Au Cochonnet Marin

This was the title of a little story featuring Cynthia Heinrichs and posted in the SF Chronicle about a decade ago.

At the time, this titillating headline surely drew some attention since everybody (secretly) loves dirt… especially when it is French. But there was not really anything indecent about Cynthia and her activity.

The writer (Sam Whiting) was talking about pétanque which is indeed played in the dirt, stuff enjoyed by kids and adults alike.

Cynthia said that she became aware of the game during her honeymoon in the South of France and subsequently became a convert. She was 74 when the article was published, and today, even though she is not as quick on her feet as 10 years ago, she still can be seen frolicking in the dirt on the San Rafael court.

The beauty of this game is that it can be played anywhere, by anybody, regardless of age or physical condition, and octogenarians (and even nonagenarians) can commonly be seen on our local fields.

This discipline, which is fairly easy to master, nevertheless requires some stamina. Some people are amazed to discover that during a single session (which can last from 2 to 4 hours) you can cover a surprising amount of ground and burn a significant amount of calories.

I guarantee that, even if you have some trouble sleeping, if you play in a tournament (lasting between 5 to 6 hours) you definitely won’t have any problem falling in the arms of Morpheus.

Warning! the game is highly addictive and will take a fair amount of time. Yes, it will deprive you of many hours of TV watching and induce some initial discomfort. But it will pass very quickly. Soon you will eat and sleep pétanque and bore everybody with your fantastic boules stories.

America is currently highly divided by many political and medical issues and would greatly benefit by adopting this “dirty” game on a national level.

Like Robert De Niro, Mick Jagger, Johnny Depp, Yves Montand, Morley Safer, Peter Gabriel, Diane Kruger, etc. the President could help to reunite the nation by adopting and promoting this unique common people’s pastime. If he ever did, reelection would be a cinch.

You can also read an excellent article about pétanque (How boules got cool) in the Guardian.

Thank you, Cynthia, for sharing your story with us.

Alain

“I am remarkably likable. Few people have ever been as likable as I am. There is, frankly, no end to my likeability. People gather together in public assemblies to discuss how much they like me. I have several awards and a small medal from a small country in South America which pays tribute both to how much I am liked and my general all-around wonderfulness. I don’t have it on me, of course. I keep my medals in my sock drawer.” ~ Neil Gaiman

Just like Neil, I am also remarkably likable. Like him, I just ooze likeability… I am dripping with that stuff…
But enough talking about myself. People might think that I am vain… Let’s discuss your case instead, it is probably more interesting.

So, how likable are you? Are you generally friendly… distant? Are you a serial kisser or a reserved observer? Are you liked by your peers? let’s examine your personality…

First, do you smile often, and most important (to me), do you have a good sense of humor? Do you laugh easily at shaggy-dog stories, and can you laugh at yourself? If you can, it is a big plus for it is difficult to dislike a laughing person. I wish that politicians could do that… Can you imagine for a minute sourpuss Mitch McConnell smiling broadly?

Second, are you friendly? Are you approachable and can you sustain a light conversation without talking uniquely about yourself? Or are you usually rather distant and dispassionate?

Do you possess empathy? Can you recognize and commiserate with your friends’ difficulties? Even if you cannot help, empathy is a precious balm that is known to greatly relieve pain. A bunch of bonus points if you can empathize with your amigos.

What about promises? Do you usually honor your word? A promise (like a wager) is sacred. Your honor and integrity are in the balance. If you welch on any promise, you are definitely not likable. A five-year-old kid can tell you that.

And most important, can you keep a secret? Remember, a secret is not something you tell everybody to tell nobody. Secrets like vampires are afraid of broad daylight; they feel more comfortable in the darkness of their caves. And that is where they should remain.

Are you cool under pressure? Or do you start ranting and raving when things get difficult? If you do, you lose a bunch of points. A likable guy is a James Bond in disguise. No matter the situation, he remains cool and composed.

Lastly, do you like animals? If you do, you are my kind of person… We are of the same holy faith. If you ask politely, we could easily become BFFs.

“If I wasn’t an actor? Hmm, I’d probably be a serial killer. I’m just so damn likable, no one would ever suspect me.” ~ Zach Braff

Alain

Yesterday, 16 mixed doubles teams gathered at the Pierre Joske court in San Rafael to compete for the annual Commemorative Cup. The weather was perfect…  very propitious for a good tournament

The games started around 9:30 am with the regular setup: 3 timed games in the morning, and Concours and Consolante in the afternoon. I had not planned to compete, but since Christine Cragg happened to need a partner, against common sense, I agreed to fill in.

Christine and I played 3 games in the morning (won one) and were promptly sent back to our locker rooms after completion of the 4th game in the afternoon. Ultimately though, everything went according to plan. After our ignominious exit from the tournament, I changed costume and reappeared on the field as Alain La Foudre, club photographer.

In Marin County, we have a gorgeous field protected from the sun by tall, mature trees. It is great for players, but not so great for shutterbugs. The shaded areas make it difficult to shoot well-contrasted pictures… but “a la guerre comme à la guerre » you have to make do with what you have.

The problem with pétanque tournaments is that many games are taking place at the same time, and this makes it difficult for a photographer to adequately cover the event. You try to include as many games as possible, but you cannot be everywhere at the same time. Thereof the scarcity of a great variety of pictures.

Late in the afternoon, I sat down, along with many other spectators to watch the Concours’ finals. Hans Kurz and Erin McTaggart faced Mark and Sandra Shirkey, two very good teams.

The bout started badly for Hans and Erin who at one time were trailing 1 to 7 in favor of Mark and Sandra. I thought for sure that their goose was cooked. But the mark of the champions is to be resilient, and this is what happened. Through Hans’s absolutely remarkable shooting (the best of his I have ever seen) his team slowly climbed back and won the tournament 13/8. A well-deserved victory.

This is not to say that the other protagonists did not play well. Everybody did, pointers and shooters alike, but the shooters gathered the most attention. Mark also did a great job but was ultimately outclassed by (always colorful) Hans Kurz.

All in all, a great ending to a pleasant (almost family-like) Commemorative Cup tournament.

Concours
1^st place: Hans Kurz & Erin McTaggart ( name on the trophy)
2^nd place: Mark & Sandra Shirkey (medal)
3^rd place: Peter Mathis & Holly Sammons
4th place: Eddy Pay & Beth Caetano

Consolante
1^st place: Don & Linda McPherson (medal)
2^nd place: Bernard Passemar & Maggie Lane

Alain

PS: Go to “My Photos” for a series of related pictures