Random Encounters

Jean-David Levitte, me and my colleague.  (Who is the guy in the back ruining my picture?  Clean up crew?)

A few years ago, a colleague of mine and I went to listen to a lecture at Chautauqua.  The lecture was being given by Jean-David Levitte who at the time was the French Ambassador to the United States.  His talk was fascinating, but anyone who is French is automatically fascinating to me and my colleague.  We had a wonderful time listening to the topics he had to discuss regarding France and the US.  It was my first summer spending time in Chautauqua and I didn't know anything about it.  I was glad I went with my colleague who knew a lot more about the protocol there.  About halfway through the lecture, she let me know that most lecturers have a post-session on the back porch of the ampitheatre and greet their fans.  That was all I could think about from that moment on.  What was I to do:  listening intently to the rest of his talk or scheme to meet him?  I did both.  

Afterwards, I made a beeline to the back porch and stood in line with others waiting to meet him.  I kept thinking of something smart to say in French.  My mind went blank!  I pulled myself together and mustered up something to say.  I got to the front of the line and spoke what I had rehearsed what seemed like a thousand times.  He was so friendly and told me that my French was excellent--phew my scheming worked!  A man in front of me in line had asked to have his picture taken with him and fortunately I had a camera with me but was becoming bashful to ask him the same.  When I heard that man ask for a picture, I was relieved that I could ask the same thing.  I had my picture taken with him and my colleague.  To my pleasant surprise, the ambassador asked if we could shake hands for the picture!  

A couple weeks later, I printed out an 8x10 of this photo and sent it to his office in D.C.  I wrote him a letter in French telling him once again how wonderful it was to meet him.  I also asked him for the favor of signing my photo because my birthday was coming up, which is Bastille day--neat, huh?  Shortly thereafter, I received this photo back with a letter (in French )from him telling me that only those who deserve it have a birthday that falls on Bastille day.

Jean-David Levitte is no longer an ambassador to us or any other country.  Currently, he is higher up in the French government as a counselor to French President, Nicolas Sarkozy.

Random encounters in life are gifts from God that cause us to be so thankful.