CHAPTER 2

That weekend, Philippe left the Polytechnic School Annex to visit his grandmother and mother, Caroline Pamela, as he did every weekend. When he arrived, he realized his older brother, Maurice, was also home. Philippe loved and admired Maurice, who had recently begun working at the Crédit Lyonnais Bank. With firm resolution, his brother maintained the family while Philippe devoted himself entirely to his studies.

The four of them sat in the modest Bunau kitchen, and after beginning to eat a meal of rack of lamb and scalloped potatoes, Philippe said enthusiastically, “Mother, I know what I’m going to do after graduation—I’m going to Panama to build a canal with Ferdinand de Lesseps!”

Upon hearing these words, his mother choked and then began coughing. Maurice had to get up immediately to help her compose herself. As she drank from her glass of water, his grandmother, with a worried look in her eye, asked, “You’ve seen him?”

“Yes, Grandma, Mr. de Lesseps is an extraordinary man. What they say about him in the papers doesn’t do him justice. There is so much to his personality… magnetic like you can’t imagine. He came to the Polytechnic School to invite the students to join him on the canal project.”

The women looked at each other without saying a word. Maurice spoke up, “But students have to work five years for the state before joining a private enterprise. How can he recruit students from the Polytechnic School?”

Still smiling, Philippe responded, “Well, since the Panama Canal is considered a project of national interest, exceptions are being made for students. After I graduate and serve a bit of time in the Civil Service, I can request special permission to be allowed to work in Panama. Mr. Schwoebele offered to help me.”

Philippe’s mother said only, “What’s he like? Have you spoken to him? Have you spent time with him?”

Philippe responded with a smile, “Of course, mother, I see Mr. Schwoebele every day.”

Mamie, his grandmother intervened, “She’s talking about Mr. de Lesseps, Philippe.”

“No mother, I wasn’t able to introduce myself. Everyone wanted to talk to him and it was impossible for me to get any closer. But when I work on the construction of the canal, surely I’ll have the opportunity to meet and speak to him. Imagine, Maurice, working with ‘Le Grand Français’ and building a new canal!” While Philippe talked with Maurice, who was also excited about de Lesseps’ speech, both women ate in silence, never even looking up from their plates.