THE SHERIFF (1945-2009) photo: André Matthijssens
The first Christmas Eve after the Second World War, 75 years ago, was born “The Sheriff” Frans Léonard Bellens (1945-2009).
He always had a revolver in his pocket but was not malicious, quite the contrary. In the centre of Aarschot he guarded the cars and was given 5.00 francs for it. When he stood on the Bonewijk he got a free bag of chips from chip-shop owner Danny. The Sheriff directed the traffic when school came out! He lived in the Papenakker in Gelrode with his brother Jos, whom he helped to deliver newspapers.
As a good father of the town, Willy Schellens kept an eye on him. At the opening of the fair a showman spontaneously asked the Sheriff to guard his stall. The next day the mayor arrived in Aarschot and saw that the Sheriff had stood on guard all night. The mayor took him under his wing. Willy Schellens occasionally treated him to mussels and chips. During the annual running race in Gelrode the Sheriff was also on hand to lend a hand. Just once he was out walking on the motorway at night. The Sheriff then spent a night at the police station for safety’s sake. The Sheriff was proud that he knew the police, the refuse collectors and above all mayor Willy Schellens.
He often stood in front of what was then the jeweller’s shop of Jack Terweduwe (today Leda Gheysen – jewellery design) to prevent a robbery. Just opposite was the studio of art photographer André Matthijssens. André called the Sheriff in to shelter from the rain and proposed taking a series of photos of him, asking what he wanted for it. The Sheriff agreed on condition that he got a bunch of bananas. The photographer ran quickly to the market and bought the bananas. The Sheriff was delighted with the photo shoot and came back shortly afterwards in a different costume. For that he asked for a bar of chocolate.
Everyone had a soft spot for “the Sheriff”. He had fixed places to stand and then stayed there for hours, even at night.
It happened that he was laughed at. Then he went home in tears. When people of Aarschot saw him being mocked, the tormentors were dealt with roughly.
I always said good day to him and sometimes gave him a pint. People who know anything about the Sheriff are always welcome to contact me. Pieter [email protected] or tel. 00.33.6.862.166.30
THE SHERIFF
THE SHERIFF
the Sheriff and Pieter Van Kerckhoven
THE DISGUISED DISGUISED.
A script for a short film. Final-year project by Marthe Kerckx. (5th year of secondary school, 1995)
A modest homage to the Lumière brothers.
“My uneasy life
lies pale in the sun
and approaches fifty.”
Why the “Sheriff”?
I have been living in Langdorp for eighteen years already, a long village as we were told. Langdorp is a district of Aarschot. ‘And that is where I want to go now’.
Aarschot, the pearl of the Hageland. Known for its pollard willows, chip stalls, beguinages and roadside cafés. With its Brigitte Raskin, its Arthur Meulemans and, at the head of the town, “the Sheriff”.
The market, the Sheriff’s place, but where is he? Between old year and new, in the dead of night, I saw him. I walked up to him, supported by Jef, my scout comrade, and asked him whether he wanted to take part in my audio work. Explained to him what it involved.
How beautiful he was, truly beautiful.
In the cold, the pit of the night, he stood at his fixed spot. The town figure for years, dressed as a cowboy.
Today Thursday, got up early in search of the Sheriff. In my mind I take up his position, looking at the people.
“How is my costume? Am I doing it well?
Looks are cast disapprovingly in my direction.
I am frozen with cold and decide to go and drink a cup of coffee in the Chaplin. A quiet café on the market of Aarschot. Quiet!”
I must find him. I decide to ask a number of market traders; as soon as my coffee is finished I leave, in search of my town figure.
What! There he is. That this can still happen. Past half past eleven. I go up to him.
He laughs with radiant eyes. He has just been locked up in Tienen because he walked on the motorway and was declared ‘mad’.
There is probably no doubt about that either. Watch out is the message!
To let him speak I go and have a drink with him.
Café “De Century”, the Johny and Marina house of Aarschot. There, continuously, I hear “hey Sheriff”. He is well known and that pleases him. Too many people, too much music, a quiet little café across the way pulls us inside. Far too posh, astonished looks are directed at us. This is what I am looking for. I offer him a cigarette and ask what he wants to drink.
His real name is “Frans Léonard Bellens”. Born on 24 December 1945, so just turned 50. It sounds like a fairy tale but he confirms it to me with his identity card. I congratulate him.
I do not find out much. He lives with his brother Jos who delivers newspapers and he helps him with that. He knows the people of the police, of the household refuse, and he swaggers when he says he knows the mayor. “Willy Schellens, he’s a good pal of mine.” He speaks quietly and makes little jerks with his shoulders. He is flattered. I take a photo of him. He wants to do it too well.
I take my leave. He shakes my hand, he is proud.
He sets off at his quick pace and disappears behind the stalls across the market. I notice him for the last time when he stops, pushes his hand into the air and waves, laughs and disappears.
He is going to help Miel dismantle his stall.
Marthe Kerckx (1995)
“At last everything is the same.
Look, says happiness, and shows us the now.
It trembles a little in his hands.”
Synopsis
Poetic portrait of the Sheriff in Aarschot.
Script:
- Exterior – busy road – day
The Sheriff walks his usual route towards Aarschot. He walks under a road sign.
VOICE-OVER:
“There are people living here whom I do not know, whom I have seen and have not
seen,
They are happy, because they are not me.”
The Sheriff stands still beside the busy road, waiting for nothing, thinking.
VOICE-OVER:
“What great good fortune not to be me!”
Thinking about what he could do today.
VOICE-OVER:
“What am I going to do today?
Nothing.
I already did that yesterday.
No, that was a different nothing.”
2. Exterior – in front of café – day
Finally decided to go and have something to drink.
VOICE-OVER:
“I had walked too long, desperately searching for a café where I could sit down.”
3. Interior – café – day
The café owner looks on absently as the Sheriff comes in.
THOUGHTS OF THE CAFÉ OWNER:
“A breeze makes dresses and ties blow up.”
The café owner stands behind his bar and glances in the direction of the Sheriff.
CAFÉ OWNER:
“You must have seen it in order not to be able to believe it later.”
The Sheriff grants him a look back and regards him thoughtfully.
VOICE-OVER:
“You were beautifully ugly,
You drew smiles over it,
Behind it you kept looking.”
The Sheriff begins to wonder why he came in at all. Perhaps he could take everything he has dreamed along with him to another world. But what happens to what he forgot to dream?
“But what it all came down to…”
VOICE-OVER:
“That he heard his mother scream. Saw how the door was kicked in, saw how his father was beaten so that he never sees anything else again.”
He resigned himself to his thoughts, to what he had not been, what he had not done, everything he had dreamed, he had shown the best of himself.
VOICE-OVER:
“They cannot know that, he does not talk about it.”
A man at the bar starts talking to the Sheriff, as if that man knows what he is thinking.
MAN:
“I’ll tell you something: Every person comes into the world with powers that enable him to have the most exceptional experiences. You are bound by no laws. But then life constantly makes you choose between two possibilities, and constantly you feel one is missing; constantly that one unthought-of third possibility.”
“And you do everything you want and you never did what you wanted. In the end you become talentless.”
He no longer knows it all exactly and sinks back into his thoughts.
VOICE-OVER:
“I have become what I could not be,
and what I could be I have not become.”
A man in the café, who himself does not look too bright, speaks with great conviction.
MAN:
“He has the feeling that he is a secret that cannot make itself understood. It is the last coincidental, false way of expressing him that is left to him.”
The Sheriff lets it wash over him. Perhaps the man is right.
VOICE-OVER:
“The more I lost myself, the more I was myself. And it was the fate of the spirit in the world to undergo humiliation. Humiliation, you understand, that is what I am then.”
Nobody knows who the Sheriff is and nobody ever will. This is the only thing that is certain.
VOICE-OVER:
“They recognised me at once as the person I was not and I did not deny it, and was lost. When I wanted to unmask myself, the mask was stuck to my face.”
The Sheriff has dirty hands. He must promise an inspecting woman to wash them.
VOICE-OVER:
“Here I become the creator of my daily downfall.”
Perhaps for attention, but in any case out of jealousy he turns his back on her.
VOICE-OVER:
“They must not know.”
There is nothing to be done with the Sheriff for a moment.
VOICE-OVER:
“Don’t grab me by the arm!
I don’t like being grabbed by the arm.
I want to be alone.
I already said I am alone.”
The Sheriff quickly relents. This too is a form of attention.
VOICE-OVER:
“If I were someone else, I would give you all your way.”
You have the feeling that he was going to fill our ears with who he was.
VOICE-OVER:
“If they have the truth, they may keep it!”
He just turns around.
VOICE-OVER:
“He is quiet.”
Immediately afterwards he stands up to display his figure so that everyone can see it.
VOICE-OVER:
“I wish I could turn the world so that everyone would look at me for once, even if only to understand.”
Many looks are bestowed on him.
VOICE-OVER:
“Look at them sitting there.
Where do they come from?
They are looking at me.”
And bestowed they are.
VOICE-OVER:
“Where do they come from?”
“And what did he think?”
MAN:
Well, of course, the Sheriff!
Another man starts asking him questions and unwittingly watches him out of the door.
MAN:
Where do you come from?”
4. Exterior – busy road – day
The Sheriff leaves the café, goes away from them.
VOICE-OVER:
“Perhaps in the end, you begin…”
He acts as if they do not exist.
VOICE-OVER:
“Will I be missed?”
He tries to ignore his thoughts but they keep wandering in his head.
VOICE-OVER:
“Nobody is missed and nobody misses me.”
He walks home talking.
SHERIFF:
“Without me everything goes on without me”.
Gradually he disappears.
SHERIFF:
“I think they are doing fine. Perhaps my existence is worse for others than my disappearance.”
FADE OUT
THE SHERIFF (photo: 1995)
THE SHERIFF (photo: 1995)
With thanks to:
- Leda Gheysen – jewellery design
- Marthe Kerckx
- Josée Lehon – art historian
- Willy Schellens – Mayor
- André Matthijssens – photographer
- Johan Noppen