THE HARD CROWD
By Rachel Kushner
Not long ago I met a Frenchwoman legendary for her youthful wildness. One story Iâd heard involved her borrowing a motorcycle. She was living up a mountain, it was dead-winter, and she needed to go down into the village for cigarettes. The guy who lent her his motorcycle told her that the only way to make it down the icy hairpin bends to the bottom was never once to put your foot on the brake. She did as he said. I seem to remember that she smashed herself up and maybe the bike too, but she survived, and the guy was in awe. âYou didnât use the brakes? But I was just kidding!â