Alain Roumilhac --France

Alain Roumilhac. He was a bit taller than me, wore his dark blonde hair short and spiky with a little tail and had eyes the color of gold. He was unlike anyone I had ever met. I can remember the crowd on the dance floor at the disco, which made space to watch and admire him dancing to The Cure. The first time I saw him, he was near the door to the "main" enterance to the campo building. I did not know his name or nationality then and we did not speak. Something inside me said that I needed to meet this aloof, confident man who smoked hand-rolled cigarettes. It was my mission over then next few days to be in his presence as much as possible -- table tennis, cards (he laughed and cringed at my French pronounciation of 21), hikes, volleyball. He finally noticed me too. My biggest mistake was to separate at the end of camp. The vision of him through the back window as we drove away haunts me to this day. We corresponded for 18 months after the camp ended until his fatal letter in February 1988. I went into a panic and acted like a huge fool. I am so sorry. Alain - playfull, righteous, sensitive and unique. I lost my heart to you and then I lost you. He sang this song to me one night on the stage at the camp --our song. It can say things much better than I am doing.

"You Are My World"by the Communards (Somerville/Coles)
There is nothing boy that can stop my course;
I will hold you tight never let you go.
Tomorrow's party will never end,
Like a bud in spring our love will
bloom and grow.
Your eyes to me are precious stones
On a face that's made of a solid gold,
When I hold your hand I want to cry
And your loving arms to protect me from the cold .
You are my world . You are my world.
The soul inside now belongs to you.
I'm drowing in a love so deep.
We will overcome those ups and downs,
So happiness is forever ours to keep.
I will follow you to the end of time.
I will be the blood flowing through your veins.
I will ride with you till the end of the line.
You will be my everything; my world.
You are; you are; you are; you are,
Oh boy; you are my world.