Some people bring joy wherever they go, while some people bring joy whenever they go. Mark Twain
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Would you share a drink with a prickly individual? I guess not. I for one would not!
Some people seem to forget that pétanque is above of all a “social” game. You come to the field first to meet friends, exchange pleasantries, and ultimately to play pétanque. Not the other way around.
Some delusional “pisse-froids” (sourpuss) seem to think that winning at all costs is the main object of the game. They could not be more wrong!
Pétanque was created a long time ago, by a bunch of friends who sought some entertainment. The game they invented was just an excuse to meet on the village square and talk about “la pluie et le beau temps” (shoot the breeze). It was above all a social gathering and a game would never end without drinks and plenty of “galéjade”.
This pastime appears to have picked up steam in America, but some people don’t seem to understand the spirit of the game. Winning is not the main object. Letting some steam off is. You don’t come to the field to prove anything. You come to forget life’s pressure and relax among like-minded spirits.
Winning is satisfying but it is just an incidental part of the game. What really matters is having fun and you cannot have fun with touchy, confrontational adversaries
On the field you should be civil, friendly and generous. Nobody is interested at all in playing with crotchety individuals. Don’t forget that pétanque ties often extend beyond the playing field. Close bonds born on the field often lead to durable friendships and invitations to private parties.
Fame and Reputation are two swift birds, but Reputation (bad) flies much farther and lives much longer than Fame.
So keep in mind that if you acquire a ”mauvaise réputation” the playing field could turn into a minefield. If you don’t step gingerly, shrapnel will eventually hit you in the derrière.
Alain