Hello, Bonjour, Hello!

Maira Maira Maira!

Sorry for the slight delay in announcing the winner of our giveaway for a signed copy of Thomas Jefferson: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Everything. But we had good reason.

When last we called upon the erudite, ever-reliable mathematical genius Monsieur Random Integer Generator, he was feasting on veal piccata in Milan. As you can imagine, it is not easy tracking down this raconteur connoisseur globe-trotting flaneur restaurateur. Wherever he goes, people want him to pick his nose numbers and winners.

He’s always in demand. Yes, he’s that good.

And for you, dear readers, we would never settle for anything less.

So we sent him a special telegram requesting his services.

After one, two, three, twenty-five macarons, here came the reply:

For Maira, anything. I shall be there. I once dined with Monsieur Jefferson in Paris. Très fantastique!

We were thrilled. But after five, six, seven croissants, no M. Generator. Yet somehow we sensed he was here.

We enlisted the help of Maira’s buddy Max Stravinsky. Poet. Dreamer. Dog.

“C’est très facile,” said Max. “The hairy-lipped one is visiting M. Jefferson.”

Naturellement!

But oh là là! We just missed him in the vegetable garden.

He left behind a trail of crumbs in the kitchen,

and a few empty pudding dishes and teacups in the fancy dining room.

Quand même, we were getting close! We asked a very polite man in a white wig if he’d seen a mustached gentleman in a black derby.

Not deterred in the least, we pressed on. Two handsome gents requesting napoleons pointed us West.

We tracked M. Generator up river and down, over hill and dale. Elusive rascal!

Does he never stop to rest?

Mais oui.

Flummoxed!

Suddenly: “Attendez!”

M. Jefferson himself!

He would not say whether he had seen M. Generator but we had our suspicions.

We explained our desperate need for a winner.

He pointed off page and winked. “C’est dommage, mais . . . c’est fromage!”

Bien sûr!

We followed M. Generator’s trail of cheese, ever so grateful (and relieved) he had come through for us yet again. Et voilà! What a guy! We finally have a winner!!

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drum roll, s’il vous plaît!

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CONGRATULATIONS, LAURA!!

We twirl our mustaches with joy!

Please send your snail mail address to: readermail (at) jamakimrattigan (dot) com, so we can get the book out to you lickety split.

Big THANKS to all of you for entering the giveaway.

And an extra special MERCI BEAUCOUP to Maira, Max, and the one and only M. Generator, who’s off on his next adventure.

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Copyright © 2014 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.