Quelques années avant ma naissance, mon père connut un étranger récemment arrivé dans notre village.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Depuis le début, mon père fut subjugué par ce personnage, si bien que nous en arrivâmes à l’inviter à demeurer chez nous.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

L’étranger accepta, et depuis lors il fit partie de la famille.
Moi je grandissais, je n’ai jamais demandé d’où il venait, tout me paraissait évident.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Mes parents étaient enseignants : ma maman m’apprit ce qu'était le bien et ce qu'était le mal, et mon père m’apprit l’obéissance.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Mais l’étranger était un vrai conteur, un véritable enjôleur.
Il nous maintenait pendant des heures fascinés par ses histoires mystérieuses ou rigolotes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Il avait la réponse à tout ce qui concernait la politique, l’histoire ou les sciences.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Il connaissait tout du passé, du présent, il aurait presque pu parler de l'avenir !                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Il fit même assister ma famille à une partie de football pour la première fois.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Il me faisait rire, et parfois il me faisait pleurer.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

L’étranger n’arrêtait jamais de parler, mais ça ne dérangeait pas ma Maman.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Parfois elle se levait, sans prévenir, pendant que  nous continuions à boire les paroles de l'étranger.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Je pense qu’en réalité, elle était partie à la cuisine pour avoir un peu de tranquillité.

(Maintenant je me demande si elle n’espérait pas en secret qu’il s’en aille.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Mon père avait ses convictions morales, mais l’étranger lui ne semblait en tenir aucun compte.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Les blasphèmes, les mauvaises paroles, par exemple, personne chez nous, ni voisins, ni amis, ne s’y serait permis.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Ce n’était pas le cas de l’étranger, qui se permettait tout, offusquant mon père et faisant rougir ma maman.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Mon père nous avait totalement interdit l’alcool.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Lui, l’étranger il nous incitait à en boire souvent.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Il nous affirmait que les cigarettes étaient fraîches et inoffensives, et que pipes et cigares faisaient distingué.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Il parlait librement (peut-être trop) du sexe.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Ses commentaires étaient suggestifs, souvent vulgaires et dévergondés.
Maintenant je sais que mes relations ont été grandement influencées par cet étranger pendant mon adolescence.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Nous le critiquions, mais il ne faisait aucun cas de la présence de mes parents. Malgré cela, il était toujours là !                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Cinquante ans sont passés depuis notre départ du foyer paternel.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Et depuis lors beaucoup de choses ont changé : nous n’avons plus cette fascination.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Il n’empêche que, si vous pouviez pénétrer chez mes parents, vous les retrouveriez quand même dans un coin, attendant que quelqu’un vienne écouter ses parlotes ou lui consacrer son temps libre...                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

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