acknowledge, even if I don’t respect, your puritanical impulses. In the spirit of bonhomie, might I suggest that you just not eagerly click on any of my posts displaying a lovely specimen of the fairer sex before issuing your inappropriate screeds. Like a nun who confiscates a Playboy but only after reading every last page, please, I implore you, save it for someone else. A great many readers enjoy my posts. I suspect they too are not interested in your bullying.

    Cheers.

    P.S. Have a nice day.

    I like looking at naked women just as much as any guy, but when you post pictures of them just to get cheap kicks, I can’t take your post very seriously. Your carefully composed literary comment does nothing to erase that impression, in fact it makes it worse, unless this is some sort of parody and I am too dumb to understand.

    It is just lacking in manners and class.  Besides, she’s a commie.

    • #22
  23. Macho Grande' Coolidge
    Macho Grande'
    @ChrisCampion

    It’s fantastic that a story about De Gaulle that I’d never known could be derailed by scolds.

    Golly.  You whippersnappers with your cheesecake photos and 8-track tape technologies.

    • #23
  24. Jack Mantle Member
    Jack Mantle
    @JackMantle

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):
    Lastly, I just like bodacious ta-tas.

    Firstly, I’d say. Pathetic.

    There are seven billion opinions on this planet. I will put you down as the sole dissenter. I like those odds.

    On a serious note, Ricochet aspires to be a place where different points of view may find a tolerant audience. Calling anyone’s perspective “pathetic” is inappropriate and, I hope you will understand, says more about you than anything I could write. I would never call your writing pathetic. Exhibiting a sophomoric vocabulary? Sure. Utterly lacking in creativity or originality.? Obviously. Directed to subject matter that swallows as it wallows? You bet. But I wouldn’t call it “pathetic.” Pathetic is as pathetic does. I should think that the cliche of the lonely spinster trying to recapture the excitement of reading Sylvia Plath by flashlight before embarking on a life of meaningless events giving rise to meaningless opinions that few persons possessed of self respect would ever waste a moment on is the very DOING of pathetic. But I would never point such out. As I said, this is a safe space for one and all.

    I do notice that you must have read to the end of my post. Seems Ms. Bardot tickled your curiosity. I acknowledge, even if I don’t respect, your puritanical impulses. In the spirit of bonhomie, might I suggest that you just not eagerly click on any of my posts displaying a lovely specimen of the fairer sex before issuing your inappropriate screeds. Like a nun who confiscates a Playboy but only after reading every last page, please, I implore you, save it for someone else. A great many readers enjoy my posts. I suspect they too are not interested in your bullying.

    Cheers.

    P.S. Have a nice day.

    I like looking at naked women just as much as any guy, but when you post pictures of them just to get cheap kicks, I can’t take your post very seriously. Your carefully composed literary comment does nothing to erase that impression, in fact it makes it worse, unless this is some sort of parody and I am too dumb to understand.

    This really should all be focused on Mr. De Gaulle.  There are no naked women anywhere in the post.  Provocatively dressed perhaps.  Are we really going to continue as such.  I implore the reader, focus on the expression of love by a father for his daughter and the blessing to be found in every child.

    • #24
  25. Jack Mantle Member
    Jack Mantle
    @JackMantle

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):
    Lastly, I just like bodacious ta-tas.

    Firstly, I’d say. Pathetic.

    There are seven billion opinions on this planet. I will put you down as the sole dissenter. I like those odds.

    On a serious note, Ricochet aspires to be a place where different points of view may find a tolerant audience. Calling anyone’s perspective “pathetic” is inappropriate and, I hope you will understand, says more about you than anything I could write. I would never call your writing pathetic. Exhibiting a sophomoric vocabulary? Sure. Utterly lacking in creativity or originality.? Obviously. Directed to subject matter that swallows as it wallows? You bet. But I wouldn’t call it “pathetic.” Pathetic is as pathetic does. I should think that the cliche of the lonely spinster trying to recapture the excitement of reading Sylvia Plath by flashlight before embarking on a life of meaningless events giving rise to meaningless opinions that few persons possessed of self respect would ever waste a moment on is the very DOING of pathetic. But I would never point such out. As I said, this is a safe space for one and all.

    I do notice that you must have read to the end of my post. Seems Ms. Bardot tickled your curiosity. I acknowledge, even if I don’t respect, your puritanical impulses. In the spirit of bonhomie, might I suggest that you just not eagerly click on any of my posts displaying a lovely specimen of the fairer sex before issuing your inappropriate screeds. Like a nun who confiscates a Playboy but only after reading every last page, please, I implore you, save it for someone else. A great many readers enjoy my posts. I suspect they too are not interested in your bullying.

    Cheers.

    P.S. Have a nice day.

    I like looking at naked women just as much as any guy, but when you post pictures of them just to get cheap kicks, I can’t take your post very seriously. Your carefully composed literary comment does nothing to erase that impression, in fact it makes it worse, unless this is some sort of parody and I am too dumb to understand.

    Take it as seriously as you want.  I believe the veracity of the post stands on its own.  It’s kind of a reverse argument by authority.  Cheers.

    • #25
  26. God-Loving Woman Coolidge
    God-Loving Woman
    @GodLovingWoman

    I wouldn’t normally do this, but here I post my joy. I feel exactly as de Gaulle.

    She’s very proud of her Track and Field metal from the recent Special Track and Field meet.

     

    • #26
  27. Jack Mantle Member
    Jack Mantle
    @JackMantle

    God-Loving Woman (View Comment):

    I wouldn’t normally do this, but here I post my joy. I feel exactly as de Gaulle.

    She’s very proud of her Track and Field metal from the recent Special Track and Field meet.

     

    Blessings to you both my sister.

    • #27
  28. God-Loving Woman Coolidge
    God-Loving Woman
    @GodLovingWoman

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):

    God-Loving Woman (View Comment):

    I wouldn’t normally do this, but here I post my joy. I feel exactly as de Gaulle.

    She’s very proud of her Track and Field metal from the recent Special Track and Field meet.

     

    Blessings to you both my sister.

    And to you as well, brother. There is nothing like living every day with a person who embodies a simple and seemingly pure love.

    • #28
  29. Jack Mantle Member
    Jack Mantle
    @JackMantle

    God-Loving Woman (View Comment):

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):

    God-Loving Woman (View Comment):

    I wouldn’t normally do this, but here I post my joy. I feel exactly as de Gaulle.

    She’s very proud of her Track and Field metal from the recent Special Track and Field meet.

     

    Blessings to you both my sister.

    And to you as well, brother. There is nothing like living every day with a person who embodies a simple and seemingly pure love.

    I would hug you if I could.

    • #29
  30. God-Loving Woman Coolidge
    God-Loving Woman
    @GodLovingWoman

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):

    God-Loving Woman (View Comment):

    Jack Mantle (View Comment):

    God-Loving Woman (View Comment):

    I wouldn’t normally do this, but here I post my joy. I feel exactly as de Gaulle.

    She’s very proud of her Track and Field metal from the recent Special Track and Field meet.

     

    Blessings to you both my sister.

    And to you as well, brother. There is nothing like living every day with a person who embodies a simple and seemingly pure love.

    I would hug you if I could.

    Awww. Me too. Thank you

    • #30
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