161 - MERMOZ, Jean

MERMOZ, Jean L.A.S. “Ton Jean,” Buenos Aires, August 15, 1928, to his “dear little Mom”; 2 pages, in-4 format, on Aeroposta Argentina letterhead. Plan to cross the Andes Mountains. He is delighted that his “dear little Mom” has decided to go on a health retreat at Mont-Dore. He is furious that the mail takes so long: “Fortunately, I expect that before long we’ll be doing everything by plane; then it’ll work out. We’re currently more advanced in aviation than in maritime matters.” Regarding the money issue, “I have so many ideas swirling in my head that I often find it painfully difficult to come back down to earth. I end up losing touch with the practical realities of life, and you’ll have to forgive me once again, my dear Mom, for this unintentional selfishness. So, you know, you’ll have to bring me back down to earth and pull me out of this slump. I’m daydreaming too often; I need to snap out of it. Things are moving full steam ahead here. Lots and lots of work. I’m leaving Rio in three days to take a direct flight to Bolivia with my Director, from there to Paraguay, then cross the Andes at 5,000 meters to go to Chile. In two weeks I’ll be back, and upon my return I may make arrangements to go to France. This is a decisive moment. Either I’ll finally make my dream come true this year, or we won’t talk about it again until next spring”… He shares an apartment with his friend Étienne and Mr. de Nogaret, the French vice-consul: “We have a cook and a maid, and we feel right at home. I have a new dog, a wolfdog, that was given to me by a Brazilian woman from Rio. His name is Pinïaoh. Another future boarder for you down the road. I’m less bored than I was at the beginning. Am I getting married?!... Very often, and I’m all the better for it in the best of all possible worlds. I prefer it this way, since my serious relationships always end in drama”… Correspondence, No. 144. Source: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936); - Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955); - Then passed down through the family