An individual with a passion can break all language barriers. That was my first thought when I met Christoph. A man of character that I met amid a larger story. The broad picture is that I am helping a family document the creation of their longtime dream, a vineyard. More of the vineyard will be told in another story. Yet I couldn’t help myself to tell the story of my encounter with Christoph. 

With an athletic yet slim figure, he may at a distance not say much. Yet when he talks, his voice is filled with confidence. Uncommon among the French, Christoph does not waste time with unnecessary actions or dialogues. His use of short calm sentences and directness minimises the room for misunderstandings. Christoph is a unique type of farmer. He helps his customers prepare, plant, and take care of vineyards, with the use of specialized equipment. His patience is larger than his nationality, which is why his way of working is appreciated by all.

As I was doing my thing and he was doing his. Christoph randomly calls me over after a while:

 “PHILLIPE! PHILLIPE!”

I was struck by surprise. I cannot speak French and his English isn’t too much to talk about, so our spoken communication is limited. Yet, he silently and proudly invites me to his private space. His truck. Moments before he must have felt my curiosity through his windshield. He signals me to sit beside him. Now I got to spend time with him while he was working. A colorful vape in his hand softens his accompanying hard-boiled glasses and face. He proceeds to rip up the soil, 80 cm deep cuts to prepare the land. Enabling the owners of the land to plant different grape varieties on the land anew. The land that had not been touched for 15 years prior, now feels the slick wrath of Christoph´s hammer-like tool attached to the back of his truck. We talk with silence, as we sail over the land. I continuously forget we are riding a machine made out of tons, rarely seen. The child within me is filled with joy. 

The truck tilts for a while hard to the right, then at the end of the row he does a 180, and likewise, we tilt hard to the left going back. Hence deep into previous cuts (now lanes) just made, the heavy wheels roll. With precise measurements and Christoph’s handling, the distance between each cut is astonishingly narrow and exact. His patience is out of the ordinary. His confidence is shown by the subtle way of moving tons with precision while his feet rest, shoeless, high up by the windshield. One could tell that Christoph was enjoying and taking pride in every bit of his work.

The vape is within reach, as the current DJ at NRJ, presents the next hit. 

His silence speaks of wisdom I now long for.