from bryan doyle / specially for jérémie*

*(on this day of big scary exam)

Do not be distracted by the chatter of your opponent, even if his talk is as interesting and stimulating as mine. Do not be distracted by the sounds of birds and the infinitesimal murmur of the train. Do not be distracted by sudden quiet remarks, such as I love you dearly, Elson, and I hope you will always remember these moments under the sycamore tree in the alley, when you and i sat across from each other and played the greatest of games, as the light fell down on us like golden dust, and the city whispered in our ears, and somewhere there was the burble and prospect of soup. But we will get to the soup when the time comes for soup, which will not be until the game is finished, this game that is unlike any other ever played. Rushing through a game to arrive at the soup may be something for men in Marseille to do, but it is not for us.

Brian Doyle in "Elson Habib, Playing White, Ponders His First Move" - THE SUN MAGAZINE NOV 2011