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I went to buy a notebook at old Prost’s store. I chose a blue one. I didn’t want to write Helen’s Story on a computer because I want to carry her story around in my smock pocket.

I went back home. On the cover I wrote, “The Beach Lady.” And on the first page:

 

Hélène Hel was born twice. On April 20, 1917 in Clermain, Burgundy, and on the day she met Lucien Perrin in 1933, just before summer.

 

Then I slid the blue notebook between my mattress and bed, like in those black-and-white movies Gramps watches on Cinéma de minuit on Sunday evenings.

And then I went back off to work because I was on duty.