Bebop Edition Part VI: The Holy Gift

Biography

Born in Dunkerque in 1903. He always hated the cold sea wind that never stops. Family emigrated to Switzerland in 1916 after pre-world war I spy hysteria broke out in Dunkerque - war and suspicion is no place for a family. They settled in abandoned shed in Meyrin, near Geneva.

Father, Dominique, died during the Spanish fly epidemic in 1918. Mother died just three months later of unknown causes, after almost a month of permanent headaches.

Since 1917 Voltaire had built himself a small "business" off bringing soldiers guarding the border with France whatever they needed from Geneva and surrounding villages. He used a bicycle he stole for that purpose.

He never received any more than the basic education. After his parents died, Voltaire moved in with several students in Geneve. He always liked books and music. So instead of school, he spent a lot of time with his room-mate's books, although most of them were law and theology, hence not so interesting for Voltaire. What he really loves are poems and decadent literature.

He paid his rent from earnings from petty thievery and from importing opium and cocaine over the border from his contact in France. As the ratification of the Opium Convention treaty took effect, drug prices increased rapidly, becoming Voltaire's primary and only income.