Pandétanque

Flaming eyes Loël McPhee

2020 has been a very challenging year. The double whammy of the Covid-19 pandemic and the turmoil of the presidential election have traumatized and driven Americans apart. Recommended safety measures like social distancing and confinement have also exacerbated this already sensitive situation.

Being cooped up for weeks on end is hard on everybody. It is eerily akin to being locked up. The human being is a social animal who needs to mingle with his own kind regularly, and if unable to do so, he will become hostile and aggressive. And there has been a significant increase in cases of domestic violence to prove it.

Our club president, Christine Cragg, has been tirelessly working with the local authorities to allow us to play again and she finally succeeded in doing so. After many long months of inactivity, we are finally free to come to our field to do zoomies, wag our tails… and “en passant” play pétanque. Just like our four-legged friends’ next door!

But we are now playing a slightly different game called “Pandétanque”. It is very similar to the classic game, except that all players are now wearing masks. The purpose of this innovation is to protect some people’s fragile egos. After a defeat or a victory, nobody will know who is exulting or who is fuming. Isn’t this a great way to humor everybody?
Let’s not forget that our sports club also functions as a social club and it does wonders for your mental health.

Besides keeping our club alive, CC has also managed to recruit a sizable number of energetic young women. They are a much-needed and welcome addition to our club.

I am presently working on a new pétanque book tentatively called “Pandétanque.” If you can come up with a better title, let me know. To this effect, I am currently shooting additional pictures to add to my portfolio. If you look good without a mask, you will look even more attractive showing only your “yeux de braise”.
Don’t be surprised if I sneak up on you to snap a quick shot.

A book publication though requires a lot of preparation and calculations. To be affordable to all, the books have to be ordered in a quantity ranging from at least 15 to 20. The higher the order, the lower the price. To facilitate my task, let me know in advance if you intend to purchase such a book.

Parting thought:

If you have a few minutes to spare, please perform a small rain dance. We need the wet stuff more than we need oil.

Alain