180 - MERMOZ, Jean

MERMOZ, Jean L.A.S. “Ton Jean,” Buenos Aires, January 6, 1929, to his “Dearest Mom”; 3 pages, in-4 format, on Via Aeropostal paper. Complications with the transatlantic flight project. He sent her checks. “I would have fought tooth and nail thinking you were broke. I don’t know what’s become of me. I’m definitely losing my sense of practicality—oh! Not the love I have for you, my dear little Mom—you don’t doubt that, do you? Because I put you above everything else, but I’m so absorbed that I sometimes forget to eat; that’s quite something, for example. As soon as I’m with my friends, I’m not on this earth anymore. I really should come back down to earth from time to time, though, because I sometimes run into such tough situations! I’m constantly being invited to dinner. I know a lot of people here—or rather, I’m pretty well-known. Most of the time, I don’t even remember an invitation. People wait for me patiently, I don’t show up, and the next day I don’t even apologize, having completely forgotten about it. I was somewhere else when they were talking to me!!! It’s not because I’m distracted, though, because in my work, I have a bunch of ideas in my head, a bunch of things to take care of in addition to my flights, and I never slip up”… He doesn’t know yet when he’ll be able to leave: “Everything was falling into place, and then Laurent Eynac decided to take control of the raid projects. My sponsor just asked him for a meeting to secure support and authorization. I don’t know the outcome yet, and it’s eating me up because if I were there, I could have smoothed out quite a few difficulties. From a distance and through letters, there’s not much we can do, and I’m upset with the Company for not allowing me to go. Especially since I’m ready to go ahead regardless to make my project a reality. So, they won’t come out ahead!! We have almost all the money we need, but the manufacturer can’t start building the plane until we get authorization from the Ministry of Aviation. What a pain—all these formalities and how they can sap our energy. So I’m fuming, I’m on pins and needles, and I feel powerless to make any progress from afar. In any case, if authorization is granted, I plan to board the Lutetia, which departs from here on February 1 and arrives on the 14th.” He mentions the New Year’s celebrations: “I’ve never drunk as much champagne in my life as I have in these past few days. Two binges so far—not too bad for the start of the year. Right now, I’m taking a break from drinking and getting some general rest. Excesses are incompatible with aviation, and if one wants to make a long career of it, one mustn’t overdo it”… Source: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936); - Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955); - Then passed down through the family