July 1995
Yours truly is tested in French as the part of his admittance examination to Tbilisi State University
It so happens he's good (as good as he'll never again be, as he forsook his French long since), and is a candidate for a 10, that is highest, mark. It also so happens that 9 and 10 are given only after the final interview with the head of examination commission.
Young and shy as he is, trembling one with shaking knees, he is brought before the eyes of the head, which, it so happens, is the red haired lady of kind and the same time severe disposition (that is, kind to intelligence and severe to the opposite), who starts away in fluent and rather pleasant sounding French. Questions are asked, one of which is - who is your favorite writer, o young one seeking admittance? Yours truly, having strong suspicion French writer is expected to be named, holds on to his honesty, and starts replying hesitantly, as to: 'you probably haven't heard of him, and he is not, strictly speaking, French writer...' (former SU it is, LoTR is just translated, mind you). Lo! (or rather, Hark!) -
The Name is named... Amazingly, young one seeking admittance, who was looking at his shoes for a while, hears no thunder rolls, and, raising his eyes to look at the lady, reads 'You too?' in the gaze returned...
Other competitors, I believe, were very surprised to hear, for the best part of the next half hour, exclamated exchange not in French but in English, rather passionate, rather flooded with 'And Gandalf? Yes, he's great! I just love it! Me too! And this, and this - 'you should not listen to all you hear!' ? ' Is it Gaffer? I remember, Gaffer tells the miller off so, but in translation it was all crumpled!' 'But I have read it in English! 'Did you, m'am. And..and...If I may be so bold as to ask, would you mind letting me have your book? Just for a day, it would suffice...' I suppose also other members of the commission were no less surprised.
I should add it was a 10 mark for me out of that exam, and I gained admittance all right, and, now that I'm already graduated, we are still friends with a fine red-haired lady
My first LoTR in English I borrowed from her (it was Russian translation for me afore it), it was one volume paperback published by Harper Collins, the one with the walking Gandalf by John Howe on the cover.