Maybe I should rename my blog
Although I write this blog just for fun, I sometimes enjoy checking out the statistics. I can’t tell who the individual visitors are—but I can occasionally see how they got here.
Paris Catacombs, supermoon Paris and under Paris are perennial search-engine favorites. But a surprising newcomer recently eclipsed them all: Jan Gregersen.
“What the hell?” I thought as I Googled my Paris pal. I was amused—and confused—to find my blog among the top hits.
That’s because I knew Jan only in passing: We met once in September 2010, and I hung out with him and his friends for a couple of evenings last March. But we haven’t been in touch since then.
So how did I become a global authority on Paris street musicians?
I got the answer a couple of days ago, when I asked a friend to leave Jan a birthday gift at his favorite Paris haunt. “Jan has gone back to Germany,” the barkeep told my friend. “Everyone is asking about him.”
Obviously a lot of people are asking Google about him, as well.
So if you landed here because you’re looking for Jan, I’m sorry to be of no help. Except to say, “don’t worry.” Jan is a bit of a rover, so he’s likely just gone walkabout. He’ll probably turn up again … eventually.
And if you’ve just Googled yourself and you ARE Jan Gregersen: Tu vas bien, ou quoi?
If I knew how to reach you, I’d thank you for all the new visitors. Then I’d tell you to get your own damn blog.
All joking aside, I can imagine the void your Paris fans must feel.
In the few days I knew you, I laughed until I was hoarse. I made new friends. I learned a horrible, horrible song in German. I was inspired to start making my own music again. I saw my favorite city through new eyes. And none of that would have happened without you.
So … thank you for providing the beautiful soundtrack that accompanied me as I photographed Paris. There’s a copy of this book waiting for you at a certain Parisian pub, if you ever do return:
I wish we were still in touch. (I wish you’d occasionally check your email!) But I hope you are keeping well, wherever you are. And whatever dreams you have for the future, I hope they all come true …
Happy 30th, mon pote.
Update posted Saturday, June 4, 2011
Today I got an email from … wait for it … Jan Gregersen! He saw this post and dropped me a note. I was so happy to hear from him that I wrote back IN ALL CAPS and with multiple exclamation marks!!!
Jan is alive and well in Freiburg, Germany. As I suspected, he has indeed gone roving—so no word on whether he’ll return to Paris. But he sounds happy, and that’s what counts.
Anyway … thanks for getting in touch, Jan. It made my day to hear from you, and I very much hope our paths cross again someday. In the meantime, prends soin de toi, chaton! Bisous …
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Tags: Google, Paris, postaday2011, site statistics
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