Monday, March 24, 2014

You are what you do today, not what you say you'll do tomorrow.






A trip to buy wine. Then onto the town hall to vote in the local elections. There's only one mayoral candidate so this is more a show of solidarity than of democracy. The mayor, the deputy mayoress and a lady with a clipboard are all seated in the lobby. The mayors wife is also there with an enormous pile of honey croissants. '' One for each voter " she says by way of explanation. She then repeats herself, slowly, to make sure I've understood.

While 'the font' votes the mayor makes small talk. '' Do you know pigeons and doves drink by sucking up water. All other birds use their tongues ". While I ponder what to say in reply his wife offers me a second honey croissant. This is politely refused. Not all croissants are created equal. Bob, who is sitting patiently on the doorstep with his sister, looks through the plate glass door as if to say ' Why would you turn that down ? '. 

Seven in the evening. The count takes place. Sixty seven villagers on the electoral roll. Sixty five vote. The Very Old Farmer and the Widow in the cottage at the crossroads don't . The mayor, the deputy mayoress, the Old Farmer, two new town councillors, the mayors wife and the man in the day-glo yellow jacket wander by to give us the news. They stay just long enough for two glasses of champagne. 

Democracy in action. France profonde style.


25 comments:

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

We think the mud on Bob's nose is a permanent feature.

We have sausage sizzles at the voting booth, but we have to pay for them. A free croissant sounds great.

XXXOOO Bella & Roxy

WFT Nobby said...

I agree with Bob. Why would you turn down that second croissant?
Toodle pip!
Bertie.

Whispering Walls said...

The PONS deserve votes!

VirginiaC said...

Lovely photos today of the two angels atop "their" grooming table with muddy noses and paws.....I could just hug them both.
Angus you are a man of words..."not all croissants are created equal" will keep running around in my head all day and making me chuckle....thanks for the laugh.
One solitary candidate, and yet one must go through the motions of voting.....democracy at its very best!!

fleurlilian said...

You have become the place to go - after elections, funerals, etc... I shall think of that when I settle in a new place (small place - champagne bill)!
I vote for honey croissants for the most diligent co-garden workers in your family! From Southern crazy Italy Susanne, Daisy, Kiri and Dandy

JacksDad said...

Perhaps the font could run for mayor next election! :)

Jake of Florida said...

How civilized!

Kari said...

Has Bob had some of the Champagne?

Angus said...

He's a teetotaler !

Angus said...

It's certainly different .

Angus said...

A Swedish mayor in France profonde ?

Angus said...

I wonder why we're so popular ?

Angus said...

They certainly do !

Angus said...

Democracy is a strange beast .

Angus said...

We also think the mud on Bobs nose is a permanent feature.

Angus said...

Good question.

Heather said...

Bob really DOES always have dirt on his nose!

myboyzach said...

Just gotta ask, what were the PON's doing to get so dirty?? Hope the hose is hooked up to wash all that mud off someone's cute nose and both of their chins and paws !!

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

I just saw on television the Mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska, is a 16-year-old cat named Stubbs--I guess that democracy Alaska style! (I wonder what Sarah Palin thinks of that?)

With your mention of Thomas Wolfe, I thought of you yesterday when good friends of ours who are on a years trip around the world just visited the home/museum of Robert Louis Stevenson in Samoa -- What a long way from home for a Scotsman!

Jo's World said...

All we get for voting is a sticker that goes on your jacket and says "I Voted!" All its good for is patting yourself on the back and hopefully making non-voters feel guilty.

Jo

Angus said...

Always !

Angus said...

Digging. Sisal rugs are great at collecting it up !

Angus said...

Samoa's difficult to get today let alone 150 years ago.

Fat Dormouse said...

Your election sounds quite civilised...ours (with two candidates) got really rather nasty with anonymous letters being sent to various candidates on "the list", with vandalism on one candidat's car, and a general "smear" campaign. However the tactics didn't work, as the "sinned against" won by an almost 75% majority! NOR were we offered anything to eat or drink - perhaps that would have been seen as bribery & corruption!

Angus said...

I'm not sure one of the mayor wifes croissants would be classed as bribery. Corruption maybe.