Here in the south of France, we call it pétanque, and it's indeed a very popular.... sport (?) amongst the elders.
To me it's one of those sports/activities that are almost more fun to watch then to play. It reminds me of the elders in my village when I was kid, playing pétanque together for one or two hours in the summer early evenings, drinking pastis while waiting for dinner to be served at home. It was never a sport, there was no competition; they were barely even counting points, but it was a good excuse to get together, away from the house, the wife and the TV. The rules are so simple even a young kid like me could understand them in 5 minutes; the equipment is the price of the two pints and easily transportable; a game meant for everyone of any age, a respite from the hardships of the day.
Nicely written piece Thomas. More prose than essay, almost short-story material. Really liked it.
I’m sure there are subtle variations in the different games, but the spirit sounds exactly the same. And it’s funny how the version and experience you describe sounds very, very French whereas mine is quintessentially English. Interesting how the game brings out those characteristics.
And yes, as much as I enjoy essay-writing in the more conventional sense, I am of late preferring to simply describe things rather than make an argument or prove a point. I think the world could do with more poetry (for lack of a better word) and less polemics.
Thanks as always for stopping by with your insight. I always look forward to it.
Really enjoyed this piece, beautifully written, descriptions are very vivid. It felt like I am on the balcony, watching the "action".
I saw Sebastien's comment below and tried to remember similar games or activities in Russia but could only remember the elders playing chess, checkers, or dominoes (+ different card games maybe). These are not very "physical activities" but I think they have a similar vibe. Probably, it's more about just hanging out, chatting and the game is just a background for it. But *I can only speculate* from my experience. I am gonna make a VERY weird comparison now, please be prepared. We are not old (yet) but, when we play online games with my friends who live in different counties, we do it mostly for chatting, the game's results do not matter as well as the game choice, we don't put the effort in it, etc. It's just a phone call with our hands busy with gamepads and drinks, like the hands of the characters in your story are busy with bowls. And although it's purely virtual and not analogue experience, I think it has a similar vibe inwardly. I believe when we will get older we'll do the same thing, simply because we can't play in the park together (sadly or not) but we want to chat.
Looking forward to more stories like this one. Cheers!
I think that comparison makes perfect sense, and it’s a good point. Of course, you could argue that the physical separation and screen mediation means that a good part of the hanging out experience is lost in the ether but I suppose in these strange times we have to take what socialisation we can, in whatever forms are available.
On the subject of which, see you over at the cult meeting grounds soon.
I'm currently on a quest to re-read all of these essays at work-pretending hours and today I thought "oh, today's is just that one about the old folks playing this english game (sigh)", nothing existential, no deep title...
But again I was quite amazed because beyond reflections and deep-existential questions I got myself deliberately smiling, reading about a tiny little event in a delicate and detailed momentum of the author's attention. It's why these essays are great as they are, you can turn off your head searching for meaning and just be - as the old men on the bowling green.
Here in the south of France, we call it pétanque, and it's indeed a very popular.... sport (?) amongst the elders.
To me it's one of those sports/activities that are almost more fun to watch then to play. It reminds me of the elders in my village when I was kid, playing pétanque together for one or two hours in the summer early evenings, drinking pastis while waiting for dinner to be served at home. It was never a sport, there was no competition; they were barely even counting points, but it was a good excuse to get together, away from the house, the wife and the TV. The rules are so simple even a young kid like me could understand them in 5 minutes; the equipment is the price of the two pints and easily transportable; a game meant for everyone of any age, a respite from the hardships of the day.
Nicely written piece Thomas. More prose than essay, almost short-story material. Really liked it.
I’m sure there are subtle variations in the different games, but the spirit sounds exactly the same. And it’s funny how the version and experience you describe sounds very, very French whereas mine is quintessentially English. Interesting how the game brings out those characteristics.
And yes, as much as I enjoy essay-writing in the more conventional sense, I am of late preferring to simply describe things rather than make an argument or prove a point. I think the world could do with more poetry (for lack of a better word) and less polemics.
Thanks as always for stopping by with your insight. I always look forward to it.
Really enjoyed this piece, beautifully written, descriptions are very vivid. It felt like I am on the balcony, watching the "action".
I saw Sebastien's comment below and tried to remember similar games or activities in Russia but could only remember the elders playing chess, checkers, or dominoes (+ different card games maybe). These are not very "physical activities" but I think they have a similar vibe. Probably, it's more about just hanging out, chatting and the game is just a background for it. But *I can only speculate* from my experience. I am gonna make a VERY weird comparison now, please be prepared. We are not old (yet) but, when we play online games with my friends who live in different counties, we do it mostly for chatting, the game's results do not matter as well as the game choice, we don't put the effort in it, etc. It's just a phone call with our hands busy with gamepads and drinks, like the hands of the characters in your story are busy with bowls. And although it's purely virtual and not analogue experience, I think it has a similar vibe inwardly. I believe when we will get older we'll do the same thing, simply because we can't play in the park together (sadly or not) but we want to chat.
Looking forward to more stories like this one. Cheers!
I think that comparison makes perfect sense, and it’s a good point. Of course, you could argue that the physical separation and screen mediation means that a good part of the hanging out experience is lost in the ether but I suppose in these strange times we have to take what socialisation we can, in whatever forms are available.
On the subject of which, see you over at the cult meeting grounds soon.
Cheers, John.
I could imagine you partaking in bowling.
I used to watch it on TV and I couldn't even tell you why. There's something calming about it.
Just need to wait it out another 25 years or so and then I can probably apply for a membership as a young upstart on the green.
I'm currently on a quest to re-read all of these essays at work-pretending hours and today I thought "oh, today's is just that one about the old folks playing this english game (sigh)", nothing existential, no deep title...
But again I was quite amazed because beyond reflections and deep-existential questions I got myself deliberately smiling, reading about a tiny little event in a delicate and detailed momentum of the author's attention. It's why these essays are great as they are, you can turn off your head searching for meaning and just be - as the old men on the bowling green.