Charming man Jean Til in Antwerp

Stuart Forster meets Jean Til, a charming man in Antwerp, Belgium.

With his red suit, white gloves and heart-shaped umbrella, Jean Til is certainly a man who stands out in a crowd. As he wandered towards me in Antwerp’s Stadsfeestzaal shopping centre I reached for my camera.

Standing well over two metres tall, Jean Til is a big man. It’s rare for anyone to tower over me. Particularly in flared trousers.

Ideally, I’d have started this blog post with Jean Til’s opening line. You’d probably have been blown away by the subtle charm of his compliment. It was outstanding.

Jean Til in the Stadsfestzaal shoppping centre in Antwerp, Belgium.
Jean Til at the Stadsfeestzaal shoppping centre in Antwerp, Belgium.

an encounter with a charming man

No doubt I blushed. My knees may even have buckled momentarily because of the power of his words.

It was the kind of compliment that should be used with caution in bar room situations. As a chat-up line its success rate must approach 100 per cent.

If people were still in the habit of meeting others in person, rather than using only dating websites and apps such as Tinder, I reckon there’d be hits on this website purely to filch Jean Til’s inspired words.

Yet I can’t remember them. They’re gone.

I travelled to Antwerp for a day out with two friends. We were all within arm’s reach of Jean Til as he began speaking. They confirmed they’d also heard the line. It was genius. Sheer brilliance. We all commented to that effect in the immediate aftermath of our two-minute encounter.

Yet within the 30 seconds it took me to reach into my jacket pocket and fish out my notebook the words had evaporated from my brain. They disappeared from all our brains.

Perhaps that’s just as well. It’s unlikely that anyone would be able to deliver them with anything approaching Jean Til’s polished charm.

Entrance to the Stadsfestzaal on the Meir.
Entrance to the Stadsfeestzaal on the Meir.

The champion of the world

“I am the three times world champion at compliment giving,” he revealed after his impressive opening line. Until that moment in the Stadsfeestzaal, I had no idea that there was such a world championship. Following our meeting, I can’t think of anyone who comes close to Jean Til in giving compliments.

Let’s face it, he wasn’t even giving them in his mother tongue. The majority of Antwerp’s residents speak Flemish as their first language. A few moments of online research, after our meeting, revealed that Jean Til studied at the prestigious Paris-Sorbonne University.

In French, of course, Jean Til’s name sounds very much like the term for ‘polite’. That’s one of his characteristics. So too is the ability to bring laughter and make people feel good.

Entrance to the Stadsfeestzaal shopping centre in Antwerp, Belgium.
Entrance to the Stadsfeestzaal shopping centre in Antwerp, Belgium.

Compliments and laughter

“Do you know why the Stadsfeestzaal is so big?” he asked. I immediately began to think of the building’s historic use as a municipal festival hall. “So that it can fit in your smile,” he said, answering his own question.

I didn’t need a flash for my camera, he reckoned, because of the brightness of my smile.

He was going to get a magazine for me to stand on. Because I should be on the cover of Vogue.

A string of compliments headed my way. But none matched the sheer genius of his opening line.

As we said our goodbyes Jean Til invited me to unclip one of the scratch cards dangling from his umbrella. Beneath the silver-grey box that I removed using the edge of a coin was another compliment. A memento of a memorable chance meeting.

Perhaps Jean Til’s opening line will flash into my mind months from now? Wouldn’t it be fitting if that occurred on 1 March — World Compliment Day.

Jean Til with his red, heart-shaped umbrella in the Stadsfeestzaal shopping centre in Antwerp, Belgium.
Jean Til with his red, heart-shaped umbrella in the Stadsfeestzaal shopping centre in Antwerp, Belgium.

Further information

The Stadsfeestzaal shopping centre is on the Meir, Antwerp’s main pedestrianised street. You can find the shopping centre’s opening hours on its website.

The Visit Antwerp website is a useful source of information about things to do and see in the city.

Visit Flanders has tourism information relating to Antwerp and the surrounding region.

Thank you for visiting Go Eat Do and reading this post about meeting charming man Jean Til in Antwerp. Thinking about visiting Belgium? Take a look at Toer de Geuze in Flanders, Belgium to find out more about lambic beer brewed near Brussels. Here’s a look at the Oyster Sunday in Ghent, Belgium.

Stuart Forster is an award-winning travel writer. He’s also a member of the British Guild of Beer Writers.

Photos illustrating this post are by Why Eye Photography. Call 07947 587136 to discuss your photography requirements or commission a shoot.

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2 Comments

  • Sam | North East Family Fun Blog

    November 28, 2017 at 08:30 Reply

    What a guy! Have to say I am loving his outfit – definitely won’t be missed. I wish you could remember the line though.

    • Stuart Forster

      November 28, 2017 at 11:09 Reply

      Next time I bump into him I’ll be paying special attention from the off and sure to note it!

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