One Christmas evening I was strolling with my girlfriend and a man friend on the street of a town near Paris. A small man in a beret was walking toward us, looking slightly drunk and like a street person even if not particularly unkempt. Seeing us he screamed “Joyeux Noel!” (Merry Christmas). I made a sudden decision and, when we passed each other, saying “Joyeux Noel!” I kissed him on the cheek. His skin was slippery and cold, like plastic material. He stopped, stunned, and we … Read More