French Twist Memoir Excerpt - My Siblings

I have an older sister and a younger brother. We were all close growing up and they are an important part of my life story.

During this time of year, the hot summer months of June and July, I often reflect about my siblings. 

Here I share an excerpt from my memoir, French Twist - A Tale of Travel, Testing and Triumph.

The Maternité Maréchal Lyautey where Mother gave birth to me was like a clinic and the closest thing to a hospital maternity ward for many in Rabat. My sister was also born there on July 14, 1941. That was the French Armistice Day, so my parents named her France Huguette. Three years after my birth, my brother came into the world at the same maternity clinic.

My sister always had a small frame, but she was the strongest and fittest kid around. She could climb the mât de cocagne, a very tall pole at the beach where boys and men competed. It was quite a skill to reach the top. The pole was greased, but France could scale it as if she were a monkey. Making it to the top earned her all the gifts at the end of the pole. There were many prizes, such as wine, salami, and candies, all hanging from a large ring at the top of the pole. She beat out all the others—quite the feat considering she was only twelve years old!

France was a fighter and loved to play marbles with the boys. She took her role as the eldest very seriously and had no problem being in charge of us. When Dad was around, however, it was a different story. She became scared, feared him, and was very quiet.

Alain Georges was our baby brother. He came into this world on June 16, 1946, with the cutest smile, and was a quiet little boy with curly blond hair. I was his older sister by three years, but he was my little buddy for life.

For both France and me, he was our baby, but for Mom he was her little Man.

The three of us had our differences, but in the end we were thick as thieves. I was the middle child and was a bigger baby at birth. It didn’t take long for me to catch up with my sister’s petite figure.

France-and-Janine-young-sistersYoung sisters France and Janine posing together.

Mom dressed France and me the same, so we looked like twins.

Although my sister was délicate, she was stronger than I was and precocious. Mom told me she spoke fluently before she was a year old!

On the other hand, I had a speech problem and one real interest: Mother’s milk bags or breasts. I was Mama’s girl for three years until Alain kicked me out!

I used to ask Mom where I came from, and she told me about the Maréchal Lyautey run by an army of sisters, the Catholic nuns. Each door had a picture of a flower.

“France was a rose and you a carnation!” she told me. The carnation became my flower for life.