That’s Jeffervescent! – by Jefferson Airplane

These are boules.

Boule is the French word for ball. No boule.

So, they are balls, only really, really, really heavy.

The point of them escapes me completely. They do not squeak, they do not bounce, and they aren’t chewy. And did I mention, they are impractically and utterly inconveniently heavy? They do roll though. And that can be fun.

They are part of the French game, petanque. As well as the boules, there is a cochonnet, which is a piglet, and is sometimes called Jack. And all of that sounds fun. And losing a game without scoring any points is called being fanny (être fanny) and then you have to kiss the bottom of a lady called Fanny! So maybe there is something to these boules after all.

We have sometimes seen people in the park playing boules. And one day Alfred ran away with the piglet, Jack. I think perhaps he wanted to provoke some bottom kissing. But all he got were some very unhappy looks. I have never seen Fanny at any of these games in the park, however. But apparently everywhere it is played in France there will be a painting or a sculpture of Fanny … and a bottom at the ready for kissing.

When losing is winning! That’s Jeffervescent!