Manjula goes blogging...

Jacques Fretey recently sent me an email, Cced to Laurent Kelle and Peter Pritchard, with the mysterious subject line of “2 Jacque Fretey.” In this email he proudly announced (English translation after French text):

"Lors de mon séjour a Ebodjé (Sud Cameroun) en janvier 2006, Christine la femme de Denis, l'un de nos écogardes, a accouché d'un bébé. C'est moi qui ai conduit tres vite notre infirmière aupres de Christine pour qu'elle l'aide à accoucher. Christine et Denis ont appelé ce bébé "mâle" : ... Jacques Fretey ! ! ! ! ! Etonnant, non ? Il y a donc maintenant (malheureusement pour toi !) 2 Jacques Fretey."

(English translation: During my stay in Ebodje in southern Cameroon in January 2006, Christine the wife of one of our ecoguards, Denis, went into labor. I rushed to fetch a nurse to help with the birth. Christine and Denis have called their baby boy…..Jacques Fretey!!! Astonishing, isn’t it? So now (unfortunately for you!) there are 2 Jacques Freteys!)

Here they are, the 2 Jacque Freteys:

Jacques received encouraging remarks from his colleagues:

Laurent Kelle: “at least this one is expected to be nice”

Peter Pritchard: “Mon dieu! The world is not ready for such a dangerous development. Can anything be done? I think there are legal mechanisms for changing a name in emergency situations like this. Perhaps we should have a conference. PCHP”

Not in the least disheartened, Jacques responded:
“Je pense au contraire que je vais engager une opération de clonage et de reproduction en chaine, afin d'envahir l'univers chélonologique de nombreux Jacques Fretey qui porteront partout la francophonie et mes bonnes paroles!"

(English translation : On the contrary, I think I will clone myself, in order to invade the sea turtle universe with many Jacques Freteys who will spread the French language and my wise words.)

Finally, I had to chime in and call for action:
Manjula: “oh la la! One Jacque Fretey is already a lot of work!! We need to convene an urgent meeting before he clones himself and takes over the globe with “francophonie” and his “bonnes paroles”!!

I think Jacques is still on talking terms with us....