Bois-Guillaume Club goes undefeated in first weekend.

Hello friends and family! I am typing from my new apartment in Mt. Saint Agnion, it is a little town just a little further out of Rouen. I gotta tell you guys it is good to have free phone and internet. I live about 2 blocks away from Chris, The American, also....Let's just call him Chris. I live next to a forest part that has trails up a huge forrested hill, and right next to a bus stop. I live with an older women who has a 23 year old son going to school in Paris and that is where my rent money is going. I also live with Bibette 2. This Bibette talks to me and is a 20 year old law student in town. All of us try and communicate to each other. It is quite a scene. One in French, the other in Enlench, and the other in Spanglish. Sounds like a sitcom. Critter, I still laugh at your comment,oddly enough, that movie is really accurate with the shit that goes on here, Melissa, I am glad that you are still reading, Joey, I am still only your Uncle, Mom and Dad, get familiar with electronics for fucks sake, still love you though.

Let me begin with Saturday. The Bois-Guillaume Softball team has their first match against Caen. So I woke up early, got a run in, and had my usual eggs and ham breakfast. Jean-Luc picked me up in an extended van with the other players in the car and we were heading north. You wouldn't believe me if I told you...it wasn't raining. The sun was even out. Everyone was so so excited because this would be the first time that we would do anything outside. I just hope that our practices would be enough prep for our game.
Softball in France is Co-ed for the most part due to lack of players. So Romain, the Spanish speaker, and Arther, Jean-Luc's son, played with the girls. So we got to Caen and started our warm-up. I run them through the same drills that I did when I was at Drury and it is nice to still have that connection with a team. Then the game started. I am going to just say that they killed the other team. The final score was like 24-7. A lot of hits and errors. Just a messy game but a win none the less. We celebrated by going to McDonalds. I can say that I have had a Royal with Cheese now.

Our games vs Dunkirk the next day were supposed to me postponed but the teams decided to meet at another site, Campeign, to play our games. Campeign was playing away so we had use of their field. Campeign is about 2 hours north of Bois-Guillaume and is a hell of a lot better than going all the way to the most northern end of France to Dunkirk to play them.
We got to Campeign and there was just a light drizzle. A lot better than the continuous rain that we have been getting. So we started taking batting practice on the field. Everyone was so pumped to be outside and we were just running all over the place. Laughing, yelling, and hitting. During my bp, I was just smacking the hell out of the ball. We were ready to play.
The other team looked really young. There were probably some 15 yr olds mixed in with the team. Our team has quite a range of players. Arther, the youngest at 15, and Bernie, the oldest at 40. Marc was going to be the starting pitcher. I played
3rd base this game.
The first two innings were pretty slow. No score. I drew two walks in my first two at bats. There were no hits on either side for awhile. Then we errupted. We scored 5 runs on 2 hits and 3 errors by the other team. Bernie had a clutch 2 RBI hit to conclude the inning. We never looked back after that. In my 3rd at bat, I had a line drive shot that almost found the throat of the 2nd baseman. It was a good game. We run ruled the other team 10-0.
So the rain was really starting to come down with no signs of letting up. In the States, this would easily be considered a rainout but both teams were getting ready to play a 2nd game.

Unbelievable.

There were small lakes forming all over the field but everyone was getting warmed up to play. I slowly walked out of the dugout after a yogurt filled lunch and didn't feel like moving. There was no way we could play...but we did. So we starting the bottom of the first in torrential downpour. We scored 3 runs off of a couple of errors and another RBI hit by yours truly. Yeah, no big deal...I rule. BUT the game was quickly called after the opposing pitcher was bitching about the mound...I would have to if I were him because this game was looking out to be another blowout. So both coaches met with the umpires and they said it was a rainout. So our runs and hits meant nothing and we would make up the game at another date. This was alright with me because I was cold as shit and wanted to get somewhere warm. So we got showered, had victory beers, and headed for the French Cuisine that Americans refer to as McDonald's.

This is where some the guys decided to fuck with me.

I had decided that I was going to order for myself and not let Romain do the talking for me. So I was talking with Olivear, a really good guy, because I know he would tell me the correct thing to say to the clerk. I have to tell you the guys get a kick out of telling me to say dirty things in French. It is expected but I really didn't want to say anything vulgar to this McD's worker.
So I had my sentence all lined up. But at the last moment, Romain asked me what I was going to say and I repeated it to him. He said what Olivear had told me to say was inaccurate and that I needed to say something else. So I memorized another French sentence to say to the worker and was nervous enough as it was. Well it turns out that Romain told me something completely vulgar and inappropriate.

I asked the lady, english translation, "Will you go out with me and do you want my white sauce."

I got a quick. "Excuse mwa?!"

The whole team errupted with laughter including Jean-Luc. GODDAMN YOU ROMAIN.
It was funny though. So I got my Le Big Mac and quickly headed to where our team was sitting and was greeted by laughter.

I am so happy where I am now in my new apt. and I am glad that I was able to talk to you guys the other night. I walked around all day today getting my bearings on the new neighborhood. The park is beautiful and there is a fresh bakery real close. Love you guys and talk to you soon. Au revior.