Au Cochonnet Marin

Generally speaking, when you see me on a pétanque court, I am there to play. But lately, due to a nagging back problem, I had to skip some games and show up as a mere bystander. This temporary setback (I hope) gave me a better chance to observe local players and assess their styles and performances.

Lately,  we have seen an increased number of women players on our field, and I am delighted by this trend. But unfortunately, and despite my urgings, few women volunteer to play as “strikers”. It is a crying shame because if you don’t try, you will never know if you have an aptitude for it or not. And some women definitely have it, and are accomplished strikers…

Most of all, this inclination has something to do with a person’s temperament. The men or women who take up this task are usually known in French as “battant” or “battante” (fighter), someone who reaches for success despite obstacles.

They are pretty self-assured and are not afraid to take chances. And this is good because a pétanque game without any boules clinking is like a dish without seasoning. Dull… terribly dull.

A spectator likes to see sparks and hear the sound of “carreaux” when watching a game. And a true striker won’t let a wall of boules deter him from hitting a valuable target behind any obstacle.

Strikers, like the gunslingers of yore, have different personalities. Some seem to be reluctant to take a chance on a dicey shot; but any true “battant” will go for it, and if successful, bathe in the deserved glory of his/her accomplishment.

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” –  Robert F. Kennedy

 A woman who dared to take up the striking challenge has been a certain Tamara (known to intimates as the Blazing Babushka). In the beginning, she was a little hesitant to do so, but with my encouragements, she started to assume her new role and eventually blossomed into a decent striker. She now surprises and delights many players with her newly acquired skills.

Another woman who is showing promises is a person with a thoroughly engaging personality. Her name is Ann K. and she has always been eager to learn and try new things. Give her another year and she will bloom into a great player.

I am now looking forward to next Sunday where in Sonoma we are going to participate in the first official tournament since the beginning of the pandemic. I am teaming up with the Blazing Babushka and I expect her to do most of the heavy lifting.

See you on the battlefield (masked, naturally).

Alain

It can strike anytime, anywhere and absolutely nobody is immune from it. This terrible affliction has been around for centuries, but there is still no known cure for it. Age is no factor, and everybody is susceptible to it.

A few days ago, our 6-year-old grandkid, was struck by one of Eros’s gold-tipped arrows and fell in love with a pert young waitress.

“There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment.” – Sarah Dessen

 He was so perturbed by this new emotion that he could not even take a bite of his delicious-looking Tarte Tatin. A true testament for this young man, to the seriousness of his ailment.

“You know that tingly little feeling you get when you like someone? That’s your common sense leaving your body.”

He was too shy to declare his flame, but he told us about it, and we let the young lady know about it. She was flattered and felt sorry about their age gap and their challenging romance, but she did not rebuff him. After all, president Emmanuel Macron of France married his high school teacher who was 25 years older than him.

Ain’t no mountain high enough to stop you when you are in love. Upon our return home, he penned a letter that we promised to deliver to the young lady. It was short and to the point. He started by saying “I like you miss” and ended up simply by declaring “I love you”

It was a simple but very powerful message, and it might sway (????) the young lady to wait for him… After all, the kid is good-looking and very mature for his age…

Love is no laughing matter. It is a very powerful emotion that can derail and incapacitate any human being. Most everybody has loved and lost at least once and can relate to this. Regardless of your age and experience, you can fall prey to this pandemic anytime.

The Russians, the Chinese, and a slew of authoritarian regimes have been working on a vaccine for years but so far without success. Because if you fall in love, you lose your head and won’t pay attention to any government’s directives anymore… a big no-no in certain countries.

We promised to deliver our young man’s message to his beloved but warned him that there was no guarantee of success. With a stiff upper lip, he told us that he understood this, but still hoped for the best.

Hope springs eternal.  People will keep on hoping, no matter what the odds… and that is good, isn’t it?

Alain

A few decades ago, when I formally took possession of my new machine, I was thrilled. It worked extremely well and required very little maintenance. This was a very good thing because at the time I did not know what the word meant.

In many respects, my machine bore many similarities with the iconic Citroën 2CV (La Deuche). It was made in France, it had a compact but sturdy body, it was frugal, and it was extremely versatile. And it was meant to last. And by George, it did! It served me well for many years. I took it to many places and exposed it to many different (often scary) situations; we always came out smelling like a rose, without any scratch.

I used the machine (and probably abused it) somewhat carelessly. But it endured… Until a few years ago when it started to show some wear and tear. I had to take it to some clinic for a complete physical. Technicians started to mention and even emphasize the word “maintenance”, a term foreign to all whippersnappers like me.

Only old fogies care about maintenance, isn’t it? Young people are impervious to decay and don’t give a hoot about maintenance. We don’t need no stinky maintenance!

But with time, you start to reconsider your actions. The old fogies might have known something that we didn’t… Was it possible? I discovered that some parts of my machine were worn out and in need of repair. I was told for instance that a tooth in my mouth had to be pulled out and replaced with an implant.

After all these years of faithful service, my machine deserved a break. Then a few months later. I discovered that I had some cataract in my right eye. Then I started to experience a nagging backache. Little by little, I was made aware that my now older machine did not perform as well as when it was in its prime.

What happened? I don’t feel old, but it seems that my machine is balking at accomplishing the simplest tasks. The nerves… It looks like I need a new one. As an Amazon fan, I look forward to the days when you will be able to order some new body parts online. Amazon, I need a new kidney… Yes sir, thank you for your order. It will be on your doorstep tomorrow morning!

You should not laugh. Who would have ever believed that you could purchase almost anything online with the click of a mouse?
But don’t ever neglect maintenance. If you want your machine to keep running smoothly, don’t scrimp and start early! Pamper your machine and you won’t have to order new parts from Amazon for a long time.

Alain