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Quote by Jean Pierre Van Rossem

“Mijn leven hangt samen van onwaarschijnlijkheden. Ik was amper 20 toen ik met m’n klein autootje – een Honda – naar Parijs reed. Bij het binnenrijden van de lichtstad zag ik een mooie witte Rolls-Royce in panne staan. Die wagen bleek van weduwe Van Cleef (red. eigenares van het juwelenimperium Van Cleef § Arpels) te zijn. Ik stopte en kreeg de wagen aan de praat. ‘Mag ik als beloning er eens mee rijden?’ vroeg ik aan haar chauffeur. Zo legde ik contact met één van de rijkste mensen van Frankrijk. We praatten over literatuur en kunst en het klikte. Ze nodigde me bij haar thuis uit en ik ben er 14 dagen gebleven. We gingen samen op stap, ze kocht kleren voor me en ging met me in de chicste Parijse restaurants eten. Daar leerde ze me de beginselen van de etiquette. Ik was een gestampte boer, ik had nog nooit een wijnkaart gezien, maar dronk wel als een echte seigneur Chateau Petrus. Natuurlijk heeft alles z’n prijs. Op een avond wou ze met mij naar bed. Dat was niet simpel: ik was 20, zij 70. Maar toen ik thuiskwam stond er wel een Ferrari 250 LM voor m’n kot. En toen is het begonnen. Ik ging met die auto naar school en zette me op de parking van de proffen. Ineens kon ik elk wijf krijgen.”

Quote by Jean Pierre Van Rossem

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Jean Pierre Van Rossem

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