"Je Suis Charlie"

This event came a little closer to home than many others and the reason is this:  Our godson Fabien (Fah-be-en, not "Fay-be-en) is a video producer for an advertising/promotional company in Paris. As a kid of 10, he was already a gifted and somewhat sardonic cartoonist.  With a certain taste for danger. 

His parents sent him over to us when he was 20 (he'll be 34 in February) to improve his usage of the English language.  I can say now that it was a bad idea in that when he got stuck, I'd step in and translate into French for him.  And I am very lenient with our godson as he is thoroughly charming. 

And I remembered ... one day the police helicopters were circling over a high school not far from us.  Fabien grabbed his camera and started for the front door. 

"Where do you think you're going?" I asked, knowing full well because I'm a former photojournalist.

"To see what's going on!" he said impatiently.  The fever of discovery was upon him.

"Fabien, when the police helicopters are up in this country, we stay in our houses.  You aren't going anywhere."

He didn't pout long because shortly afterward, the helicopters flew away.  But I did get a slit-eyed look from him. 

So given all of the above, we were concerned. 

Granted he is living in a small village in Bretagne, but he comes into Paris once a week to work in his office; otherwise he works from home.  I e'd his mother and him yesterday; this morning I got this message from her.

"He's okay.  He was working at his desk one block away from "Charlie's" and went out for lunch at 12.  I sent him a message at 12:30 because I was worried and it took him one hour to answer."

This was written above the cartoon he'd sent her - a totally black background with 'JE SUIS CHARLIE" in bright yellow over a side view of a machine gun barrel with a yellow #2 pencil jammed in the muzzle.