Vroum-Vroum Run

Today as I was relaxing on the dock playing lizzard, my peace was quite disturbed by a double racket. The first one was brought about by the Oyster Run, a local motorbike rallye. I didn't know you could catch oysters with a Harley... Those guys were raising hell even here on Fir Island. Well, kids need to play, right? As my mum used to say, "Those Americans are all big kids". The only thing is, most of these bikers are in fact in their 50's, the Harley obviously a substitute for a receeding sexual life. The older they get, the bigger the toy. Since when do you need a big, expensive toy to have fun? So these modern days cow boys hang around in our little towns, clad in leather from head to toe, (I wonder if the underwear is leather too?), not to speak of the obligatory bandana. That looks so cool, huh? Of course all that heavy accoutrement, together with the "image de marque", gives them a particular gait, somewhere between John Wayne and the Bad Boy. All of them. It's a tribe, you know, one of those modern tribes that come to substitute for an identity and sense of belonging. The unwritten code of conduct, of the Vroum-Vroum tribe, that is, is Let's make as much noise as we can, Vroum-Vroum,VROUM! and the hell with who doesn't enjoy it, look at us, folks, we're cool, we're the real thing. Vroum. The other thing I noticed is they take an evil pleasure taking their time gathering and taking off, just to let you enjoy the Vroum! a little longer. Who needs a sonotone earplug, come to the Oyster run, it'll be much cheaper than consulting a physician, and in no time, the miracle will occur, your hearing is restaured!
Now nuisance number 2 today was the Pan-Pan tribe. Hunting season is kicking in, so there was also all these Pan!Pan-pan-pan! shots. They're on the loose! I wonder what they're targeting, as there are no feathered animals around lately. However, believe it or not, me the French woman, came to adopt a much more understanding attitude with that other tribe. Number one, some are my neighbors, so, diplomatie oblige, you get to look at their hobby in a different way. The only thing about this that actually disturbs me is those guys, when the season hits, come by our boats way before dawn with their motor boats, and the wake, and the noise, wake me up. I still remember when I moved here, the first fall season, when I saw these groups of guys with their rifles, I'd pass by them as if I were walking on a landmine. The mere idea of having all those guns close made me nervous. Had to force a commercial smile when addressing them, ah, you catch anything today? Oh good! I guess after four years here something happenned as I do not have to force the smile anymore. Of course I'm a perfect hypocrite, since I couldn't do what they do, but I'm always glad to eat the meat.