Peintures vivantes - Joseph Descamps

Le magazine

"Good morning Annick, good morning Henri," I greet them, immediately after arriving in the courtyard. They greet me in turn, and Henri gives Annick a look that I cannot decipher. I would love to ask her how she is doing with Pichon after the group work incident, but I certainly can't do that with him present.

As we enter the doorway, Henri changes direction, without deigning us a greeting. Annick continues to walk determinedly towards the entrance, her English book open; I, on the other hand, decide to follow Henri with my eyes. I see him approaching Applebaun, sitting comfortably on a bench, not far from the men's room.

After they have said something to each other, Applebaun turns his gaze towards the men's room, and so I follow his trajectory only to find Joseph in front of me, with his typical annoyed and cocky air, leaning against the bathroom door. With him, Dupin and Vergoux are also there.

Applebaun mumbles something, but I am too far away to hear him. After a few moments, Lamaziere, in the grip of a strange euphoria, approaches Dupin and Vergoux. Since when are boys elated to go to the bathroom? As soon as Lamazier puts his hand in his pocket and puts something in Joseph's hands, the bell rings.

I decide to drop this ridiculous little theatre, and join Annick in the classroom, where I find her sitting in the second row. At our usual desk, two other classmates are seated. As I settle down next to Annick, Giroud enters the classroom, particularly angry and agitated.

"Good morning gentlemen." She greets us and in the process Dupin, Vergoux and Joseph enter the classroom in the following order. They have very strange attitudes, and I am very confused. What must they be doing in those toilets that's so conspicuous. Behind Joseph's high shoulders peeks the curly head of Lamaziere, who quickly sits down on his desk.

On his face, I can see an altered state of euphoria and trepidation.

The lecture runs smoothly; I manage to take lots of good notes, and I understand all the topics Giroud explains.

As soon as the end-of-lesson bell rings in the corridor outside our classroom, Lamaziere jumps up like a spring and runs towards the door. "Mr Lamazier...are you in a hurry by any chance?" the Giroud asks him curiously, crossing her arms.

"Yes, he's in a big hurry," Joseph replies to her, beaming in her face. 'What the hell are you up to Descamps? "Now Lamazier, he will only come out when all his companions have done the same. Goodbye."

In the courtyard, I sit on the steps chatting with Annick and Michelle. As predicted by my intuition, Lamazier emerges from the entrance, overtaking us, and running towards Joseph and Dupin. I see Lamazier hand over a coin to Joseph, who slides him inside the toilets in an overly suspicious manner.

'What are the males up to in the toilets? They've been doing shady things since this morning and exchanging coins before entering the bathroom." Annick asks, scrutinising the scene. Michelle rushes to her feet, and after adjusting her dress, walks towards Henri and Felbec, who are sitting under the canopy. We all decide to get up and follow her, intrigued.

"Pichon. What are you males up to in the toilets?" he asks him in a tight voice. Henri tightens his shoulders and begins to turn red in the cheeks. "Nothing," he replies. I feel the tip of his lying nose touching me at a distance of a metre. Michelle doesn't buy the lie, and scrutinises him. "You've gone all red in the face, Pichon," she warns him.

"I have not gone red, this is my natural complexion," he replies, walking away at a brisk pace. The bell rings again, and we are all back in class, except for Joseph, Dupin, Vergoux and...Applebaun? His desk in front of the teacher's desk is empty.

Just before Professor Couret arrives, Joseph, Dupin and Vergoux walk through the door, laughing. "I wonder what he's up to in that Applebaun bathroom." Vergoux chuckles.