Follow your instinct

Short break in France - Part 9

When I was on the point of leaving Saudi Arabia, I called my friend Danny to inform him that I was available again in a week.

Danny is a true friend and he proved that at a few occasions.

I had arrived back in France hardly a week ago when he asked me to come and see him in LCI Company. He had again moved there from Sonovision, as a Commercial Director.

He was having a meeting with two managers from Dassault Aviation Company and he wanted to introduce me to them.

When I arrived at his office, he invited me to join them in the conference room. Danny introduced me to them "This is Jean Baptiste, a long time friend and collaborator, just back from his mission in Saudi Arabia".

He then turned towards them and said "Mrs. Cristelle M, the Directrice of the logistics department and Mr. Albin S., the executive manager of Technical Publications in Dassault Aviation in Saint Cloud"

I advanced towards them and shook hands warmly with Cristelle "Great pleasure to meet you Madame Cristelle" and with Albin "Monsieur Albin" I said.

We sat at a small round table and the atmosphere was more friendly than official. Both of them had a wonderful personality. Cristelle would joke all the time and asked me several times some funny questions about Saudi Arabia; like "Hope you don't miss the sight of abbaya", and we all laughed. She knew that all women wear abbaya in Saudi Arabia.

That brought us to business and the purpose of their visit.

One of the managers in the Technical Publications section is retiring in a month. If I would join them, the person will have enough time to share with me some tips before leaving.

Danny asked when I am supposed to start.

Cristelle replied "ASAP"

Danny laughed and jokingly replied "Poor Jean Baptiste can't even take rest for a week".

I intervened immediately and said "It's ok Danny, I am used to it. I can start Monday if it's ok with you". Alain nodded his head and said "that's great; so Monday then"

When they left, Danny showed me a draft copy of the contract that he had prepared. All seemed right to me.

He told me that Monday he will come too, to Dassault, and bring the final copy of the contract with him. We trusted each other like good friends. I accepted.

We had lunch together in a small restaurant next to his office. We parted after lunch.

Dassault Aviation is the only French manufacturer of fighter jets like Mirage 2000, Rafale, Atlantic, and Super Etendard used by the French Air force and many armies in the world. It also manufactures one of the best business jets in the world, like Falcon.

I was immediately accepted by the other members of the staff there. My familiarity with the process of preparing publications was greatly appreciated. Only the hardware the manuals related to was new to me.

In the office there was another Albin, who was in charge of TMs for Rafale, another gentleman was in charge of Mirage 2000, and there was Jojo, an old gentleman who later would become my best friend. He was a pilot and a Parachutist. He died later during a jump in parachute.

The man who was going to retire and who I was supposed to replace occupied almost the center table in the room. He had a French flag on his desk. He told me that it was in honor of the aircraft that he was in charge of: Super Etendard.

Super Etendard is the carrier-borne strike fighter that carried the deadly missiles EXOCET during the 1982 Falklands war, and destroyed the British navy ship.