Some experiences leave a bitter taste in your mouth. It is often due to an encounter with somebody who is totally devoid of “savoir vivre”.
“Le savoir vivre” is a French expression meaning literally “knowing how to live”. It is a sign of good breeding and the knowledge of usages of polite society.
We are all alive of course, but some people don’t have the faintest idea how to live, how to behave in society.
« Le savoir vivre c’est de ne pas abuser de la gentillesse des autres. » Le savoir vivre is to never abuse the kindness of others.
The first condition of “savoir vivre” is modesty.
One should never toot his own horn.
Savoir vivre is never forgetting to return a favor.
Savoir vivre is always paying his fair share, in all occasions.
Savoir vivre is to never embarrass anybody.
Savoir vivre is to never be pushy.
Savoir vivre is never to brag about anything.
Savoir vivre is to know when to bring an appropriate gift.
Savoir vivre is knowing when to hold your tongue.
Savoir vivre is not bringing some friends along when you are invited somewhere for dinner.
Savoir vivre is to never repeat what your heard in confidence.
Savoir vivre is never cheating.
Savoir vivre is to disregard somebody’s ignorance.
Savoir vivre is never to be a boor.
And finally,
Mieux vaut se taire et passer pour un con que de l’ouvrir et ne laisser aucun doute sur le sujet.Coluche It is better to remain silent and look like a fool than to open your mouth and leave no doubt about it.
“Life is a banquet. Arrive early and stay late.”
Carolina Jones
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Yesterday morning at 9:00 a.m. the weather was cool and it augured well for the remainder of the day, for there is nothing worse (for me anyway) than playing in subtropical heat.
Charlie Davantes, Liv Kraft, and Ken Lee showed up early and started immediately to scrub the courts since (due to a mix-up) our gardener failed to do so.
Charlie worked especially hard bagging up all the dead leaves. He is in my opinion one of the club’s most prized assets.
Ken Lee also brought coffee and croissants. Thank you Ken.
Later on, Alain Marchand found out that Verena had chosen the two “graveled” courts (the Bermuda Triangle) for the Concours’ finals.
Without asking anybody he immediately went to work and with dogged determination, almost singlehandedly he groomed those courts.
Liv Kraft and Sabine Mattei assisted Verena with her job as sports’ coordinator. This allowed Verena to participate in the tournament.
The contestants were as follows:
Alain Efron, Henry Wessel, Calvert Barron
Etienne Rijkheer, Carlos Couto, Beth Lysten
Alain Marchand, Francois Moser, Evelyne Marchand
Ken Lee, Marcia, Noel Marcovecchio
Charlie Davantes, Herb Moran, Brigitte Moran
PJ Malette, Holly Sammons, Kevin Evoy
Antoine Lofaro, Jacques Gautier, Eva Lofaro
Ed Porto, Carolina Jones, Wolfie Kurz
Bernard Passmar, Jean-Michel Poulnot, Verena Rytter
Patrick Vaslet, Shannon Bowman, Jean-Claude Bunand
Bleys Rose, Teri Sirico, Hans Kurz
Jean-Claude Etallaz, Vincent Sanner, Helga Facchini
For the record, JC Etallaz and Vincent Sanner showed up without a female player. They were fated to sit out the tournament when Helga Facchini innocently strolled in. She was immediately shanghaied into playing with them.
The games started shortly after 10:00 a.m.
There were 3 timed games to be played before lunch. In those games by the way, time is the essence. There should not be long strategy debates to decide what to do next.
Concours and Consolante would take place after lunch.
In this contest, I teamed up with Henry Wessel and Calvert Barron.
We did fairly well.
In our first game, we faced the Lofaro team. We managed a 12/12 tie.
In our second game we defeated Bleys Rose, Teri Sirico, Hans Kurz by a score of 13/5.
In our third game we faced, Bernard Passmar, Le Facteur and Verena Rytter.
They shamelessly crushed us 13/0. I will never speak to them again!
By the way, Verena has told me that — Jean Michel was extremely considerate and actually very nice to play with and she will consider playing with him again. Good to hear.
My team and I qualified to play in the Concours and on our first game we faced the Lofaro team once more.
This time they beat us 13/5 and kicked us out of the competition.
CONSOLANTE
1st place: Etienne Rijkheer, Carlos Couto, Beth Lysten, $15.00 each
2nd place: Charlie Davantes, Herb Moran, Brigitte Moran, $5.00 each
CONCOURS
PJ Malette, Holly Sammons, Kevin Evoy
In the semi finals PJ Malette, Holly Sammons, Kevin Evoy defeated Ed Porto, Carolina Jones, Wolfie Kurz in an extremely tight contest.
The Porto team was leading 12/10 but was ultimately defeated by a score of 13/12.
This game was by the way much more thrilling than the final game.
In the finals, Antoine Lofaro, Jacques Gautier, Eva Lofaro faced PJ Malette, Holly Sammons, Kevin Evoy.
It was an uneven contest.
The more experienced Malette team easily defeated the Lofaro team by a final and dismal score of 13/2.
1st place:PJ Malette, Holly Sammons, KevinEvoy, $35.00 each
2nd place: Antoine Lofaro, Jacques Gautier, Eva Lofaro, $25.00 each
3rd place: Ed Porto, Carolina Jones, Wolfie Kurz, $20.00 each
The Concours winners also received a special “Champion” T-Shirt donated by Brigitte and Herb Moran (Charlie’s daughter and son in law).
This Davantes family is priceless. Couldn’t we entice more of them to join our club?
And this was the way I saw and photographed it.
Alain
PS: To look at photos of this event and listen to the accompanying background music, turn your computer’s sound on, and click on the link “My Photos” located on the right side of this page. For best viewing, go Full Screen.
I am pretty sure that most people have already been on a cruise ship, one of these large luxurious barges where the main entertainment is eating.
But not too many people are aware of the intricate technical ballet orchestrated by the bridge before the ship’s departure.
A modern cruise ship is a behemoth and it needs to complete complex maneuvers before it can get under way.
It is a delicate and a lengthy operation.
When my wife prepares to go to work, in many ways she reminds me of such an operation.
I am not implying (God forbids) that she is a behemoth, but she often acts like getting out of the house is akin to the casting off of the Queen Mary 2.
I know that I have broached this subject before, but I think that it is worth revisiting.
When I go somewhere, I quickly check the essentials (spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch) and off I go.
When I close the door behind me, it is the point of no return. Alea jacta est!
Damn the torpedoes! Full steam ahead!
With my consort it is a different story.
It seems that she have to go over an elaborate checklist before she can take off.
She has to check the weather, weigh herself, play with the cat, get dressed, pick some shoes, make a smoothie, tease the cat, change outfit, check the value of the rubble, change shoes again, check traffic on her computer, make a few phone calls, water some plants in the garden, have a drink of water and look at herself in the mirror once more.
And when she finally pulls up anchor, she often comes back to make double sure that she didn’t overlook anything.
But once underway, she is a (good) fearless driver. Evel Knievel reincarnated.
Get out of my way punks, make room for Babushka!
The fuzz has not yet stopped her, but her day of reckoning is coming closer every day.
That’s what I keep telling her and as you know, I am never wrong.
I am far from being perfect, but contrarily to the above-mentioned person, I can leave the house in thirty seconds flat!
Alain
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“Le savoir vivre” is a French expression meaning literally “knowing how to live”. It is a sign of good breeding and the knowledge of usages of polite society.
