Rita Hayworth

Farewell to Rita...


An anti-apples version of Cézanne's "Apples and Oranges"

Blogs can be very handy. What shell I give, as departing gift, to Rita, a diplo-colleague who's cocktailing us all, later this evening? I've already signed up for the collective chancery offering and I don't feel that inspired to identify THE appropriate personal gift under the circumstances. What about a blog celebrating all the Ritas that were relevant or meaningful to me? How "Lovely Rita" by the Beatles was for weeks my morning shower tune? How Rita Mitsouko's punkish singing saved the face of French pop music for me during my Paris stay? How Rita Lee's lyrics helped my courtship of Miss M., a plumcake with cream type of adolescent girlfriend that doesn't exist anymore? Well, I think the point that this particular arrangement of the letters (by alphabetical order) A, I, R and T sounds very pleasant to me, full of down the memory lane associations.

I have asked this smiling and gentle outstanding professional, a sweet wife and proud mother of two toddlers, to consider working alongside me if I ever get to the Ambassadorial peaks. Her answer was not the grateful acquiescence I kind of expected but rather the starting of a selling herself hard process. She told me what is the city she is interested in, and that, if Fate will ever take me there, yes, she might consider my offer. What a cheek!

I hope she will be happy in the coming years back at the Mother Palace.

I think I'll print this blogtext and give it to Rita later this evening. An original gift, no? I told you, a blog can be a very convenient thing at times..