If you'd like to write in our Guest Book regarding the web site or Clown & l'Enfant's cultural output, send us an email . Please note: not all messages will be posted in the Guest Book, due to considerations of space and relevance. Thanks for your understanding.




5 years at film school (08/21/07)
I have started reading Yves Lavandier's Writing Drama. I've already learnt more in the first few chapters than 5 years at film school. M.J.

I've read all the screenwriting books (04/23/06)

I am a student in film history and a would-be screenwriter. I just found out about your book Writing Drama and I wanted to thank you for having written the best tool in the field. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. Because of my research studies (theses entitled The Hollywood Screenwriter Today and Model Blockbuster Scripts) I've read all the existing screenwriting manuals (in French and in English). None is as thorough and practical as yours. Thanks! Iskra Petrova

A forty-year-old's ally (09/03/04)
Thank-you. Thank-you for bringing light into my life. Ever since I saw Yes, But... , the film has become a faithful ally during the tough moments of my life as a forty-year-old. Now and again, a passage will answer a question I may have, or explain what is going on around me. Thanks to the lessons on “life games” given by that peculiar character Erwann, I realised that all of us play games, more or less successfully. Of course, the adolescent problems that Eglantine faces are different from mine, but the way she pursues the chaotic path of her life makes me think of my own. I know that sooner or later I'll find tools to break the games I'm now caught in. There's still a long way to go. “yes, but…” Marcel.

I laugh you (07/26/04)
Bravo for the zest and spirit of your site. It's amazingly imaginative and entertaining. Bravo for your film, from a family of fans. It rings true and funny, and it's a sort of wake-up call to all of us, pointing out the way to personal dominion. I laugh you, Clément Triboulet, clown and assistant to Carlo Colombaioni (The Clowns, La Strada ), www.clement-triboulet.com

A story that says so much (07/08/04)
Hi everyone... I saw the film Yes, But... a few years ago and maybe I was too young then to get it…yesterday I saw it again with a totally different eye…it's a story that says so much.. in a way, I see myself, as I've also done therapy like Eglantine. I was 13 years old…and it changed my life. Since then I keep looking for ways to feel better but I'm done with the therapy. But it really helped me learn how to go about feeling better and finding solutions to my problems. The story of Eglantine and Sébastien makes me dream…I dream of living something similar one day…for me, it's about amazing love! Bravo Gérard Jugnot for your talent.. and bravo Emilie Dequenne and Cyrille Thouvenin. Laetitia

Two minutes (06/17/04)
I just saw Yes, But... last Tuesday on TV. It was on pretty late and the next day I had my English finals. So I figured I'd just watch for two minutes…but two minutes went by and I realised the film was more than just a story. It actually tells about a chunk of all our lives. I'm passionate about psychology and it really fit in with how I see this intriguing job…
Nowadays we're bombarded with American action films, so it's great to come across simple films that help us understand that in life there is always a solution and we should never give up…I think this film will remind lots of people in their thirties and even older about their high school years, “the time of their life” for many… This film was a unique experience and raised questions about my own existence…
THANKS...

About Gérard Jugnot (06/05/04)
There's lots of talk right now about Jugnot and his performance in Chorists. And rightly so. But it leaves out the fact that the film Yes, But... is where the actor takes on a new dimension (even more so than in Tandem) and reveals his full scope. Francis BATT

Interactive artwork (12/08/03)
www.clown-enfant.com isn't a site, it's real interactive artwork! It's fantastic…I still haven't checked out all the pages. It's so magical, it takes me hours! Béatrice Charvet

Accuracy. A specialist's opinion: Alan D. Entin, Ph.D., psychotherapist (11/02/03)
Richmond, VA, seems like a very unlikely place to host the largest French Film Festival in North America. Yet, it was there, in March 2001, that I first saw Yes, But…, a movie about adolescence, families, and therapy that would consume my thinking, energy and time for the next two plus years. The therapist was described in the publicity write-up as using an "unorthodox" treatment, which I figured, was a euphemism. So, I waited throughout the movie, and wanted to be the first to speak at the discussion and "blast" yet another movie for portraying a romantic relationship between therapist and patient in the name of healing. Well, I waited and waited and realized that was not about to happen. When the mother came in for a session, I thought that was a novel twist and that is what the "unorthodox" treatment and that is where the sex comes in, after all, this is a French movie. To my surprise, and delight, that did not happen either. Instead, the therapist in the film is portrayed as warm and competent, with a sense of humor. Many of the situations in the movie were ones that I had actually dealt with in the week prior to seeing the film. That's how accurate the film portrayal is.

The besieged castle (04/27/03)
I read the script of Yes, But... over and over again, it's excellent! And reading a script is very interesting because without the image… without the visual and audio channels that you have in film, other perceptions, rhythms and highlights emerge… + the chance to discover and get to know scenes or lines that were filmed but not edited, among them at least three passages, in my opinion, that “should have” been kept, since they bring in a valuable aspect, or the possibility of heightening and/or enlarging “possibilities”…such as for example the story of the besieged castle, with the additional outlook it provides! Philippe Rosenblum, coach

Sad or happy, it depends (04/23/03)
Each time I watch Yes, But... I can't help taking Erwann's advice and criticism personally, I spend as much time watching Yes, But... as I do thinking about my life and my own games. It's pretty strange, since the experience is different each time: sometimes I come out happy, sometimes sad, but never indifferent. Loïc Papillon

From Panamá, Central America (04/13/03)
In the midst of this absurd and tragic war, I checked the Euro Channel last night, hoping to find something different to take me away from all this nonsense. No Hollywood, please! Right there, a movie was about to begin. Yes, But... The title trapped me from the start. What a delightful film. So fresh, so true. Universal in its intimacy. Your story touched me, moved me, helped me. I guess one never knows how our words may sooth a soul across an ocean. I would love to see it again. I would love to share it with people that will treasure it. Last night, I turned on the TV to escape the inexplicable. Yet, I found so much more. Thanks. Mirie Mouynés, Panamá, Central America

Brazilian music lover (04/02/03)
Ola! I loved Yes, But...! I think that Cyrille is even a French prince! Yes, but... what grabbed me the most was the music! So beautifully written and performed! It's great! Congratulations again and again! Gustavo Tabatinga.

Being 16 again (03/24/03)
Last week I saw Yes, But... on TV. Being a film enthusiast, I must say that it made me want to go back to the cinema, since with all they “offer” us these days, it's hard to make the right choice. Your film is fresh, tender and genuine. It gave me a lesson in observing the different types of humans we are. It's too bad that the “game” Gérard Jugnot explains in the film hasn't been grasped by everyone. It would do away with many relationship problems. The quality of your dialogue and the vigour of the actors gave me new insight into your film. I'm 37 and not so long ago, I'd go to the cinema to see spectacular effects, and the more I'd watch these films, the more something didn't feel right, there was no click, that spark that lets me leave the room with another view of life. The more of these films I'd see, the less I understood what they were trying to get across. Why do those guys in The Matrix run so fast in oversized coats, with unlikely rangers and sunglasses in the middle of the night: what's the point? ... And then Amélie Poulain showed up with her hazel eyes, dishing out small joys, like for example that man who gets back his old iron box filled with small treasures and cries when he finds them, well in my case, it was the first time I let go at the cinema and most of all the first time I grew aware of something I can't explain but that I really feel, thanks Jeunet… I noticed that the videos I made were intentionally trashy and made fun of the trust I'd lost in the cinema. You don't happen upon a Tornatore everywhere, nor a Begnini, who had me literally glued to my seat. I live in Germany and you should have seen the audience's reaction after the film: total silence and nobody got up. Powerful. And then I discovered the soothing Gérard Jugnot, like a fine wine, probably one of the better roles if not the best. And an actress I didn't know, Émilie Dequenne, naturally relaxed, which will take her a long way, bravo. I have to admit I'm pig-headed when it comes to young actresses, frankly I don't know if it's them or me, but I wonder what lots of them are doing in the field (same with young actors by the way, and I should probably quit while I'm ahead) but that's just my point of view. I love when an actor addresses the audience, it's like the spice in a good Indian dish. The role of “Mister gentle” made me think that I'd like to be as confident when I'm that age, behave in the same way, even if it just means coming out of my shell. The parents, totally neurotic mother and socially blind father. I hope lots of people get to recognise themselves (like Fabrice Lucchini in Little Nothings, what an authentic boss!). Your film is like mint tea, you shut your eyes, take a sip, breathe, nibble some Turkish delight and start all over again. Go see it, it's worth it. For To Be and to Have I'd have become a little boy again, so for Yes, But... I could be 16 again. I work at a bookstore in Germany and my dream is to open a bookstore that has select screenings of films, many people have already told me it won't work…But that can't stop me from dreaming, can it? Yours, Pascal

It's my life! (12/28/02)
I saw Yes, But... with two friends when it came out, and I was blown away! Since then, I think about it often, and now even more since I bought the DVD. That film is my life! It was like I was seeing me and my parents up there on the screen, I heard things my psychotherapist says (I recommended the film to him, and he thought it was excellent!!! and sometimes now he even calls me Eglantine!)…I was stunned because I saw that I wasn't alone in having certain problems. I wanted my boyfriend to see it, as he doesn't get it about shrinks, so that he'd understand certain things in my life: unfortunately it went right over his head and didn't have the effect I was hoping for…But I keep this film engraved inside me (if that's ok with you!) like a proof of my misery. Of course, my life isn't identical to Eglantine's and you can't resolve everything in an hour and a half, but I see myself. And the story you tell, acted by excellent actors, helps me day after day to find solutions, ideas, ways out, cheering up. In other words, THANKS! For me, it's very therapeutic and lots of fun to watch this film again and again. Raphaëlle

Teenage zapper (07/17/02)
Lolling in my armchair, drooping eyes, barely holding onto the remote control, once again I was like millions of TV watchers stupefied by the mediocre rubbish they deign to broadcast; when suddenly I came across The Film, your film, and what a film! Impeccable directing, subtle and profound acting, especially Emilie Dequenne, were a pleasant surprise and didn't leave me cold, quite the opposite! I told my friends about the film and highly recommended that they see it, verdict: they all loved it and most of them identified with the young teenage couple in the film (I should mention that we're all between 16 and 19 years old). If your aim was for us to enjoy ourselves and come away lighter and richer, then “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED”. Bravo and thanks again for the gift! Touti Faycal.

A 12-year-old (05/07/02)
Hello, my name is Marion and I'm 12 years old. I just wanted to say that the film Yes, But... deeply touched me because it shows what young people think about sexuality and mostly their questions and the film gave me answers and that's a relief. Do you have the same opinion if you do contact me at this email Yours, Marionnette

This film was written for me (04/06/02)
I saw Yes, But... at the French film festival in Richmond, Virginia. Of the four French films I saw, Yes, But... was my favorite. I like the English class scene. I'm a 17-year-old high school student and I feel that this film was written for me. I fell in love with Sebastien and Eglantine is my hero. Thanks for a great film. ~Jackie (P.S. Your web site is so cool)

Winnicott's baby. A specialist's opinion: Jean-Marc Henriot, clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst, founder of the Groupes d'Entraide Psychologique and teacher of Axial Therapy (02/27/02)
There were lots of things I liked about Yes, But.... The way the psychotherapist is presented: simple, human and middle class, Mister Everyman. Gérard JUGNOT was the perfect choice, as was the décor. Is Gérard JUGNOT interested in psychotherapy in real life, or was this just an overlap of a fitting role for him and a wise decision on your behalf? At the start of the film, the head-on encounter between psychotherapist and audience enhances our connection with the character and lets us see things from his point of view. This immediately does away with the usual myths and superego projections. At last, a human and passionate shrink, and there are many of them around, rather than all those Hollywood or fantasy devices (Mortal Transfer, etc) that are not unpleasant, but nevertheless convey wrong notions about psychological work. In the same vein: all current a priori notions are enacted and then implicitly demolished by the very situation at hand: “end up drugged and in a cult; the guru; you've got to be crazy to see a shrink; etc”. Whatever I encountered while developing GEP. The didactic aspect is lively and well-illustrated, and works fine, even for those informed on the subject, and a fortiori for those who don't know a thing about it. T.A. is a simple language that helps you open your eyes. Quite a few of the systematic aspects are also nicely done: family issues: paradoxical prescriptions; reframings. How did you manage it? Were you a psychotherapist in a past life? Or did you get a team of psychotherapists to advise you while writing the script? I gather you yourself have taken steps in that direction. In short, I'm flabbergasted that in addition to directing the film, you wrote the script! Right from the start, it puts forth an original theme: becoming authentic. And it isn't surprising that it's a psychologist talking and not a psychiatrist. Free from the pressure of pathological labels and the lure of chemotherapy, he can focus on a different perspective. It is a sensitive and lovely story: autonomisation; the “first time” for a young woman. Remarkably filmed, modest and genuine. And the script deftly ends with a nod to the first scene: someone seeks help…for someone else. In other words, we're not bored for a second. Even the music is beautifully handled. The actors are excellent, especially the one who plays Sébastien. Discreet and symbolic winks (Sébastien weighing his balls…tennis balls… when Eglantine calls him; “I'm hopeless” in that blurry image, etc). Finally, I wish to let you know that I admire the HUGE amount of work this must have entailed! Not just the writing but all the rest: finding a producer, a team, convincing the actors, supervising the editing, etc, etc. In short, I applaud not just the result, but also all the work behind it. I feel a bit like Winnicott's baby before the shiny spatula! Jean-Marc Henriot

Ordinary people (02/16/02)
I'm 41, my partner is 45, and our daughters are 16 and 14. We've done therapy at some time or other and so that world doesn't scare us, quite the opposite. Yes, But... had been recommended to my daughter Gaëlle (the one who's 16) by her psychotherapist. The videocassette did its rounds at our place for 2 days and then went off among friends, of both girls. It goes from hand to hand and whoever sees it just loves it. It's a revelation for lots of young women, providing them with answers to their doubts and questions. As for the parents, it obviously does no harm to put your ideas in place every now and then. Thanks again for this film and for the help it gives teenagers who don't all have the opportunity of going to a psychotherapist to deal with this tough period. And thank-you for the psychotherapist who is just an ordinary man, helping ordinary people in an ordinary world. It's a change from those endless caricatures… Monique

A gem. A specialist's opinion: Richard Fisch, director of Palo Alto's Brief Therapy Center (02/15/02)
I was very impressed by Yes, But... for a number of reasons. It was the most realistic portrayal of a therapist that I have ever seen on film or stage. It avoided the over-sentimentality often seen in other productions or the portrayal of the therapist as an all seeing, all wise guru. In the conduct of the therapy itself, it also avoided the gratuitous and overemotional sudden flash of life changing insight a la Now Voyager (Bette Davis and Paul Heinreid) among many others. The acting was excellent; e.g. I assumed the actor playing the therapist was really a therapist (I'm still not sure). But the other roles were also very well done. The couple playing the teenagers did not overdo their roles which made it more believable. The same for the girl's "distant" father. I felt that the mother's role was a little more overdone than neccessary but still within the range of believability; it was just that she was a little too much a manipulative witch.The therapist was masterful in using facial gestures to convey frustration, humor and concern for his patient. The transition from the troubled and conflictual realationship between the teenagers to one of intimacy and loving was masterfully done and very real. As a criticism of the therapy itself, the only factor was that the therapist was working too hard. But in one scene, where he is proposing some suggestions to the girl and she is discounting them, he switches tactics in a way very familiar to our own work. Rather than pursuing his urging of his proposal he pauses and says that he has another idea but that it would not be fair to ask it of her (or some equivalent) and she insists that he tell her. In actual therapy, we would not have been as quick to comply with her request, but draw it out a bit more so that she is almost pleading to know what it is; even then, we would add that she should give it careful thought and not rush into it. As you can see, we thought the film was a gem. Will it be shown in the U.S.? I hope it will. We also look forward to any more of your productions. Gratefully, Dick Fisch

A little bit about me (02/10/02)
Your film deeply touched me because I recognised bits of my own story (even though I think boys deal with the onset of sexuality a little differently). I think it's a small masterpiece in terms of the subject (the approaching unknown world for a teenager, i.e. psychology in general and psychoanalysis in particular caused by the mother-child relationship (how great that it doesn't harass us with the more theoretical Oedipus complex) and also in terms of the excellent and original way it was done (if I may take the liberty of saying) with Gérard Jugnot in a role we've never seen him in (a far cry from Le Père Noël est une Ordure and French Fried Vacation). As for you, Mr. Lavandier, I don't know you (I'll admit that my film knowledge is nothing to write home about, being overshadowed by American movies). I thank you for this film that I discovered on video, recommended by one of my friends. Sylvain 18 and a half years old, Vénisieux (suburb of Lyon), 1 st year biology student

Meet Eglantine (08/19/01)
Hi, I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Camille, I'm 15 years old, and I saw Yes, But.... How can I say this…it's hard to explain…to make a long story short, the film is about me. I totally identify with Eglantine, she reflects my personality. I keep watching the film over and over, I'm depressed right now because of a broken heart as well as other problems, so Yes, But... sort of helps me, I wanted to thank you and congratulate you for making such a film, it's a real support for teenagers! Thanks again and bravo. I've since become a big fan of Emilie Dequenne, I dream of meeting her, but maybe I'd be disappointed, since maybe the person I want to meet is Eglantine. so long, Camille M.

Inner light (06/17/01)
An hour and a half of humour, sensitivity, wisdom and, why not, applied philosophy, a truly good film which is very rare these days. I recommend it to everyone, young and old, for a little joy and inner light. Jacques from Belgium

Sharing (05/26/01)
Let's come right out and say it: Yes, But... is a joyful film. I think it's even more subtle than a merely funny film. Here, when you leave the cinema, after having laughed (sometimes roaring laughter), you keep on smiling for a while (longer than after a funny film): you recognise yourself, the people you know, and you feel a little smarter than when you went in. You've learned some things: in an entertaining way, which makes it easier to remember. Each theory is backed with an example, remarkably performed by a troupe of exceptional actors that work as a group, not each for his own. You feel lighter: you want to smile at people, and tell yourself “is it ever dumb of us to insist on suffering!” Life isn't so bad! It could even be lighter if we played with more awareness and responsibility… I'm convinced this is an uncommon film, that widens the horizon a bit, shows something different, an original approach… In any case, thanks for making this film for the big screen: what place can be better than a big dark room to share intimate moments (lived out by the characters in the film) with others? Strangers we wouldn't dare approach but with whom we share a very intense experience… And thanks for the web site, designed to be a forum for exchange and not just another advertising medium. Bertrand

Helpful as well as entertaining (05/13/01)
Your film was a confirmation! It made me even more certain that we can change, as long as there is a real desire to evolve, and it confirmed the fact that growing means accepting to suffer a little. My only regret is that I didn't see your film when I was Eglantine's age (I'm 26), and that I wasn't interested in psychology sooner (for the past 2 years, in fact, needing to understand, and your film confirms whatever I've already managed to grasp from reading). So thank-you immensely for this film. I enjoyed every second of it, and the flashes of humour were a treat. Tom

A word from the producer (05/07/01)
Paris, May 7 th 2001 and around 100 000 people saw the film in France. We're a little disappointed with the score. When I was 18, with a depressive mother who had trouble cutting the umbilical chord, a father who was pretty absent, and a good share of heartache... I ended up doing brief therapy. When it was over, I decided to be a film producer! And for over ten years now, all my dreams, decisions and energy have gone into this aim: producing a feature film. So yes it had to be your film! Producing also involves professional ethics: does this film deserve to exist? Does this director merit raising 14 million francs and over 150 people to materialise his project? The answer to all these questions was YES, once again it was obvious. Together, we learned a lot about the profession, some nice and some not so nice things. Looking back, I realise we should talk it over. You are fair, loyal, brave, hard-working, generous, not to mention talented! So there's one thing I'm sure about: I was lucky to be able to do my first feature film with you. Working alongside you allowed me to progress. I'm proud to have produced Yes, But.... And I'm impatient to show it to my son when he'll be old enough to see it. Thanks for your trust. I very much want to start again. So, please, let's go forward and get down to work! François Kraus

Come hell or high water (05/02/01)
Not convinced by the trailer, I nevertheless went to see the film, being an admirer of superb actor Cyrille Thouvenin. I've been a psychology student for three years now, and I must admit that I was blown away by the script! Helping both a character and the audience is a great idea. Because I'm pretty sure we all come away with some of the lessons given by psychotherapist (played by Jugnot). Ever since, I bring up the film in all conversations. And even more so, I try to get everyone I know to see it, come hell or high water. Thanks for this cheery film! Christophe

My grandmother (04/01)
Yes, But... is a helpful film. I've already changed how I behave with my grandmother, who is in the Victim group; we argued, I told her, there was a strange and slightly bitter silence, and then we spent a wonderful afternoon together. Maybe this is just an anecdote, but voilà, I did it, and it was no small thing. (...) What affected me most in the film was the love scene between both teenagers especially after they spend a night holding hands and after the first time that was empty, in a hurry. If there hadn't been these elements first, but only a wonderful first time, the film would have been a total failure, a ho-hum American script! Audrey-Laure

Positive expectation. A specialist's opinion: Dominique Megglé, psychiatrist and hypnotherapist (04/27/01)
Thank-you for Yes, But.... My wife and I were under its spell for several days. You have the right tone, delicacy, sense of intimacy, discretion, and you managed to grasp the atmosphere of a brief therapy session: what we call “positive expectation”, that human relationship stemming from trust in the resources the patient has, but had forgotten. In this relationship, he rediscovers them, which is a deeply human joy for the patient as well as for the therapist. It's a joy for him to feel respected, appreciated for who he is, just the way he is, instead of belittling himself. It's a joy for the therapist to watch someone blossom as a result of respect. And the rest follows. It leads to positive and powerful dynamics, which affects the social group, the family, and everyone feels better. You admirably grasped this. After watching your film, we feel better, lighter. It is elevating. Moreover, your film is attentive to the tiniest details, and very well researched without ever being heavy. Merely suggested. The actors have just the right tone and we wish we could stay with them after the film over. Thank them, and please tell Eglantine that she is delicious, so natural, and tell Gérard Jugnot that he has the perfect expression, mischievous and warm-hearted, of a “brief therapist”. That firmly tender gaze, I see it in my most experienced colleagues and…in myself. Patients and those closest to me sometimes say so. The truthfulness you've captured is not immediately spectacular, the sort of thing that strikes you one moment and is gone the next. Your film will do a lot of good in the long run, because it is genuine. It isn't a film that you just watch for fun; it is also a learning film, not only in that it'll help many people feel better whether they do therapy or not, but also because it should be seen by therapists in training and…by seasoned therapists. Thanks again for the joy you gave me and my wife (who doesn't work in psychotherapy at all) and I hope we'll hear from you soon. Keep me posted about Yes, But.... Best regards,

Dr. Dominique Megglé, President of the Confédération Francophone d'Hypnose et de Thérapies brèves, President of the Institut Milton H. Erickson Méditerranée

Fanny recommends another film, not quite so famous (04/25/01)
I've just come out from seeing Yes, But..., but I haven't really come out of it. Bravo and thank you. This isn't very original, I know, but like the bottom line in that Hindu legend, I mean it from the bottom of my heart. When I say I haven't really come out of your gem of a film, it's because from my seat in that huge Strasbourg cinema complex, I felt right at home with your world of characters (magnificently acted), and this world is familiar. So bravo for that, and for merging dream and reality, smiles and tears (OK, I cry at the drop of a hat…). And thanks personally, because some time ago I did brief therapy (in Lyon, it so happens) and then went on to psychoanalysis, and tonight I don't feel like stirring my manure pit but I'm aware I step into it too often! This April is filled with film surprises. For those dreamers who loved Yes, But..., I recommend Amélie from Montmartre directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (it's just my own opinion!). May your first feature film spawn lots of little siblings…Fanny

Tricky word of mouth (04/25/01)
It's already been a week since I saw Yes, But...…really great. In any case, I've been telling people about it, since I go pretty often to the cinema (thanks UGC movie pass) some of my friends ask me what films are on…(these days, except for Yes, But..., not much) unfortunately when I mention psychotherapy, adolescence and Jugnot, my friends (20-25-year-olds) stare at me and don't understand how I could like such a film…nobody went to see it! I must be going about it the wrong way…sorry for my word of mouth. Nicolas

Rooftops of Lyon (04/24/01)
Thanks for choosing to do your film in Lyon. The first time I saw the film, I was too captivated by the story to locate everything. But then I was delighted to recognise different spots like Fourvière, the Croix Rousse, the Tête d'Or. I think I even glimpsed the Tour de la Charité reflected in a window. You've managed to films Lyon with sensuality. And the rooftops! Lots of rooftops. A coincidence? As if Eglantine were trying to escape from the city (from life?). To rise up. I hope the next film also takes place in Lyon! Eléonore

Western to Native (07/31/99)
In a past life, I worked long hours on other people's numbers, and in my free evenings on my letters. Due to a combination of circumstances, I avidly boned up on Writing Drama. When I fell back to earth, i.e. the professional finance world that I'd momentarily left, I decided to change my life and devote myself to writing. The way I negotiated my departure already had my bosses wondering about my mental state, but when I spoke up at my good-bye party and told them the story of the Western and the Native that I'd come across in Writing Drama, they stood there gaping for two whole minutes, I'll remember that dumbfounded look for the rest of my life. I was leagues away from their frame of references. I felt incredibly powerful opposite their wild goose chase for the endlessly more. I felt deeply joyful. That same day, I promised myself (unaware it would be possible one day) to find a way to thank the author of this book. That's the point of this letter. Daniel