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Waiting for Andre
A semi-fictional account of the friendship between Samuel Beckett (the Playwright) and Andre ‘The Giant� Roussimoff (the Wrestler) when Andre was a young boy of twelve and Beckett had lived adjacent to the Roussimoff’s farm in Ussy sur Marne, just outside of Paris.
In 1960, when Andre was twelve, the school had told his parents that Andre could not continue attending as he was too big to ride the small school bus they had for the village and it was too far to walk. Distraught, his mother Marian, had pleaded with their neighbor who owned a truck to take her boy to school to finish his education. The Roussimoff’s had helped their famous neighbor extensively through the years, from maintaining his residence in his absence to laying the foundation and building his cottage. Beckett’s reputation was one of an unpleasant, curmudgeonly and very private man who did not appreciate the fame that was bestowed on him. Thus, even though it was strange and out of character, Beckett said agreed and committed himself daily for almost an entire school year with this task while in his seclusion in Ussy, working on both his novel Comment c'est and his play Happy Days.
Andre, at twelve, was already just over six foot, weighed almost 240 lbs and continually maintained a positive and very jovial demeanor, contrasting his neighbor in almost every way. Of course, Andre would grow up to achieve a different kind of fame which also surrounded Beckett, but both men handled not only their fame but their families, with very different ends.
In 1960, when Andre was twelve, the school had told his parents that Andre could not continue attending as he was too big to ride the small school bus they had for the village and it was too far to walk. Distraught, his mother Marian, had pleaded with their neighbor who owned a truck to take her boy to school to finish his education. The Roussimoff’s had helped their famous neighbor extensively through the years, from maintaining his residence in his absence to laying the foundation and building his cottage. Beckett’s reputation was one of an unpleasant, curmudgeonly and very private man who did not appreciate the fame that was bestowed on him. Thus, even though it was strange and out of character, Beckett said agreed and committed himself daily for almost an entire school year with this task while in his seclusion in Ussy, working on both his novel Comment c'est and his play Happy Days.
Andre, at twelve, was already just over six foot, weighed almost 240 lbs and continually maintained a positive and very jovial demeanor, contrasting his neighbor in almost every way. Of course, Andre would grow up to achieve a different kind of fame which also surrounded Beckett, but both men handled not only their fame but their families, with very different ends.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 5, 2018
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About the author
Steffan Piper
13Ìýbooks85ÌýfollowersBorn in Pennsylvania and raised in California, England and various parts of Alaska. Attended school at the University of Alaska,Anchorage and the University of Los Angeles, California. Served honorably in the U.S. Marine Corps and is a Veteran of The Persian Gulf War.
Once a resident of Alaska, the Mayor of Nome asked him to 'leave and never return,' due to a minor misunderstanding.
Steffan Piper currently lives on the outskirts of Los Angeles with his family. Most of his writing occurs in the dead of night unlike the bulk of his contemporaries. Despite the rumors, Steffan remains a Best-Selling Author, Screenwriter and Poet.
Once a resident of Alaska, the Mayor of Nome asked him to 'leave and never return,' due to a minor misunderstanding.
Steffan Piper currently lives on the outskirts of Los Angeles with his family. Most of his writing occurs in the dead of night unlike the bulk of his contemporaries. Despite the rumors, Steffan remains a Best-Selling Author, Screenwriter and Poet.
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