Au Cochonnet Marin

You probably seldom think about it, but when a tooth acts up you will be quickly reminded that every single part of your anatomy matters. And when that glitch happens, you will pray for a quick fix.

A few days ago, while munching on a bagel, I cracked a tooth. I very distinctly felt it. A fairly common occurrence I have been told… but it hurts. Not a big hurt, but a constant throbbing reminder that it needs to be fixed.

After consultation, my dentist decreed that the tooth had to go… and should be replaced by an implant,  fitted with a crown.
I don’t look forward to that procedure. My mouth is an extremely personal area and very few people are privy to it.

My periodontist in turn assured me that the tooth extraction would be painless. I cannot help but being dubious. Isn’t it what the executioner told Robespierre on the scaffold? “Don’t worry citoyen Robespierre, you won’t feel a thing.”
Oh yeah?

Actually that’s what I want. A painless procedure. Whenever somebody has to violate the sanctity of my body, I don’t want to know about every gory detail of the modus operandi. I am fully aware that you can now request local anesthesia and watch the surgeon tinker with your organs on a  monitor. But I am not a masochist.

My last surgery lasted over 5 hours. I have no idea what the dozen surgeons and nurses in charge did and I definitely don’t want to know.
My admonition to my doctors is always: “Do your job my good man. Knock me out and wake me up when you are done.” If the whole thing does not work as planned, I will be in no position to enquire about what went wrong.

Finally, when it comes to surgery, the most frightening thing is not the deed itself. It is the Godzilla tab looming over the horizon, ready to pounce on you. What can I do with my puny insurance shield?

I will dispose of my damaged tooth next week. The surgeon looks like a capable young man… I trust him implicitly.

Hasta la vista compañeros!

Alain ?

“Happiness is your dentist telling you it won’t hurt and then having him catch his hand in the drill.” ―Johnny Carson

I am not the greatest pétanque player in the world (or even in the county) but I love this pastime and I play at least twice a week.

I enjoy it greatly but I don’t fancy all the players equally. Some have a tendency to upset my delicate nervous system, and when they do, they derail my happy-go-lucky choo-choo.

Our weekly games are friendly encounters and should be played in a generous and forgiving spirit. When a boule’s position is difficult to assess, one should be gracious and (once in a while) accord it to the opponents.
If there is a difference of opinion, resolve it quickly and courteously.

And by the way (for those who don’t seem to know), the “shooter” is traditionally the quarterback. He calls the shots and his teammates abide by his decisions. Furthermore, there is no official “cochonnet thrower”; any player can grab and dispatch the “cochonnet”.

Then, when you are involved in your favorite pastime, you are supposed to pay attention to what’s going on. It is bad form to be oblivious and be constantly reminded that it is your turn to play. Any seasoned player (and we all have been playing a long time) should always know what to do next without being told.

Sometimes people play in a triplette formation; they then often argue endlessly about the strategy to follow.  This is another irritating nuisance that should be avoided.

Now… to win a game you need skills… and team cohesion. You all need to pull in the same direction… and never give up. Nothing riles me more than a defeatist attitude. You need to believe that a game is never lost until the opposing team scores the 13th point.

In my book, you keep firing with the same spirit until you are victorious or dead!

Is it just a pastime?

Maybe, but win you must scrogneugneu!

Alain

“When you win, say nothing. When you lose, say less.” Paul Brown

Where is truth?

Right now everybody is looking for it, but it has not been seen or heard for quite a while and it has many people worried.
Where is that elusive creature hiding out?

Interestingly enough I could not even find a clear definition of that word in any publication. So, it seems that anybody feels free to adopt the brand of truth that suits him or her best.

Lately that poor thing has been abused and battered; by politicos, media and foreign powers. All kinds of strange “truths” are popping up everywhere and it is becoming very difficult to tell which article is genuine and which one is a fake.

And whom can you presently trust to speak candidly? Our elected representatives? Don’t make me laugh…

“He is a shifty-eyed goddamn liar…. he’s one of the few in the history of this country to run for high office talking out of both sides of his mouth at the same time and lying out of both sides.” Harry T.

Who could Harry be talking about? Anybody we know?

Some people claim that truth is dead and that you better forget about it. But you cannot do that. If you do, you may as well leave the country and take refuge on Pitcairn.

When truth is handled or massaged by a “populist” who repeatedly says, “believe me”, watch his nose. You will see it grow.

Truth can only be revealed by dedicated crusaders and it can be a very dangerous enterprise.

Like all endangered species, it should be kept in sanctuaries to protect it from poachers. If it is not defended it will wither away and you might end up living under regimes like the National Socialist German Workers’ party. Some people liked it; most abhorred it and fought it to the death.

Truth should be found and rehabilitated at all cost. It is a rare commodity and it is extremely difficult to live without it.

Alain

“Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.” ~ Leo Tolstoy