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#2276: Aubelin Jolicoeur: Chamberlain reports (fwd)
From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>
A friend of mine who's known Aubelin for more than half a century recently
saw him. This is what he found:
________
"I've just returned from Haiti and finally located Jolicoeur. You know the
owner of the Palace Hotel passed away and Joli moved to Petionville. He has
an apartment in the Marabou Hotel complex behind St. Pierre church. I found
him terribly depressed as he is soon to have an operation on his prostate.
I
went back to see him in the evening as he was returning from the city in a
taptap--no baton, no cravat and bent over. I presented him with a chair
that
will be softer on his derrière. Also gave him a contribution to purchase a
table. He was using his bed as a work bench and I told him he needed a
table
to hold his typewriter. Maybe you could compose a message to his friends
advising of his upcoming operation and get well cards and contribution to
purchase better furniture.His address is still Hotel Oloffson, Box 260,
Port-au-Prince, Haiti. After all no matter what folk think of Joli, he is
an
institution. I told him even at 76 he must keep on writing (we don't always
agree with what he writes) and over the fifty years I've known him he has
always made people laugh."
_________
It's true that Aubelin ran with the Duvaliers and a few others for a while
and
maybe even caused some people to be put in jail, but he committed no
huge crime and it was all a long time ago. Now he's old and ill. It would
be nice to think all of us -- especially those who know and like him and
have
been entertained or enlightened about Haiti through him -- could be
charitable
in these circumstances and help him out. Messages could also be sent via
the Oloffson's e-mail address if Richard would agree to collect them
together.
Greg Chamberlain