"I was an only child, brought up between the two villages. In order to achieve an equal distribution of the municipality's expenses, every other year I had to change schools, and consequently schoolfriends, and thus I was never completely accepted in either place. Human contours often seemed to me to be porous and undefined. I was drawn to the pathways and sandy fields instead. The beaches brought me joy. The creatures, large and small, that lived in and reigned over this kingdom made a deep impression on me and appeared to me to possess an implacable and healing power which remains to this day…"